The MINI Clubman Concept in Video
The MINI Clubman concept has landed in Geneva. And while we’ve seen plenty of photos and heard all about the details we haven’t really given you a good look at the car until now.
The Exterior – what’s Concept and What’s Production?
If you’ve been following MF for the past year, nothing here should be a surprise. The size of the car (4223 mm, or 5″ longer than the Countryman) is key, as are the four forward-opening doors we’ve been telling you about. The front is taken directly from the F56 (with some concept bits added on for good measure) and the rear is 100% production with the exception of the latch.
One detail that is particularly interesting is the similarity of this concept to the design sketches we saw just before the F56 was released last year. If we had to guess (and make some slightly informed assumptions) we’d say that this might be an early look at the LCI (the “life-cycle refresh” or “impulse” in BMW-speak) for the F5X cars due out in 3-4 years. One key aspect of the design that gives this away is the attention to detail of the ducting around the front wheels. These create the air curtain (again BMW-speak) that improves airflow around the wheels to decrease drag. The amount of engineering that goes into something like this indicates that these are a feature we’ll see headed to production at some point.
What about the color? Our sources tell us that the unique color for the F55 won’t be the burgundy you see here, but a new dark blue called Lapisluxury Blue which looks very similar to the revised Rocketman concept blue from a few years back.
The Interior: What’s Concept and What’s Production?
The Clubman will carry over some of the F56 interior design but will tweak the overall look and functionality of the dash and center console. What we see here gives us some clues as to how that will eventually play out.
What about the rear and the legroom? We won’t have specific details, of course, until we see it in person but our sources have called it better than the R60 Countryman in every way.
Release Date
We expect the F55 four door hatch to debut later this summer followed by the convertible in the spring of 2015. That would mean the Clubman concept you see above should hit dealers in production form in the latter half of 2015 as a 2016 model.
Check back for more on the F54 Clubman as we’ll have hands-on impressions and plenty more details in the coming days and months.
<p>this looks longer than the Countryman</p>
<p>It is.</p>
<p>The rear only shows 2 seats, will that be an option for those wanting more room and don’t need 3 (cramped) seats in the rear?</p>
<p>I see two center exhaust pipes and no hood scoop. Hope that’s unique to the concept.</p>
<p>All the spy shots show the side exhaust and a hood scoop.</p>
<p>The Cooper S version will have a scoop. The One and Cooper will not.</p>
<p>It’s very good looking. Still on board for one in 18mo time. I’ll wait.</p>
<p>What’s interesting is that it’s only about an inch longer than a Golf. So still quite short. The interior dimensions will be perfect for us. I love the rear barn doors (always have) and the overall treatment is wide and aggressive. I can’t wait to see if the F54 gets the air curtains from the get-go with the F55/56 getting them with the LCI.</p>
<p>Also, of note this concept appears to be the first MINI with power front seats.</p>
<p>Keep up the info!</p>
<p>I love this car, and genuinely hope the clean front end design comes over unchanged to production (no jutting out bottom jowl). I also hope we see some of the interior design touches carry over as well (wishful thinking I know, but I like the clean dash lines).</p>
<p>I’ve been wishing for an estate-like car that does not stretch in size too much, and this would fit my family perfectly (two people, two dogs). The timing is about right, we’re hoping to keep our ’11 R56S for two more years.</p>
<p>What do I like about this?
1.) It’s distinctly MINI
2.) Nothing else looks like it (and I like the styling)
3.) The barn doors remain wicked cool</p>
<p>What don’t I like about it?
1.) 5″ longer than the Countryman? Crikey! The rear doors weren’t worth making the footprint so huge. A single, shorter suicide door would have been better IMO.</p>
<p>Having a single small suicide door on this F54 with a back seat interior as large or larger than a Countryman just wouldn’t make sense per the overall size of this upcoming new Clubman. It was fine on the outgoing much smaller Clubman but this new Clubman is much longer & wider. A tiny single suicide door would look like a last minute add-on!</p>
<p>Hence, my dislike for the length of the car. Shorter with the small door would be my preference. Parking this car in the cramped few spaces available in Boston and Somerville, MA would be a hassle for me.</p>
<p>That shorter length would have to come from somewhere though. You’d sacrifice rear leg room and boot space for the same of simply being shorter for shorter’s sake. This is why the F55 will exist. Want the smallest possible MINI 4-door? That’s your car. Want something with a little more room and utility, welcome to the Clubman.</p>
<p>I’m one of those who are anxiously awaiting the F55 at dealers here in the US. Understand it’ll come out late this summer in the Euro market then out later in the fall for the No Am market??</p>
<p>I previously had an ’08 MCS hatch for 4 years, then moved into my current ’12 JCW Coupe. But am now looking for more practicality (at least for me at age 73) & much better rear visibility in the 4 door F55 hatch. Still small…only 2″ longer than the F56, but better rear seat access & more usable rear seat leg room.</p>
<p>Still waiting to see the ‘official;’ mileage figures for the F56 that were meant to come out back in mid Feb???? Haven’t seen them yet on the MINIUSA configurator?</p>
<p>Again, a MINI video without sound. What would it take to add some music and perhaps make people more excited about this?</p>
