More
Room, More Utility, More Fun in the Latest “True” MINI
2
Typically MINI, Uniquely New
Design 8
The Interior – Sporting Cockpit, Lounge Ambience at the
Rear 12
High-Tech Power Units for Greater Driving
Performance 16
Manual
and Automatic Transmission – Precise, Spontaneous 21
Chassis and Suspension - A New Dimension of Go-Kart
Feeling 22
Safety
Engineered Throughout the New MINI Clubman Design 25
Premium Features and Equipment in the Compact
Class 27
Unique
Features to Further Personalize the MINI Clubman
30
Tradition and Quality, Made in
England 32
A
Continuance of MINI Split-door
Heritage 35
MINI
in The United
States
37
10-25-07
·
More Room, More Utility, More Fun in the Latest “True” MINI:
Stretching the wheelbase a mere nine inches in comparison to the
MINI hardtop does virtually nothing to diminish the go-kart-like
driving characteristics of the new 2008 MINI Cooper Clubman and MINI
Cooper S Clubman, but it significantly enhances interior room and
utility as well as driver/passenger comfort and convenience for
those who want more of this iconic British brand. And – in
true MINI fashion – mixing the traditional with the modern results
in both the car’s unique, but unmistakably MINI appearance and
unique ways to access this interior: The tailgate carries forward
the twin, outwardly hinged “split-doors” found on the Clubman’s
ancestors, while rear-seat passengers ingress and egress is eased
through the rear-hinged “Clubdoor” incorporated in the car’s right
side.
The
new MINI Cooper Clubman, an expansion to last year’s introduction of
the second-generation of the modern MINI, mirrors the latest MINI
Cooper hardtop – both inside and out, in terms of equipment – from
the radiator grill to the B pillars. This means the new variants
share the 172-horsepower turbocharged engine of the MINI Cooper S
and the 118-hp, naturally aspirated four-cylinder powerplant of the
MINI Cooper, both driving the front wheels, as well as dashboard,
seats (with the exception of some upholstery colors and materials as
well as interior trim colors), comfort and convenience features and
switch gear. And they share the chassis components, as well as the
soul, which have earned the MINI accolades on its fun-to-drive,
go-kart-like handling characteristics.
Not
shared between the MINI Clubman and MINI hardtop is the area behind
the front seats and the number of doors providing access to the
interior. Stretching the Clubman 9.4 inches and the wheelbase 3.2
inches results in a very different environment for passengers and
life’s cargo. Virtually the entire extra wheelbase is translated
into additional leg room for rear passengers and the revised body
work provides a bit more shoulder room for them as well. The most
dramatic transformation comes in terms of luggage space: the Clubman
offers 61 percent more space (9.18 versus 5.7 cubic feet) with the
rear seats up or 37 percent more (32.8 versus 24 cubic feet) with
both seats folded. And the Clubman offers an optional
flat-luggage-floor system which also brings a covered storage bin
between the rear split-doors and the seatbacks.
Those
rear split-doors offer the most striking visual differentiator for
the Clubman from the hardtop. In keeping with the marque’s
heritage, the new MINI Clubman’s rear look is modeled along the
design of the rear doors found in the Austin Mini Countryman, Morris
Minor Traveller and the Mini Clubman Estate from the 1960s. The new
MINI Clubman eschews the more common hatch for a pair of split-doors
hinged on the outer edge of the C-pillars, thus providing a wide,
open access to the luggage area. Opening/closing operation of the
doors is very specific: the left, or main, door must be opened
prior to the right one (and closed in reverse order) and the doors
effortlessly glide open with the aid of a pair of gas struts.
A
similar sequential operation allows for the opening/closing of the
Clubdoor which provides a more convenient means for rear passengers
to enter or leave the MINI Clubman cabin. Hinged at the rear on the
right side, the Clubdoor can be opened with as soon as the
front-passenger door is opened. Integrated into the leading edge of
the Clubdoor is the right-side B-pillar, including the
front-passenger three-point seatbelt. Compared to the MINI hardtop,
with the Clubdoor open, passengers have four times the space to
enter the rear seats of the Clubman (when the front seat is in the
easy-entry position).
