I’d go with the Clubman S myself; only a little bit more dough per month, no regrets later. And since they didn’t make Hot Chocolate a Cooper exclusive color….oh yeah, definitely the S. :D

Look forward to your comments on the next WRR cast.

I would agree, though, that for someone in your position Todd, getting the S makes sense as you can justify the extra cost for the additional power and options (such as those fancy wheels you love) and the ever so slight hit in economy.

It’s all a very personal thing, which is part of what makes choosing and owning a MINI so great.

I still don’t know whether it will be this summer or later in the fall, though.

Night Fire Red with silver top is one of the nicest combos for the Cooper Clubman.

The Cooper is definitely quick enough for a fun commuter car, which it excels at being, that still can be taken to the track, which I’ve done a few times and absolutely had a blast.

This is why, if I were to get a new MINI, I think I would actually get another Cooper, be it a coupe or Clubman. That would work best for my situation. Being a student and driving 20-25K miles a year, the savings in price, fuel and insurance will add up.

Todd, you should obviously get what you and your wife want, but if you were to get a Cooper, I do think that a PW/B with the black JCW aero grill and your black R105 wheels would look pretty amazing.

And sorry for the book-length post.

When you are discussing the pros and cons of a Cooper Clubman or a Cooper S Clubman it sounds like what you’re really looking for is the Cooper D Clubman

That is exactly the car I would buy today without hesitation! But, like you said, we won’t get it in the States.

Yes the Hot Chocolate metallic can also be ordered in the S. That’s what we got with silver roof.

In mid-December we changed the order to a similary equipped Cooper S Clubman automatic. We took delivery last Wednesday at the car is fantastic. The turbo motor really brings the car alive and the fuel mileage we are getting in the city (mind you with just 150 miles on the odo) is 28-29 MPG!! That is the same mileage we were getting in a 2002 R50 Cooper CVT (115HP) with 44K miles!

To me Todd, the Cooper S Clubman is a much better value in terms of price, performance, practicality and eventual resale value. The Cooper S will always be the car that most people want. My experience in selling the ’02 Cooper, is that it is more difficult to sell because people want the extra power of the top of the line model. The MINI buyer is not always 100% concerned about high fuel mileage.

This car gives you the best possible mix of performance and practicality. And the ‘S’is the icing on the cake.

To me the fuel mileage difference between the MC Clubman and MCS Clubman is neglible, IMHO.

I agree with Gabe that months down the road you will be wondering “what if” I had gone with the MCS?

You are a S guy and you will not be 100% happy going to a Cooper, but then again you might be.

A test drive will surely settle this conundrum for you.

Best of luck in whatever model you decide to chose!

When you are discussing the pros and cons of a Cooper Clubman or a Cooper S Clubman it sounds like what you’re really looking for is the Cooper D Clubman. I know you can’t get it in the US but here in the UK if you are concerned about tax or fuel costs it’s the car to have. The Cooper D will do around 70mpg and you make a great saving on car tax..

Cooper D Clubman: Annual tax £35
Cooper/Cooper S Clubman: Annual tax £115

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