MINI Clubman Production is Ending But There’s Still Time to Grab One Before They’re Gone Forever
Find Out How You Can Still Get The Best Car from the Current Range
The MINI Clubman production is ending and with it our favorite current MINI made. Dealer stock is quickly dwindling and in some markets orders have already been completely shut down. However if you’re in the US or most of Europe there is still time to get a Clubman. Read on for tips on timing and the risks of waiting even another month.
The beloved for its mix of utility and performance, the Clubman has become a cult favorite for the brand. In JCW form the F54 Clubman isn’t only the fastest current MINI (0-60 in 4.6 seconds) but will likely remain fastest petrol powered MINI of all time. How do we know? The Countryman JCW has more power in its new generation but lost a substantial amount of torque while gaining weight stunting its performance a bit.
Why is MINI killing the Clubman? It’s unfortunately due to sales. In a world that can’t get enough of small crossovers, the wagon-like Clubman is getting squeezed out. However the passion of its owners haven’t been enough to save it as MINI plans to focus on crossovers with its next generation of cars due to customer demand.
The Clubman in particular has had a hard time finding an audience. In fact the current F54 generation has only hit its sales targets in one major market; Japan. And despite MotoringFile calling the F54 JCW Clubman the best all around MINI ever made, it’s also been a hard sell for dealers. Especially next to the taller more SUV like Countryman – a shape that is clearly a consumer’s preference these days.
How & When to Buy One of the Last Clubman
First step is immediately getting in touch with your favorite MINI store. IMMEDIATELY. The second is to spec your car and get it into the ordering system asap. While production should continue into February, it’s unclear what part shortages might start to appear as production winds down.
If it were us ordering a Clubman we would want to get our order now and not wait even another week. Why? Some models are already in tight supply and most allocations have been spoken for.
Another pro-tip as well. If you’re curious about things like roof racks and rally lights, even accessories will eventually of out of stock. We’d encourage you to pick those up over the next year if not sooner.
The Clubman’s Replacement
But there is a replacement MINI is replacing the Clubman with the small electric Aceman crossover. The Aceman will have the same electric drivetrain as the J01 MINI Cooper which means we’ll see range and performance figures a bit lower than that car. So expect a range just one 200 miles in SE trim and 0-60 times in the low 7 second range.
Crucially it will be small compared to the Countryman. In fact it’ll be roughly the same size as the R60 Countryman with more interior volume.
The Modern History of the Clubman
The original Clubman is a bit divisive. With the third door on the wrong side or right-hand drive markets, it was looked at as the “other” MINI even but the brand’s own marketing. While we loved the concept, it never really jelled for us as it felt too close to the R56 and didn’t find the sweet spot that the F54 ultimately did in terms of utility and performance.
The F54 Clubman on the other hand has been our favorite MINI model since it’s introduction in 2015. We’ve run three of them over the years – a manual Cooper S All4, the 228 hp JCW and most recently a 306 hp JCW. While all were great cars, the 306 hp JCW Clubman might just be out favorite new MINI ever made. You can read a collection of reviews of that car below.
Why? Its mix of utility and performance is unmatched in the range. As a wagon (even if MINI won’t call it that) it has can deliver almost all of the utility a crossover offers with none of the performance trade-offs. Having driven a Clubman on everything from the Dragon to the track to snow covers mountain roads we can confidently say there is nothing that comes close to the broad capabilities of the Clubman – especially in JCW form. Saying it will be missed is a massive understatement.
MotoringFile Take
If you need something a bit larger than the two door MINI Cooper, but still want a MINI, we can’t imagine a scenario where a Clubman doesn’t make sense. Having had three of them over the years we are convinced by their blend of utility, performance and style that feels so unique in the segment. And if you can spring for the JCW version, you will have not just a great everyday performance car, you’ll have the fastest petrol powered MINI ever.
We’ll have more on the Clubman as we review one of the last 2024 Clubman JCWs made in the coming weeks.
The Countryman is just an excuse for the Clubman’s poor sales.
The reality is that the Clubman is too expensive in relation to its services, both in terms of technology and chassis which is both not comfortable enough and not dynamic enough, compared to the competition (A3, A-Class, 3-Series).
Having owned or driven the A3, A Class and 3 Series extensively I’m not sure I agree. For one the price will vary depending on markets and in the US the Clubman’s pricing is well positioned.
Speaking to the JCW – In terms of dynamics it’s oriented at a use case that’s different than the more extreme AMG A Class. So comparing is difficult.
Having owned six three series I can attest to them being excellent yet it’s a very different product. In the US we unfortunately don’t get the 3 series Touring so a 3 Series isn’t a great comparison here. But looking at the sedan once again pricing works in the Clubman’s favor.
From a tech angle there’s not much any of those cars offer that the F54 doesn’t with the exception of limited L2 autonomous driving which is optional in the 3 Series.
I’d love to see someone do an electric conversion of a Clubman. I think the longer body would allow for more battery capacity.