Once
inside, all of the four possible occupants have their own
three-point seatbelts and are further protected by six standard
airbags. Strong, stable body construction provides the MINI Clubman
with a platform for a high level of crash protection. In the event
of a collision, optimized load paths within the body structure serve
to effectively divert forces acting on the car, despite the short
overhangs front and rear.
Active
safety is enhanced in critical driving situations by the standard
anti-lock brakes (ABS), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBFD),
Cornering Brake Control (CBC) and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) as
well as Automatic Stability Control + Traction (ASC+T) control
standard on the MINI Cooper S Clubman.
The
Brake Assist on both models detects emergency operation of the
brakes and builds up maximum brake pressure very quickly. A feature
added with last-year’s introduction of the second generation MINI is
Hill Assist start-off assistance featured in conjunction with DSC.
The system continues to hold the brakes for a maximum of 3 seconds
after letting off the brake pedal and before the clutch is engaged.
This feature is beneficial when setting off on an uphill gradient
to prevent the car from rolling back.
Driving Fun Remains Centerpiece of MINI Clubman’s Mission
A low
center of gravity, wide track and the wheels moved to the extreme
corners of the car guarantee agile and nimble driving behavior, that
go-kart feeling. The structure of the body shell, beyond providing
the basis for superior crash protection in a car of this segment,
creates a solid platform for the suspension pieces. The front
suspension features MacPherson-type springs over struts ensuring
excellent wheel guidance, keeping the steering smooth and
responsive, and, thanks to careful engineering, unaffected by engine
power both in accelerating or braking. The five-link central-arm
rear axle offers optimum road contact, again regardless of
conditions.
Compared with the MINI Cooper Clubman, the MINI Cooper S Clubman has
a more sporting suspension set-up, and as an option, both models are
available with sports suspension for an even higher standard of
driving enjoyment.
The
EPAS (Electrical Power Assisted Steering) helps to make the MINI
Clubman even more nimble and agile on the road, speed-related
assistance ensuring low steering forces when parking and precise
control at high speeds. In conjunction with the optional sport
switch, EPAS even offers a special sport mode specifically
increasing steering forces for an even more direct driving
experience.
Despite the slight increase in weight of the Clubman, the two
four-cylinder engines carried over from the hardtops provide the
performance to enhance this driving experience. The turbocharged
1.6-liter version in the Cooper S Clubman produces 172 horsepower,
eclipsing the magical “100-hp-per-liter” measure revered by
enthusiasts. This translates into zero-to-60-miles-per-hour
acceleration in 7 seconds and the same top speed, 139 miles per
hour, as the hardtop version. The naturally aspirated engine in the
Cooper Clubman, also 1.6 liters, features variable valve control and
accelerates this agile athlete to 60 mph in 8.9 seconds, with top
speed of 125 mph.
These
engines are designed for overall efficiency, which means high
performance, low weight, low emissions and, of primary concern for
all cars, but especially ones in this segment, good fuel economy.
Despite their much higher level of dynamic performance and sporting
character, both new MINIs return superior fuel economy, with the
MINI Cooper S Clubman rating 34 MPG Highway, 26 MPG City for a
combined preliminary fuel economy rating of 29 MPG. The MINI Cooper
Clubman is even more efficient with an EU fuel economy rating of 37
MPG Highway / 28 MPG City for a combined preliminary rating of 32
MPG.
Both
engine versions are fitted – in a design pioneered in the original,
1959 Mini – crosswise at the front, powering the front wheels.
Composite – instead of conventional cast – camshafts and a
weight-optimized crankshaft are part of the lightweight concept of
the aluminum alloy power units. Fuel consumption, in turn, is
optimized by a volume flow-controlled oil pump and an electronically
controlled water pump for the coolant circuit – two technical
features previously limited to larger and more expensive model
segments.
The
MINI Cooper Clubman and the MINI Cooper S Clubman both come standard
with a six-speed manual transmission. Both models can be ordered
with an optional six-speed automatic transmission controlled by
either console-mounted selector or Formula 1 style
steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
Unique, characteristic design with striking MINI features
The
two versions of the MINI Cooper Clubman are virtually identical in
their design and body structure to the MINI Cooper Hardtop up to the
B-pillar, all the classic design icons of the MINI coming through in
the new model. At the front these include the large, round
headlights supplemented by the round parking-light units (which
include, when fitted, the optional fog lamps) and hexagonal radiator
grill. On the front flanks are the distinctive side direction
indicators.
