UK news blog Autocar is reporting that MINI is very seriously considering several variants on the MINI Countryman. This is old news to MotoringFile readers except for a few interesting tidbits. Most notably that an upcoming Moke variant would include a pair of rear-hinged “suicide” doors similar to the Honda Element. While the Moke would likely follow the Beachcomber’s higher stance and off road persona, real that back in for a road car and what have you got? Autocar seems to believe you’ve got the next Clubman. Company sources say two versions of the Beachcomber are on the drawing board at the Mini design studios in Munich. One is close to the concept and known internally as the Moke. The other is a shorter, three-door version dubbed the Canyon Coupé. The two cars are being considered alongside the sporting Countryman coupé, revealed by Autocar on 1 September. The starting point for the new Moke is a pillarless version of the new Countryman platform, which is also intended to underpin the next-generation Mini Clubman. The pillarless design will enable the fitting of rear-hinged rear doors on both sides of the car, addressing criticisms (from right-hand drive countries such as the UK and Japan) of the current single-rear-doored Clubman. Although the raised sill on the Beachcomber concept was, apparently, sufficient to meet most side impact regulations, the production Moke proposal has four proper doors, with the rear doors rear-hinged. Is it fact or rumor? We’ll loop you in as we learn more. What do you think? Is the sky falling if the Clubman departs from its current hatch foundation? How do you current Clubman owners feel about two club doors?
As was said here, the more aerodynamic you take a car the more they start to look alike. I have no problem with MINI expanding the line with more offerings, just a long as they keep a version that looks retro, for those of us that want to not look like everybody else on the road. Jim
Well, I think it's probably an unnecessary dilution of the model mix - I think once the Countryman becomes available the whole point of the Clubby goes away. Still the pic is interesting, and for those who might need the occasional adult to be able to access the rear seat, it give them an alternative that doesn't look like a ute....even a "cute ute".... So, they'll have the Roadster and Coupe with no back seat, the regular hatch and convertible with a pretend back seat, the Clubby with an almost back seat and the Couuntryman with a real back seat.....
Two club doors? Meh. I dunno. I kinda like having just the one. The feature I like the best on the Countryman is the rear hatch. I think it would be cool to incorporate that into the design of the Clubman. That being said, I do like the barn doors. It always makes me giggle when I look in my rear view mirror and see the driver and passenger behind me pointing at the doors, then making the motion with their hands of how the doors open. :lol:
I don't have a Clubman, but those two doors look like they would be nice to have. They seem more practical then the hatch to me. Jim
some reviewers initially criticized the barn doors as being impractical in the city with an SUV parked up on you. I dunno. Personally, when someone is that close to me I don't mess around back there anyway. I think what discourages me about a Countryman platform Clubman is that the appeal of the Clubman, to me, differing to what MINIDAVE mentioned above, is that it isn't the 'family car for MINI' but rather the compromise that allows for more room, but still feels like the tucked in little MINI experience to which I'm accustomed. I don't see the Countryman's appeal as diluting that aspect of the Clubman, though I do imagine many Clubman owners will jump to the Countryman based on their needs.
There have been occasions when having the extra club door on the driver's side would have been helpful on my Clubby, usually when trying to buckle one of the dogs in the back seat or when retrieving something from it... That said, I find the club door to be a real PITA if you're in even a reasonably sized parking space with a car next to you, you can't get the front one open far enough to get the back one open at all! As to the barn doors, I like the look, but I'd be happier with a top hinged hatch, like the coupes have, for daily use. I do like the extra length in the wheelbase and the smoother ride is a bonus, and the extra load carrying capability is nice for hauling long things. I also even like the looks of the Clubby....but I could see using the Countryman chassis for the extra length as being a plus too - but then other than trying to have a 2 dr looking Countryman, why not just get the 4 dr? The Countryman's looks have been growing on me (exposure causing familiarity?) but I still don't get the rear roof edge and pillar design....
MINI Marketing The whole idea - intentional or not - behind the marketing of the MINI was to fly in the face of all of those me-too cars out there; particularly the (at the time) large and strangely popular SUV segment. An article in the Atlantic quotes a Harvard marketing prof. regarding this "anti-marketing" movement behind super-successes like MINI, IKEA and Apple. In an increasingly homogeneous society, people seem to be craving something different and so long as MINI keeps giving them that, no number of different variations is too many.
You want to talk about difficulty with suicide doors, when I come out to find a HUMV or Escalade or Expedition crammed into the COMPACT space next to my built-on-Civic-chassis Element, it's extra frustrating. To get the suicide doors open, you need to open the front doors enough to provide that swing clearance. With a toddler in your arm, it's SO fun...