Mini is rolling out a larger Clubman for 2016. The five-passenger crossover is the result of customer demand.
Mini is pushing it to the max with the launch of an all-new version of its Clubman model.
The British automaker made its splashy return to the U.S. a decade ago by offering some of the smallest cars on the market, starting with the little Cooper. But it has been growing the brand, quite literally, in recent years. Not only has it added more models, but also they all seem to be taking steroids.
There was the Countryman, Mini’s first four-door and its first SUV. Then it relaunched the original Hardtop in notably larger form. The 2016 Mini Clubman continues this growth pattern, becoming the biggest Mini on the market, if that is not an oxymoron.
Part of the logic behind the move is simply listening to customer demand. But the move also may be motivated by that thing called economies-of-scale that all manufacturers today worship. The 2016 Clubman shares the same underlying platform as the new BMW 2-Series Active Tourer – which made some unexpected compromises of its own, becoming the first-ever front-wheel-drive model from the Bavarian maker.
Since its return to the U.S. a decade ago, Mini's products have been getting steadily larger.
The overall shape of the new Clubman is basically the same as the old model, the blueprints just seemingly put into a copier set to 110% – producing something even bigger than the current Countryman crossover. (It’s 10.9 inches longer than the Hardtop, by the way, and 2.9 inches wider.) The good news is that the 2016 model actually does deliver enough space for five adults without having those in the rear seat contort into awkward shapes.
The one immediately notable difference comes in the back where the hatch is now a two-door arrangement, each portal swinging outward. Borrowing a page from Ford and several other makers, a motorist with arms full of packages will be able to open the doors simply by waggling a foot under the back bumper.
Another addition to the Clubman for 2016, Mini will now offer optional LED headlamps and foglamps, as well as adaptive lighting.
And lifting a page, this time from BMW, the Clubman will improve its aerodynamics with new Air Curtains and Air Breathers, among other things reducing turbulence around the front wheels.
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As big as it is, the 2016 Mini Clubman is still relatively small for a five-seater, so despite some surprise and grumbling, the British maker is hoping its loyal fans will ultimately fall back in love.
There are other reasons for loyalists to stay in line. The new Clubman gets the same basic interior redesign as the latest-generation Cooper hatchback. Again, though some initially grumbled, the redesign resolved some of the more nagging problems with Mini models, such as the speedometer that was positioned in the center of the instrument panel, rather than behind the steering wheel.
The new layout offers up two digital displays, one measuring 6.5 inches, the other 8.8, definitely not Mini these. Of course, there remain the classic Mini toggle switches and Start button to play with.
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Mini has made a success – a profitable one, at that – of offering countless ways to customize the exterior of its vehicles. It now promises to expand its range of interior trim features to “near bespoke levels of customization.”
Mini claims it put a heavy emphasis on enhancing the new Clubman’s steering and handling. Considering its products already have a reputation for go-kart-like manners, that will certainly enhance Clubman’s appeal even further.
Initially, Mini says, there will be two powertrain options: a BMW-derived 1.5-liter 3-cylinder package making 134 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. Available with either a six-speed manual or eight-speed Steptronic automatic, it will hit 60 in 8.9 seconds. The sportier option will be the turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four making 189 hp and 207 lb-ft. It will hit 60 in a flat 7.0 seconds with the manual, 6.9 seconds with the Steptronic.
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Will buyers accept this new not-so-Mini? We were asking the same question when the Countryman debuted. The fact is that it’s become one of the brand’s true hits. So, there’s little reason to believe the maxi Mini Clubman won’t repeat that success.