Seen
from the side, the new MINI Cooper Clubman retains the firm, taut
and striking look of the Cooper Hardtop, despite the added length
and revised C-pillar design, resting powerfully on its wheels in a
look well-known to friends and aficionados of the brand as the
“stance on the wheels.” Another characteristic is the seemingly
uninterrupted “flow” of windows around the car, adorning the new
MINI like a complete, 360-degree band of glass, which is accentuated
by a chrome band extends around the entire car at shoulder level,
helping to create an impression of a greenhouse “floating” above the
lower section of the car. Measuring the same width and virtually
the same height than the Hardtop, the MINI Cooper Clubman, with its
low-slung overall appearance, compact proportions emphasized by the
tires-at-the-out-edge design, creates the same nimble and dynamic
impression as all other members of the MINI family, including the
previous modern-generation versions.
The
rear-light clusters are kept as small as possible to maximize the
opening of the split-doors as well as complementing the overall
style of the car. Thoroughly unique amongst the MINI models, the
new Cooper Clubman is nonetheless a MINI; there is no other car
offered with a rear appearance like it!
To
further distinguish the look of the MINI Cooper Clubman, the buyer
can specify one of 40 color combinations of body and roof paint.
Hot Chocolate is offered exclusively to Clubman buyers, one of 12
colors including Astro Black, British Racing Green, Laser Blue, Pure
Silver and Chili Red.
Interior design reflects both MINI standards and an owner’s tastes
Thoroughly revised with last year’s introduction of the second
generation MINI, the interior of the 2008 MINI Cooper Clubman
combines traditional MINI elements – like the large, central
speedometer, clear, round dials and toggle switches – with a palette
of colors, trims and upholsteries to allow complete personalization
within the familiar cabin.
The
central element is the MINI-signature center speedometer, larger
than before, with an enhanced range of functions serving far more
purposes and requirements than on the former generation. The
displays for the entertainment system as well as the display for the
optional navigation system are integrated in the speedometer, while
the tachometer remains a separate unit positioned, as befits a
sporting car, behind the steering wheel in the driver’s line of
sight.
The
vertically arranged rotary knobs for the ventilation, the two
cupholders integrated in the bottom section of the center console
and the racing-inspired toggle switches are typical of MINI. Indeed, these characteristic metal
toggles, operating the fog lamps, the power windows – with express,
one-touch up and down – and central locking are larger than before
and are joined by duplicates in the roof console for sunroof and
interior-lighting control.
A
round transmitter finished in typical MINI style is the Clubman key,
the driver controlling engine operation with a start/stop button.
All instruments and controls are very smooth and easy to operate,
positioned at the right point for optimum ergonomics.
Background illumination in five colors
The
Clubman interior lighting reflects typical MINI style and class,
including ambient lighting which can be varied in five stages from
warm orange to sporting blue. Serving as discreet “waterfall
illumination” from above and as indirect illumination of the roof
lining, the door storage bins and the door handle recesses, this
illumination scheme creates a unique atmosphere inside the 2008 MINI
Cooper Clubman.
·
Typically MINI, Uniquely New Design:
The “godfather” was the Shooting Brake. This is the term applied in
Great Britain, the home the MINI, to sports cars combining the flair
and
character of a coupe with a hatchback, thus offering more functions
than
a “regular” coupe.
The new MINI Cooper Clubman takes up this shooting brake concept, an
authentic and unconventional re-interpretation of MINI’s brand
values.
Based on the MINI Cooper Hardtop with its extremely agile
performance and typical go-kart
feeling, the MINI Cooper Clubman is a unique and
emotional concept taking typical features of MINI design and
carrying
them to a new and different segment of the market.
Unique proportions underline the individual, sporting, active and
masculine character of the new MINI Cooper Clubman. The rear-hinged
Clubdoor,
the two-piece split-door at the rear and wheelbase
extended 3.15 inches beyond the standard MINI, make the
Clubman quite unmistakable. This is a car appealing to the active
and extroverted individualist, the connoisseur who sees his or her
car as a
genuine statement standing out from the usual crowd in road traffic.
