NYTimes: Clubman in Name Only
Great piece for those who enjoy the proper usage of marquee nomenclature:
>Try as I might to like the new Mini Clubman, I can’t. Because of the name. Any aficionado of Alec Issigonis’s iconic Mini Minor knows that the long-wheelbase shooting brake (estate to the plebians) model was labeled the Countryman (in Austin Seven guise) and Traveller (in Morris Mini form). And they had wood trim! BMW even admitted as much – the original concept LWB Mini was called ‘Traveller.’
So lets call it the “Traveller”.
From what I understand thier is no “Clubman” badge on the car.
What they use to sell/market doesn’t have to stick once you own one.
I believe the Clubman name will only be visible in the door sills. Is this accurate?
What I find funny is that in an article complaining about an improper use of a name the author continues to use Mini, and not the proper MINI.
Kind of makes the whole story seem silly to me.
I’m sure MINI would rather have used the more appropriate name if it was possible. Unfortunately it appears that Clubman was the closest the could come to an appropriate name.
Hopefully Moke is a name that MINI can use in the future.
Typical New York Times effete dribble…
Very odd article.
I used to have a “Traveler” from ’79 in the USA. It was built by International Harvester Light Trucks and was a full size body on frame sport utility. It was the long wheel Base version of the “IH Scout”.
So IMO to call the station wagon version of the MINI a “Traveler” by any spelling, it would need 4X4 drive and be the size of a two door “GMC Yukon” with a 351 IH motor. Just for fun … the IH “Suburban” was called the “Travelall”
Calling the MINI LWB a “Clubman” in the states is just fine by me
MAN I miss my IH Scout Traveler………..
Hmmmm….Then perhaps Traveler could be an appropriate name for the SAV….
This asks the question why BMC used the name ‘Clubman’ in the first place. There were two versions – a 1000cc basic and the 1275GT. I can see why the GT version was named appropriately as it was to replace the ‘Cooper’ models. But to name a basic car the same must have only been for the models common shape.
A Club man is a person who is a member of a club, usually a car club, who uses his car in events.
There is nothing ‘Clubman’ about new MINI. It’s a SUV (sports utility vehicle) or SAV (sports activity vehicle).
P.S. Does this mean that MINI is gender specific? Is MINI a male? This raises more debate.