Over the last few weeks we’ve had a number of requests from readers for details on when the MINI Clubman will be available. When to expect it to start production, when will we see a public debut, and when can we buy it. Even though we’ve answered most of these questions before, we figured it would be best to create one dedicated post and put it on the top right of the site. It’s also made all the more timely by the official anouncement of the Clubman name.

First, we’ll give you the dates and then we’ll talk details.

* July/August 2007: Clubman pictures and information made available to the press
* August 2007: Clubman enters full pre-production at the Oxford Plant
* Early September 2007: Clubman makes it’s public debut at the Frankfurt Motorshow
* Late Fall: Clubman goes on sale in Europe/UK
* February 2008: Clubman goes on sale in US market

For Clubman production, MINI will roughly follow the same timeline it used for the R56 as seen above. That means R55 will enter major production some time in August of 2007. Look for these early cars to be mostly made of press and demonstration cars. Judging from how R56 production was handled, look for customer cars to start to be produced in October and November for a UK and European launch in November of 2007. The US launch will follow in February of 2008.

The European public debut is scheduled for the Frankfurt Motorshow in early September with the North American most likely debut set for Detroit in early 2008. Look for official images and specifications to be released in late July or early August with the first European press drives of production spec cars happening in October.

The R55 should go onsale in the UK and Europe late in the fall. In the US, expect a February debut similar to that of the R56 – which had a February onsale date.

When the Clubman hits the production line full-time later this fall, there will be one R55 produced for every four R56s.