Modern interpretation of classic functions
Following MINI’s motto of “from the original to the original,” the
new
MINI Clubman is fully aware of its historical DNA and interprets
these
genes with all the features now possible in the 21st
century. Hence, it quotes
design features from its ancestors, the Morris Mini Traveller and
the
Austin Mini Countryman, both of which were built from 1960 - 1969.
These cars,
served as
sources of inspiration in developing the MINI Cooper Clubman. And in
the process the designers responsible for the car succeeded in
blending classic features of the shooting brake concept in an
entirely new style, creating a car
through the interaction of ultra-modern technology and functionality
which
meets the challenges of today’s world in a truly fascinating manner.
A good example in this context is the split-door at the rear: The
new
MINI Clubman takes up this principle of two wing doors hinged at the
side dating back to the 1960s, adding innovative details and
features appropriate
in our modern times. Characteristic highlights in this context are
the rear light clusters fitted in
the structure of the body itself and not in the doors, the
split-door opening
mechanism supported by gas pressure springs, as well as the use of
two window wipers at the rear, one on each of the doors. The focus
was on everyday function and practical use.
World debut: Clubdoor for easier access to the rear
The asymmetric structure of the car’s flanks is an unusual design
feature of the new MINI Cooper Clubman. On the left side, the front
door (identical to the driver’s door of the Hardtop) provides
convenient access to the front and rear, the additional rear-hinged
Clubdoor on the
right side ensures more
convenient access to the rear seats. With both right doors open,
and the front door must first be opened to use the Clubdoor, and the
front seat in its “easy-access position,” there is four times the
opening when compared to the Hardtop’s single right door.
The B-pillar with its integrated seatbelt support for the front
seat,
in turn, is integrated into the Clubdoor, and the side pillar
graphics likewise contribute to the unmistakable look of the
Clubman.
The side view: Dune Line and the contrasting C-pillars
Seen from the side, the new MINI Cooper Clubman stands out with its
dynamic wedge shape created by the interaction of the shoulder line
rising up
slightly to the rear and the horizontal roofline. The shoulder line
extends
from the headlights at the front along muscular shoulders to the
C-pillars, where the distance to the roof is smaller than around the
A-pillars.
This creates side window graphics opening up to the front and giving
the car a forward-leaning impression of power and action, bearing
out the sporting character of the MINI Cooper Clubman even with the
car stationary.
The dark surface color on the A- and B-pillars presents the window
areas as one uninterrupted strip, at the same time creating the
impression of a roof “hovering” in space, connected to the rest of
the body through the
C-pillars.
A slender elevation, the so-called Dune Line, extends back on both
sides from the A- to the C-pillars along the entire length of the
roof, giving the roofline a distinctive look of tense motion and
raising the height of the car’s flanks by almost an inch, with the
highest point just above the B-pillars.
This gives the new MINI Clubman well-balanced, sleek and flowing
proportions from the side, with the roof extending into a discreet
spoiler at the rear. The result is a particularly aesthetic and
functional combination of design and aerodynamics.
A wide track and very short body overhangs underline the typical
posture of the
car, its “stance on the wheels” characteristic of the brand. Indeed,
it is fair to say that the new MINI Cooper Clubman “stands like a
rock” on its wheels
at all four corners. This
overall impression is further enhanced by the plastic frame
extending around the entire body and bordering on the front and rear
air dams as well as the wheel arches and side-sills at the bottom.
The almost vertical C-pillars and the body overhang at the rear
extended by
6.3 inches versus the Hardtop highlight the greater functional
value of the new MINI Cooper Clubman and create new proportions
nevertheless still typical of MINI. The C-pillars, in a different
and conspicuous
color, help create a look of balance throughout the car from front
to rear.
The rear end: split-door and rear lights integrated into the body
The rear end of the new MINI Cooper Clubman is characterized by
parallel, horizontal lines appearing clearly and distinctively from
the vertical C-pillars.
These lines serve to split the body into individual sections,
becoming more
slender and narrow step-by-step as they move up.
Such an arrangement of contours, referred to by the designer as a
“waterfall line,” highlight the car’s low centre of gravity and the
stable roadholding of the MINI Cooper Clubman, guiding the eyes of
the beholder towards the
wheels.
