Mini previews new Clubman 26 | 02 | 2014
THE NEW MINI Clubman, which will go on sale in Scotland before the end of the year, will be the biggest Mini yet. Significantly, it'll also ditch the controversial rear-hinged rear side door, and become a full four-door estate (see more official images of the new Mini Clubman concept).
Due to be unveiled as a concept at Geneva next week, it's understood to closely resemble the full production model.
While the rear-hinged rear side door has been ditched, thankfully the traditional barn-style rear doors of its predecessors have been retained. The new layout is aimed at boosting the car's practicality.
But it's grown. The new Mini Clubman is 4223mm long, making it 260mm longer than the model it replaces. It's also 170mm wider and 25mm taller than the outgoing model, at 1844mm wide and 1450mm high.
In fact, the added length, width and height make the new Clubman 128mm longer and 54mm wider than the existing Countryman — up until now Mini’s largest model — but 110mm lower due to its lower ride height.
The concept gets recessed headlights with daytime running lights that form a continuous ring within the housing: it's expected these will appear on the production model.
Related: BMW to refocus Mini brand
The Geneva car also gets whopping big 19in alloys, plus door mirror housings mounted on chromed arms. At the rear, the light cluster has been turned through 90 degrees to give greater horizontal emphasis to the rear end.
Inside the cabin, the main dials are housed within a dedicated instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, as is the case across the whole of the MkIII Mini range. The centre console between the front seats is elevated, placing the gearlever and controls higher than in existing Mini models.
The concept's cabin also benefits from a range of premium materials including leather, various wood trims and chromed controls.
With the three-door hatchback scheduled to enter Scottish dealerships next month, the new Clubman is expected to utilise the same engine line-up. That means including the 1.5-litre three-cylinder and 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol and diesel units, mated to either a standard six-speed manual or optional six-speed automatic gearbox.
Related: Mini five-door spotted testing
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Jim McGill