Comments on: Spied: 2008 Mini Clubman

By: djk949

djk949 — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 20:50:02 +0000

didn’t bmw learn anything from the first minivans that only offered a door on one side? and the dumb saturn that did the same thing? those did not sell and were ugly to boot. at least mazda got it right when they offered 2 suicide rear doors on their rx-8. learn from your fellow carmaker’s mistakes bmw.

By: Cobradreamer427

Cobradreamer427 — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 20:41:58 +0000

The concept was cool, but they screwed up BIG TIME

By: Me

Me — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 23:09:35 +0000

To those how are spouting off about our questioning the Clubman when we don’t “have prior knowledge” of Mini: For general purposes Mini hasn’t existed in the U.S. before. What does the history of Mini have to do with anything today? The Gremlin is a car from history. We should make it again? Pacer? No. (well, okay a modern interpretation might be fun.) Mini has no history in the U.S. for 99% of the population. I was merely asking if anyone saw a business case, but getting a decent conversation going on this site seems impossible. More and more posters are either too immature or too stupid. Just forget it.

By: minione2006

minione2006 — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 15:05:05 +0000

The R56 shape has really grown on me, looks a lot better in real life than in photos, so I’d imagine that the Clubman will look better in the ‘flesh’. Id happily buy a Clubman if my Mini One was too small for my needs. Would have to specify 17″ wheels though to balance out the long wheelbase.

By: obsessedwithautos

obsessedwithautos — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 21:01:28 +0000

Hyperion, you can blame that on crash regulations and safety equipment, especially the European pedestrian/car accident regulations. Although the Minis may not be mini (you want mini, look at the Ford Ka), they are smaller than most vehicles on the road, at least in the US. And this may be the first Sport Utility Vehicle that doesn’t slurp fuel like one.

By: 1c3d0g

1c3d0g — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 01:33:33 +0000

Fugly indeed.

By: Andre Neves

Andre Neves — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 22:21:19 +0000

Hyperion,
Exactly what I think also.

By: Jazz

Jazz — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 20:13:18 +0000

That is sooo ugly. Don’t care about the history since in Mini’s wisdom they were never imported to the US. It’s plain ugly to me. Everyone is trying to be retro. I guess no one has an original idea anymore.

Can’t wait for the El Camino to come back out.

By: Hyperion

Hyperion — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 20:05:38 +0000

Okay.

I was just about to submit a post about this asking why BMW was even considering a LWB Mini. I didn’t see the point at all and it upset me.

Then, because I wanted to see how many manufacturers had produced Mini’s over the years I looked it up. It turns out that as far as “heritage” is concerned, I was dead wrong. A LWB “Clubman” Mini was produced years ago as well as a pickup version.

While I can’t argue much with that history, it still bothers me that BMW is making these variations now. Why?

The Mini is much bigger than it used to be. That’s why. Though lighweight, I’ve seen many old Mini’s over the years and they are TINY cars! A Mini Clubman or Mini Pickup must have still been diminutive in size.

I guess, for me, it boils down to this: the “Mini” isn’t miniature any longer. It’s about the same size as a 1992 Civic hatchback. Only taller. Much taller.

Adding these extended variations are going to make these cars look pretty much the same size as other vehicles around them, which for me defeats the entire point of owning a legendary car called a “Mini”.

By: edgarp

edgarp — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 18:18:24 +0000

Ricardo. Stop compensating buddy. There are enough message board nazi’s on the internet already.

I don’t know. For your sake I hope you’re a young college-aged kid with some growing up to do.

I agree with you, political correctness makes no sense. I hate being politically correct. But decency and political correctness are two different things, and it doesn’t seem that you have either.

By: The Stig

The Stig — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 16:40:28 +0000

This deserves to be stretched into a mini-limo. I’ll call it the Caveman. Should be popular with the high-schoolers going to prom.

By: Andre Neves

Andre Neves — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 16:11:09 +0000

I mean 90Z’s post was funny, not Ricardo Head’s homophobic one.

By: Big Norm

Big Norm — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 16:09:00 +0000

Well it is funny to see that some people who have posted arn’t in any position to say anything at all due to the fact that they have no prior knowledge of the MINI’S history…..The Mini Pick-up, Wagon, Van, saloon….are all classic mini models….they are trying to replicate from the past…….the new Minis are great for what they are……and same with the classic……..i personal own a classic mini and a new Mini…and they are both great …….and when the clubman is released i will be in line to get on of those as well…….