This horizontal stratification of elements at the rear is further
accentuated by the large third brake light integrated in the roof
strip, the two wipers on each of the rear door windows, the
chrome-plated door handles, the separate
reflectors and the bracket on the bumper finished in a contrasting
color.
The horizontal lines at the rear are barely interrupted, at least
visibly, by the
center joint of the split-door. The frame formed by the C-pillars
together with
the upper edge of the bumper generates a clear visual signal design
statement. Regardless of the body color, this rear frame or surround
is finished in black or silver
metallic; the C-pillar frame and the split-door giving the new MINI
Clubman an
absolutely unmistakable look from behind.
The rear lights are fitted directly to the body structure of the car
and do not open and close together with
the split-door. This design serves to meet legal requirements
the rear lights must be clearly visible even
when the rear doors are opened.
Despite this requirement, the designers of the MINI Cooper Clubman
wanted to hinge the split-doors as far to the outside as possible
to capitalize on the space available. And the solution
highlights the rear light clusters as design elements within the
door frame, despite their small size intentionally reduced to the
smallest dimensions allowed by world-wide standards. This is done by
slightly tapering in the contours
of the rear lights at the top, discreetly following the line of the
rear door frame.
The MINI Cooper S Clubman has three distinct rear features
differentiating it from the Cooper Clubman. The high-mounted brake
light is white glass, a pair of appliqués on either side of the
license-plate holder are in a grid pattern (mimicking the radiator
grill) and the dual tailpipes are split, with one on either side of
the body.
The front end: distinguishing the individual model variants
Seen from the front, the new MINI Cooper Clubman is virtually
identical to the MINI Hardtop, the lone difference being the contour
of the roofline. This means the MINI Cooper Clubman, complete
with the homogeneous hexagon radiator grill and large round
headlights,
has the distinctive “face” of the brand. Other
common features are the direction indicators integrated in the
headlights as well as the parking- light units beneath the headlight
units,
which also accommodate the optional fog lamps.
The front end of the car serves to distinguish the individual
models. The MINI Cooper S Clubman, for example,
stands out through two design features visualizing the power and
performance
of its turbocharged engine. First, the powerdome - the curved
section of the
engine compartment lid - is 20 millimeters or 0.79-inches higher.
Second, the size of
the bottom air intake is highlighted by a hexagon grid net
paralleling
the look of the radiator grill with its chrome surround. A further
differentiator is the air-intake in the hood
of the MINI Cooper S Clubman.
On the MINI Cooper Clubman the radiator grill boasts a chrome frame
and three horizontal chrome-plated crossbars. The edges of the lower
air intake are slightly curved upward
slight, almost giving the MINI Cooper Clubman a
smile on its face and creating an elegant, likeable touch at the
front.
Chrome features emphasizing the premium character of the car are
common to both variants of the new MINI Cooper Clubman. These design
elements include
the headlights, the radiator-grill surround, the strip extending
around the
entire car at the shoulder line and the door handles.
·
The Interior – Sporting Cockpit, Lounge Ambience at the Rear:
Inside, the new MINI Cooper Clubman is again identical to the MINI
Hardtop level of the B-pillars. In other words, it boasts the same
avant-garde, sporting
cockpit including the circular instrument in the middle so typical
of the brand.
This design, introduced in last year’s Hardtop, brought more
features and an even wider range of equipment, optimized ergonomics,
more space, more sophisticated and stylish materials, and quality of
finish reflecting the premium character of this MINI.
The high shoulder line of the body creates a sporting cockpit
ambience within the interior, concentrating the overall look and
impression of the car on just a handful of distinctive highlights
which again serve to emphasize the new and even more striking
character of the interior.
Round air vents moved to the outside serve to accentuate the greater
width of the dashboard, emphasizing the horizontal orientation of
the cockpit and at the same time acting as a transition leading over
smoothly and harmoniously to the door linings.
Excellent ergonomics and easy control
The
car’s developers attached utmost importance to simple and ergonomic
control by the driver. Hence, all control elements are in strict
hierarchic arrangement as a function of their frequency of use and
need for operation.
