First Look: 2008 Mini Clubman

If a lack of room has been holding you back from buying a Mini, you had better get your checkbook ready.

The new Clubman comes with all the charm of the Mini Cooper as well as more rear room and better access to that room. Talk about cool.

Of course, Minis have been cool since the first one put rubber to pavement back in 1959. The reconstituted version, which arrived under BMW's auspices for 2003, remains true to the original's stated purpose of providing plenty of bang for the buck.

The line was extended in '05 with the arrival of the convertible and now the all-new German-styled Clubman model makes it a Mini Cooper trio for 2008.

The Clubman, which will be available at North American Mini stores early next year, is based on the Mini Traveller concept car that captivated patrons at last year's Detroit Auto Show. Traveller was the name used on the original Morris version of the Mini Wagon, but the German-based automaker ultimately chose to go with the handle used on the nearly identical Austin version, so Clubman it is.

Whatever you call it, the newest Mini is clearly the biggest of the group, with a 9.5-inch stretch in overall length and an increase of 3.2 inches between the front and rear wheels.

The Clubman also remains true to the original's dual-rear-door setup, as opposed to the more commonly-used liftgate. The doors are partially power operated in that they'll fully open by themselves once you unlatch them. There's also a rear-hinged half-sized "Clubdoor" on the passenger side that aids access to the back seat. Both the Mazda RX-8 and the recently retired Saturn Ion coupe employ a similar setup (the Mazda actually has two doors), which really helps open up the area behind the front seat, whether to load cargo or rear-seat riders. The latter (sorry, two passengers maximum in back, which Mini calls a "lounge area") will really enjoy the additional leg room.

As expected, there has been a significant increase in rear stowage space, especially with the split-folding back seat lowered. That will be especially appreciated by various trades people (think inner-city couriers, florists, or repair personnel) for whom a comparatively big, bulky and thirsty van is too large and decidedly un-cool.

What is cool, however, is how the Mini's designers avoided making the Clubman appear too brick-like. The contrasting silver paint scheme applied to the slightly elevated roof, rear-most window pillars, bumper and on the area surrounding the taillights spruce up what could have otherwise resembled a plain-wrapper Mini-van.

Other than the exaggerated length, the Clubman is essentially like any other Mini.

The interior contains the same bathroom-scale-inspired mid-dash-mounted speedometer, thickly padded steering wheel and funky interior trim as regular-length Mini Coopers and the front seats are shaped to hug the body and keep everyone snugly in their place. And given the Clubman's low center of gravity that encourages spirited cornering, those seats will get a solid workout.

As with the rest of the lineup, the Clubman can be ordered in two strengths. Base models feature a 118-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, while the Cooper S version runs with a turbocharged version of the 1.6 that's rated at 172 horsepower. Transmission choices include a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic.

The Mini Clubman's list of extra-cost content is likely to be a lengthy one, in keeping with the corporate philosophy of extreme personalization. Climate control, leather seats, power sunroof, power-folding outside mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, heated front seats and upgraded wheel and audio system options will barely cover the what's-available list.

The Clubman offers something that both the Mini Cooper and convertible models lack: space to make it really useful. If you ever needed an excuse to include this baby Bimmer on your short list of potential garage mates, this is it.