GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: MINI Clubman Concept
The latest MINI concept features six doors, four wheels and improved versatilityMINI has announced a revamped version of the unloved Clubman.
The Mark II version will make its public debut at the 2014 Geneva motor show in March, and is expected to be longer, wider and more practical than its predecessor.
Although the show car looks almost ready to touch down in dealerships, it's officially a concept and unlike the current slow-selling Cooper Clubman it eschews the asymmetrical five-door layout for a new six-door configuration - four passenger doors and a twin door barn-style tailgate.
As well as providing improved access to the back seat via rear doors on both sides, the new MINI is significantly bigger giving it more interior room and cargo space. The stretched five-seat wagon concept is a full 260mm longer and 170mm wider than the current MINI Cooper Clubman, which suggests MINI is moving away from quirky design themes in the search of more mainstream sales.
Measuring 4223mm long, the Clubman Concept is also 402mm longer than the new MINI Cooper coming to Australia in April.
While adopting a more conservative configuration, the design is unmistakably MINI, complete with large circular headlights, bold wheel arches and contrasting roof.
MINI's head of design, Anders Warming, said the idea with the new MINI Clubman Concept was to deliver functionality that wasn't boring.
"With the MINI Clubman Concept we are presenting a car with space, flair and style in a segment where the focus is mainly on function and utility,” he said.
"With clever ideas, emotional design and a cool blend of colours and materials, it offers an overall experience which remains unique in this segment to date.”
The show car’s interior is typically high-tech but elements could make their way into the production car, such as a trio of programmable, digitised toggle buttons. A large high-resolution infotainment screen is evident as is a digital instrument binnacle displaying road and engine speed along with navigation info.
Based on the same UKL platform as the new 2014 MINI Cooper hatch and upcoming BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, the new Clubman is likely to be powered by existing MINI engines. That means the BMW Group's new 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel mills, which pump out 100kW/220Nm and 85kW/270Nm respectively.
Inevitable Cooper S versions of the Clubman should get BMW's new direct-injected 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that develops 141kW/280Nm.
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