Absolutely unique: center speedometer and toggle switches
The
principal highlight is – of course – the round, center-mounted
speedometer, incorporating the audio controls as well as the
optional entertainment and navigation functions. The most
distinctive feature is the speed indicator which surrounds all other
functions like a 360-degree ring. And with the entire unit being
placed high up within the instrument panel, all function buttons can
be positioned for optimum ergonomic control.
The
horizontally oriented structure of the cockpit is also reflected by
the arrangement of the controls and instruments housed within the
center console right beneath the speedometer. Other features typical
of MINI are the vertical arrangement of the rotary air ventilation
knobs, the two cupholders integrated in the base section of the
center console, as well as the toggle switches carried over from
racing. Serving to activate the window lifts, central locking and
optional fog lamps, these toggle switches are larger than those on
previous generations of MINI. And for the first time they are
matched by toggle switches in the roof console controlling operation
of the sliding roof and interior lighting.
Like
racing design, the tachometer is directly behind the steering wheel
in the driver’s line of vision. Additional information is provided
by a supplementary digital speedometer as well as the on-board
computer within the rev counter.
The
conventional ignition key is replaced in this MINI by a round,
electronic transmitter. Once inserted into the opening adjacent to
the steering wheel, this transmitter enables the driver to start the
engine by pressing the start/stop button. And with optional Comfort
Access, the driver can leave the transmitter in his or her pocket or
inside the car to open the doors and start the engine.
Beyond the front seats: a new space for passengers and life’s cargo
The
interior of the new MINI Cooper Clubman takes on a unique
personality behind the front seats. The three-plus inches of
increased wheelbase benefits rear passengers by adding three inches
to rear-seat leg room or nearly 42-inches, virtually the same as in
the front. And the subtle change in the body’s roofline brings
nearly an additional inch in shoulder space.
Utility is vastly improved with the design of the Clubman. The
already modular configuration of the rear compartment, thanks to
seats which can be either left erected or folded individually, adds
even more room and, with the optional folding cover, a flat-floor
from the bumper line to the back of the front seats. The flat-floor
partition also creates a small bin below it (behind the bottom of
the rear seats). Overall, luggage space can go from 9.18 cubic feet
with both rear seats up to 32.8 cubic feet with the seats folded
(which compares with 5.7 cubic feet / 24 cubic feet of the Hardtop).
Pleasure for all the senses
Encountering the new MINI is an experience beyond the visual and
aural, for within the interior, the discerning customer will find
numerous highlights appealing to the senses of touch and smell.
The
design language of “circular elements” combined with horizontal
structures shows clearly in the door panels and linings, the
elliptical main element on the door lining now extending to the
rear. This elliptical frame encompasses the light-looking armrest, a
door pocket, and the round door openers in one unit.
The
wide range of colors for the interior offers the customer a choice
of Carbon Black, Gotham Gray, Tuscan Beige, and Redwood Red, either
in harmony with the body color and trim chosen or differing as an
exciting contrast.
The
dashboard is made up of two horizontally separated sections with a
trim division in between. The plastic surfaces come in particularly
fine grain, highlighting the supreme value, class and style of the
material.
Authentic and sophisticated: materials in premium quality
Different seat upholstery also serves to distinguish between the
MINI Cooper Clubman and MINI Cooper S Clubman: “effect-yarn” seams
enhance the lifestyle ambience within the MINI Cooper Clubman in the
“basic” upholstery. The seat covers on the MINI Cooper S Clubman
come in a checker design reminiscent of the chessboard pattern of
the checkered flag in racing and serving as a graphic element.
The checkered cloth used for this purpose emphasizes the sporting
touch of the MINI Cooper S Clubman, and may be replaced by a classic
pinstripe design combining an elegant and fine woven look with
leather (available in four colors) on the side panels of the seats.
Exclusive to the MINI Cooper Clubman, mirroring the exterior color,
is a Hot Chocolate interior hue.
The hand-sewn piping leather finished in this color, appears
completely around the seats in the leather-lounge version or in
combination with fabric on the optional sports seats one.
The wide range of cloth materials, leather, interior colors, panels
and trim options offers each and every aficionado of the MINI
exactly the right option to personalize his or her car according to
his or her individual taste. The ambience thus created within the
car ranges from high-class elegance through outright sportiness all
the way to superb extravagance. And, quite regardless of the
customer’s individual choice, premium quality and love for every
detail is presented in every 2008 MINI.
