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Review: Mini Clubman S
by Carlo Brema
Ah, the Clubman! The dear old Clubman was a myth, a symbol of how a small car was still able to carry around a family with a little dog in it. Style and practicality, an affordable price and the classic feel of the English Company. Modern times tell a different story, made of a car that is more BMW than Mini, but offering a not great roominess, still too similar to the famous 3-door, with an awkward look and a stiff chassis, not suitable for a model designed for the family. Earlier this summer, Mini has unveiled the third series, now available and ready to redeem that so controversial model of a few years ago. Make no mistake, this time, the Anglo-German Company has done their homework, being careful not to make the same mistakes of the previous time, focusing on three key areas: size, drive and look. Let’s see how.
4 meters and 25 cm long (+27 cm compared to the previous model), the new Clubman obviously takes the updated design that we have seen and appreciated on the new 3 and 5 doors. The unmistakable sixth door, part of the two branches of the luggage compartment, facilitates the loading operations inside a now more capacious trunk, that does not sacrifice in any way the rear cabin space. The seats are 5 and are actually acceptable; obviously, in front you will be more comfortable and you can handle the infotainment system that allows you to interface your smartphone with the car. At the wheel, despite a much consistent weight than the classic Mini, the S version, which is the sportiest presented so far, promises to offer a decent sporty nature, without breaking the occupants’ back and not forgetting a good fuel consumption, thanks the available driving modes. You can get it with a 6-speed manual transmission or an 8-speed automatic, the Clubman S is powered by a 2-liter turbo with 192 hp, the same as that of its sisters with the same displacement. The new engine will allow you to take you and your children, luggage and the dog (now even a medium size one) in about 7.2 seconds on the 0-100, while top speed is 229 kph. The big steering wheel and the refined dashboard, with a total attention to detail, will make you seem to be behind the wheel of a much more expensive car, more BMW than Mini, capable of delivering to the front wheels about 281 Nm of torque , available at just 1,250 rpm.
The 500L is a hundred miles back, especially for materials and look, too clumsy and closer to being a market van, than a stylish car for the family. The Clubman D has 150 horses and will probably be the preferred version by the general public in Europe, but the sportier versions won’t miss, as happened for the previous model: the JCW, with a few more horsepower and perhaps stiffer suspension, which is going to allow better cornering, is on its way. If you like the Mini, but you can’t lack a good space in the cabin, the new Clubman will satisfy you, allowing you to discover a side of it that in its penultimate incarnation had not been able to shed light. Less performance than the other models of the Brand, but more beautiful and stylish that any possible competitor to date. Despite this Mini does not want to be “mini”!
MINI CLUBMAN S (2015-)
Layout – front-engined, front wheel drive
Engine – 4 cylinder 1998cc – turbo
Transmission – 6-speed manual gearbox (8AT)
Power – 192 hp @ 5000 rpm
281 Nm @ 1250 rpm
Weight – 1360 kg
Acceleration – 7,2 sec.
Top Speed – 229 kph
Price – from 29.000 €