By: Ricardo Head

Ricardo Head — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 15:42:52 +0000

Edgarp, because I’m not a hyper-sensitive politically correct phucktard. I make jokes or comments as I see fit and don’t worry about every pansy-assed wimp who whines about every little ****. If people dont like it, they can tune it out.

By: edgarp

edgarp — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 14:30:30 +0000

Ricardo, what’s with the insolence?

By: Andre Neves

Andre Neves — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 14:13:31 +0000

^ LoL hahaha That was good.

By: 90Z

90Z — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 13:07:17 +0000

Look! It’s a MINI-van. Ha ha. It’s a joke son, laugh!

By: Renton

Renton — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 12:48:49 +0000

MINI is going to become a whole line of vehicles.

It will be BMW’s lower end stuff. All with FWD.

All BMW plated cars will be RWD or rear based AWD.

All MINIs will be FWD.

It will be interesting to see what they think up.

By: TOZO

TOZO — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 08:18:03 +0000

Hmmmm… Why buy a Magnum?

By: mblommel

mblommel — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 04:51:13 +0000

Actually a MINI pickup wouldn’t be too bad too. For you cretins that don’t know about anything that happened before last tuesday, the pickups were called mini mokes.

My wife may trader her 05 cooper in on a clubman once our kid arrives. I’m sure it would be just what we need for a growing family. Thanks MINI!

By: NoobyBaboo

NoobyBaboo — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 01:49:40 +0000

Is there room now for a proper spare tire?

By: autonutt

autonutt — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 01:31:41 +0000

The fact BMW chose to locate the suicide door on the LHD passenger side illustrates their intentions to sell far more of them in the US than in the UK.

By: philsshon

philsshon — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 01:31:17 +0000

It amazes me how so people make fun of something, without realizing the history behind it. I think it will be fine for those who like they style of a min, but need just a bit more room.

By: Me

Me — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 01:07:14 +0000

Andre, yeah, that’s kinda my point. I thought people bought these for the handling and zipping in and out of traffic. They’re fun. They handle great. The size increase hardly seems enough to greatly affect its utility. So I guess they’re just trying to capitalize on the heritage of the Clubman. I hope for their sake it’s enough. I just don’t see it being a high volume car for them here in the US.

By: Egbert Souse

Egbert Souse — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:51:57 +0000

The MIni Clubman was in production for over 11 years back in the 70’s, so its still a Mini at heart

By: Fatstrat

Fatstrat — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:44:39 +0000

Its for folks that like to go to the library once in a while. it has room for the book they check out.

Actually, it now has proper clown capacity for circuses everywhere.

By: The Stig

The Stig — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:37:42 +0000

LOL

By: 04focus

04focus — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:08:01 +0000

wait, so how is this going to work in RHD countries? is the suicide door going to be on the driver’s side? cuz the gas cap is on the left side… unless they’re going to relocate the gas cap for RHD cars…

By: edgarp

edgarp — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 22:49:17 +0000

ok people. There has been Mini Clubmans for almost 40 years now. It’s like Ford re-introducing the Taurus.

Although not quite as nimble, they are fun cars with more practicality.

By: f3rg

f3rg — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 22:28:52 +0000

If I ever buy a Mini, it’ll be a used model from the early ’00s.

By: meanpants555

meanpants555 — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 22:25:46 +0000

BMW is cashing in on the Mini brand so you will be seeing lots of variations. Ford thought about doing the same thing with the Mustang brand, but everyone freaked out…

By: Andre Neves

Andre Neves — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 22:15:07 +0000

Me,
Them making the wheelbase is pointless and would discourage people like you who would like one for AutoX by potentially making the turning radius worse.

By: Andre Neves

Andre Neves — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 22:12:53 +0000

Where is the Mini SUV? And the Mini Biggie sedan? And the Mini pickup? And the Mini STOP IT BMW!!! Your ruining the car. Did Bangal put you up to this? Does he have anything to do with it?
Geez, I remember when my father had a Mini Cooper in Portugal when I was younger, what a car. Now they have redesigned it passed recognition & wiping away all the charm the car had.

By: Me

Me — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 22:02:17 +0000

The only reason I’d buy a mini would be to autocross; -or for its handling ability. I’m just wondering what niche they’re going after here. The longer wheelbase would make for a smoother ride, but…
Would anybody here buy this over a standard one??

By: F451

F451 — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 21:58:19 +0000

Is it available in a hearse model?