The optional Color Line enables even the most discerning customer to
individualize the cockpit according to his or her personal taste,
color highlights in the lower sections of the dashboard continuing
into the door linings and providing a particularly effective and
attractive combination with the trim materials. Color Line is
available in five colors (Dark Grey, Cream White, Pacific Blue,
Rooster Red, and Mellow Yellow), with trim
coming not only in its standard
versions on the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S, but also in
four exclusive, very special variants: glossy black piano paint,
dark brown grained oakwood, brushed aluminum and a fine glossy
surface inspired by the structure of liquid metal.
A further expression of the authentic premium character of the MINI
is the use of wood and aluminum, while a fully closed glove
compartment or a CD changer may be integrated in the trim surface on
the front passenger’s side.
·
High-Tech Power Units for Greater Driving Performance:
The
MINI Cooper S Clubman and MINI Cooper Clubman are powered by two
different four-cylinder engines boasting a wide range of innovative
details. Both power units are made of light alloy and displace 1.6
liters, benefiting from the BMW Group’s know-how in engine
development and racing technology.
The
engines in the MINI Cooper S Clubman and MINI Cooper Clubman differ
in numerous respects. The MINI Cooper S Clubman features a 172-hp
turbocharged engine with direct gasoline injection, while maximum
output of the naturally aspirated power unit in the MINI Cooper
Clubman is 118 hp, boasting fully variable valve management based on
the BMW Group’s VALVETRONIC technology.
MINI
Cooper S Clubman: turbocharged power unit for maximum driving
pleasure
The
1.6-litre turbocharged power unit featured in the MINI Cooper S
Clubman offers impressive performance on the road. Maximum output of
172 hp and specific output of109.5 hp/liter are impressive figures
for a four-cylinder, light-alloy power unit in this class.
The
power unit in the MINI Cooper S Clubman achieves its peak output at
an engine speed of 5,500 rpm. Maximum torque is 177 pounds-feet and
is maintained consistently throughout the speed range from
1,600–5,000 rpm. When accelerating, torque is briefly increased even
further to 192 lb-ft by the “overboost” function, an increase in
charge pressure which gives the MINI Cooper S Clubman even more
powerful “punch.” And overboost acts exclusively on engine torque,
not on overall engine output. The MINI Cooper S Clubman responds
instantaneously to the driver’s commands, accelerating from 0-60
miles-per-hour in 7.0 seconds with a top speed of 139 mph.
Despite their much higher level of dynamic performance and sporting
character, both new MINIs return superior fuel economy, with the
MINI Cooper S Clubman rating 34 MPG Highway, 26 MPG City for a
combined preliminary fuel economy rating of 29 MPG. The MINI Cooper
Clubman is even more efficient with an EU fuel economy rating of 37
MPG Highway / 28 MPG City for a combined preliminary rating of 32
MPG.
MINI
Cooper S Clubman: direct fuel injection applying the common rail
principle
Like
the naturally aspirated version in the MINI Cooper Clubman, the new
turbocharged power unit offers the highest standard of engine
construction. The four valves per cylinder are controlled by two
overhead camshafts, roller-type drag arms optimized for minimum
friction, and hydraulic valve play compensation elements. The outlet
valves are filled with sodium in order to meet the greater cooling
requirements of a turbocharged power unit. The intake camshaft comes
with infinite phase adjustment setting the engine’s valve timing to
the driver’s respective power and performance requirements. The
result is optimum output and torque on low fuel consumption and
emissions reduced to a minimum.
Fuel
is injected into the turbocharged four-cylinder by means of
common-rail-direct-injection technology. The stainless-steel common
rail connecting all cylinders is filled with fuel under high
pressure by a pump at the rear of the intake camshaft. Injection
valves positioned at the side in the cylinder head deliver fuel
within fractions of a second and in exactly the right amounts from
the rail directly to the combustion chambers, four valve pockets and
the combustion trough in the middle of each piston ensuring optimum
stratification of the homogeneous fuel/air mixture with a lambda
factor of 1.0. Running in cast-iron sleeves and operating with a
compression ratio of 10.5: 1, relatively high for a turbocharged
engine, the pistons are cooled by splash oil.