<p>They aren’t supposed to be exciting. It’s mainly B-Roll footage (like the shots of a car driving on a canyon/mountain road). It doesn’t contain music so it can be used for other productions later with added music. Try this: <a href="http://youtubedoubler.com/bSWe" rel="nofollow ugc">http://youtubedoubler.com/bSWe</a></p>
<p>Also, those side mirrors are badass!</p>
<p>If the new Clubman exterior does not look exactly like this I’m going to be disappointed. This MINI is very classy. Love the big wheel size and design.</p>
<p>Sadly, it won’t. Many of the finer details (door handles, side mirrors, bonnet shape, skylights) will likely never see production. Even the center tail pipes are just for the Concept, based on the spy shots.</p>
<p>Isn’t that a shame? I feel like all the elements we like get tossed away when production form comes.</p>
<p>It is a shame, because the exterior of this Clubman Concept has some very nice details. I went back and looked at the spy shots today. The production car won’t have the cool rear wing or wiperless rear windows either.</p>
<p>As far as the interior goes, I suspect that the 4 rectangular air vents will be the only detail that translates into the final production car. RIP to circular air vents on the Clubman.</p>
<p>Just not understanding the station wagon love. Good or bad, they will forever be linked to their wallowing land ark, Clark Griswold heritage. All the F54 needs is some nice wood paneling down the sides to fit right in…</p>
<p>If it is linked to Clark Griswold, I will take two.</p>
<p>It’s this out dated view of wagons that’s keeping the best of them out of the USA. My E91 is the polar opposite of Vacation’s wagon ethos- and trust me, I love National Lampoon and Clark Griswold. A station wagon is a good handling sedan with extra storage space and versatility- all the pluses of the sedan with none of the negatives of a crossover/SUV. We need more wagons in the USA, not fewer. This is why I’m so excited for the F54 Clubman- plus it’s a touch longer than a VW Golf, so still almost half that of the land yacht from that bygone era when both the huge wagons AND sedans trampled the highways. This is similar to why people started buying less useful, poorer driving SUVs in lieu of minivans which remain the best way to haul around 7 people and their stuff.</p>
<p>Being able to haul and haul a#@ is why there is so much station wagon love.</p>
<p>Agree 100% I’ve owned BMW wagons for years because they represent the absolutely best combination of utility and driving dynamics.</p>
<p>Luckily, this narrowminded view will die with the older generations in the US. More and more hatchbacks and wagons are coming to our shores, which is a big plus!</p>
<p>I can’t promise to be in a big hurry to fulfill your luck. ;-)</p>
<p>F54 is indeed a very handsome and stylish looking motor car. In our house, however, we decided some while ago that the F55 Cooper will be our next daily driver, to effectively replace our R60 Cooper. The considerable extra bulk of the F54 will inevitably impact on its performance and fuel consumption, and it’s day to day urban usability. F55 is a good looking MINI in its own right, and the link below shows, what is said to be, a very accurate rendering.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.roadandtrack.com/go/future-cars/future-car-news/photos-2015-minis-2#slide-10" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.roadandtrack.com/go/future-cars/future-car-news/photos-2015-minis-2#slide-10</a></p>
<p>So i’ve seen several major news outlets running stories this car won’t happen, that the countryman will remain the largest vehicle mini makes. sad, because the proportions on this look soooo much better than the F56 and it’s brethren seen thus far.</p>
<p>of course it crossed my mind they could make the countryman bigger.</p>
<p>They’re wrong. This car is happening. Then the next generation Coubtryman will grow to be slightly larger and potentially accommodate 7.</p>
<p>A 7-passenger MINI?!?! Seriously?</p>
<p>Man, they are doing just about everything they can to push me toward a modded Fiat for my next car unless they make the Rocketman somewhere among all this land yacht expansion. If BMW makes the Z2 have AWD that’s something I’d also be very interested in.</p>
<p>I love the MINI brand dearly. I love its heritage, its founding principles of fitting more space into a smaller exterior, and I love its stubby-nosed styling that makes it stand out among a world full of nondescript sedans and SUVs. It would be really hard for me to leave it after my R53 and R58 and my wife’s Clubman, but going to a MINI rally with a fleet of Denali-sized cars whose only commonality to mine is a badge and no lineage whatsoever just wouldn’t be the same.</p>
<p>I guess there’s a line at which one becomes a purist. Many classic Mini enthusiasts drew that line at the modern incarnation of the car produced by BMW. I have some friends from the UK who don’t like the current MINI at all. They make fun of my “BMW” or “German car”. I think they’re crazy, but they’re entitled to their opinion. BMW successfully revived this brand and made it one of the funnest cars in its price range. However, the mere thought of a 7-passenger MINI kind of puts that line-that-shant-be-crossed in my mind. Wow. You’re scaring me, Gabe. I understand going larger and I’m thrilled that the Countryman and Paceman are bringing more people to the brand, but I just can’t imagine a MINI that large and I’m pretty certain that I would not like it.</p>
<p>Fiat has a 7 sweater coming also.</p>
<p>LOL! Oh, well. Guess I need to get fatter and raise a family. Still loving my coupe so once it’s time to replace her I’ll see what’s out then.</p>
<p>It’s already on sale here, called the 500L MPW, it is longer than the 500L, and has a 2-3-2 seating layout. The two extra rear seats are optional but only suitable for small children.</p>
<p>Anders Warming, however, has raised doubts that there will be a 7 seat MINI MPV. MINI has designed both a 5 and 7 seat MPV, so perhaps the 5 seat version will still get the green light.</p>