Not my kind of Club, man

by Brian Byrne



I'll be clear from the start. I like the new generation Mini, BMW's take on the car that was one of the enduring icons of the swinging sixties.

They took the theme, and moved it on, and upwards in position. And they have deserved the success they've enjoyed with the car.

In its own way it swings, and it zings. And indeed, doesn't need any reference to its original namesake to be an icon in its own right.

The Clubman version was launched towards the end of last year and for various reasons of my own I wasn't able to take a run in one until recently.

And I'll be clear from the start. I don't like it.

It is a third variant for the modern brand, after the core model and the cabrio that followed. And they are planning an SUV version for some time next year. A Mini for every taste and need is the policy, it seems.

We've seen the Clubman coming since the first concept in 2005. By and large, the production result didn't have any surprises. The idea was to emulate the Traveller, Countryman and Clubman Estate versions of the original car. It was also an attempt to offer solutions to the core model's shortcomings.

'Shortcomings' being the very apt word. For all the comfort which front occupants enjoy, the pair of seat positions in the rear offer at best minimal leg room, at worst none at all.

By making the Clubman 24cm longer, the designers provided 8cm more room in that rear seat area. This also persuaded them to make three seating positions in the rear. And the Clubman got a third side door, which opens on rear hinging, with a view to making access easier. The luggage space got bigger too. And instead of a rear hatch, a pair of vertical doors -- also reflecting the Traveller et al -- are provided.

One objective was certainly achieved. The Clubman looks distinctly different from the core Mini. But different is not always right.

Actually, the aesthetics have been compromised. The external proportions of the core Mini are about as perfect as you can get in a car. For its width and height, the length is spot on. The Clubman just looks too long.

Ah, go on ... surely this is nit-picking, and being precious? Maybe. Maybe not. It is all from one's point of view. And this one is my perspective.



Then there's that 'Clubdoor' for rear access to a space that, really, isn't significantly any more comfortable than in the standard Mini. It's on the right hand side. Perfectly positioned for countries where they drive on the left, where it will open onto the footpath. Here in Ireland, in Britain, in Japan and in Australia, it opens into the flow of traffic unless you've crossed the road to park against the traffic.

BMW say they can't make a version with the Clubdoor on the left. Something about the position of the fuel filler system. Hey, guys, you've concepted this thing for three years, how come an engineer didn't spot this? Especially as the car is built in Britain, and Britain (and Japan) are among its larger markets.

Then, too, the driver's seatbelt mounting is set into the Clubdoor, so that when entering or egressing the rear there's a distinct possibility of tripping over it. Car companies have been sued for millions for lesser situations.



Now, from the driver's viewpoint, there's another serious difficulty. Literally 'viewpoint'. Those vertical rear doors mean that you're looking out back through a pair of windows with a significant piece of doorframes metal in the middle. Depending on the distance of the car behind, there are times when it isn't visible. And at night on a winding road, any following car will be dazzling you wildly with the flicker effect of its headlights criss-crossing those centre frames.

It isn't nice.

I'm not impressed with the latest iteration of the large central speedometer/info cluster either. This isn't a Clubman specific problem, but part of the revision of the new Mini a couple of years ago. For a start, in its position it is far too big. And in spite of that, or partly even because of it, the 'floating' red edge on the review car that indicates the speed is not easily seen. If you want analogue, use a needle on the dial -- and that is available on some versions.

And hey, while I'm at it, the radio controls are a triumph of brash bling design over usability.



A total thumbs down for Clubman? Not completely. The driving position itself is great, the seats really supportive and good-looking, the shifter works beautifully as you wind the car through traffic.

The 1.6 petrol engine in the current generation Mini has been jointly developed by BMW and PSA Peugeot-Citroen and it is a honey, as well as being a quantum better than the one in the first generation. You get 120hp or 175hp depending on whether you buy the Cooper or the turbocharged Cooper S, and CO2 emissions are 132g/km and 150g/km respectively. You could also go for the 1.4 diesel with a miserly 109g/km ... but it isn't as refined a motor.

All versions come with a bunch of eco-gadgetry, including Auto Start-Stop, Brake Energy Regeneration, and a Gearshift Point Indicator ... which latter I feel is overblown in importance, as most drivers don't want the distraction of watching for a light to tell them to shift.

End of story ... I still like the Mini, a lot ... and I still don't like the Clubman, much. But it won't matter -- there's a buyer for every copy of every Mini variant made and as an icon that makes you smile, it will undoubtedly be a significant part of the success story of this BMW junior brand.