MINI
Cooper S Clubman: turbocharger with twin-scroll technology
Featuring a twin-scroll turbocharger, the MINI Cooper S Clubman
comes with another feature unique in this segment. In both the
exhaust gas manifold and the turbocharger itself, the ducts leading
to two cylinders at a time are separated from one another. Reducing
exhaust-gas counter pressure at low engine speeds, this arrangement
capitalizes on the dynamic effect of the pulsating gas columns
within the manifold in a special process enhancing the response of
the turbocharger and accelerating its charge rotors to an optimum
speed of rotation right from the start at low engine speeds.
The
charge pressure, limited by a waste gate to 0.8 bar, starts to build
at an engine speed of 1,400 rpm, almost eliminating the “turbo lag”
typical of conventional turbocharged engines. As a result, the MINI
Cooper
S Clubman accelerates smoothly and instantaneously; the 1.6-liter
turbocharged power unit demonstrating the same kind of response and
behavior as a larger normally aspirated engine.
MINI
Cooper Clubman: powerful but fuel-efficient normally-aspirated
engine
Also
displacing 1.6 liters, the MINI Cooper Clubman engine combines
superior driving pleasure with truly outstanding economy. Maximum
output of 120 hp comes at 6,000 rpm, with the torque curve reaching
a significant 103 lb-ft at 2,000 rpm and continuing to a peak of 118
lb-ft at 4,250 rpm. The wide, useful torque curve is an example
this engine combines superior power and performance with equally
superior fuel economy in a compact and highly efficient power unit.
The 2008 MINI Cooper Clubman accelerates from a standstill to 62
mph in 9.8 seconds and has a top speed of 125 mph.
MINI
Cooper Clubman: variable valve management for optimum power and
performance
Variable-valve control based on the BMW Group’s unique VALVETRONIC
technology is one of the innovative technical features incorporated
into the four-cylinder engine. With this valve management, the
stroke and opening period of the intake valves are adjusted within
fractions of a second to the power requirements; the camshaft acting
on the valves not directly via a drag arm, but rather through an
additional intermediate lever adjusted in its pivot point by an
eccentric shaft driven by an electric motor. Depending on the
position of this lever arm, intake valve lift is varied infinitely
between 0.2 and 9.5 millimeters, the entire process of changing over
from minimum to maximum valve lift taking about 300 milliseconds.
Over
and above variable management of valve lift on the intake side,
valve timing on the intake and outlet sides is spread out variably
as a function of engine speed. Again, this is also an infinite
process switching over when necessary from one extreme to the other
in 300 milliseconds.
This
speed and fast reaction is ensured by a high-performance 32-bit
processor integrated in the engine control system. Variable valve
lift and speed-dependant camshaft control serve to optimize the
torque curve and the engine’s power output.
Engines with innovative design features
The
engines featured in the MINI Cooper S Clubman and MINI Cooper
Clubman are built in the BMW Group’s Engine Plant in Hams Hall,
Great Britain. Compared with the former generation, both engines
have been turned around by 180 degrees, with the exhaust facing
front.
The
basic engine block is similar in many respects on both the normally
aspirated and turbocharged versions, both power units sharing a
distance between the cylinders of 84 millimetres/3.31 inches, bore
of 77 millimetres/3.03 inches, stroke of 85.5 millimetres/3.37
inches and, accordingly, engine displacement of 1,598 cubic
centimetres/97.5 cubic inches.
The
two-piece bedplate structure of the crankcase is a technology
carried over from racing, with the cylinder block and bearing
housing both made of cast aluminum. Integration of the chain box
within the engine housing helps save weight, reduce running noise,
and minimize the number of components.
The
camshafts on both engine variants are composite structures, with cam
rings made of high-strength stainless steel shrunk-fitted on to the
camshaft as such (unlike the process in conventional casting). The
next step is to fine-polish the cams down to an accuracy of 1∕1000th of
a millimeter. The eccentric shaft for phase adjustment is also made
in this process, helping once again to reduce weight to a minimum.
Compact dimensions and high efficiency
The
lightweight concept applied in developing the power units for this
generation of MINI also involved consistent reduction of frictional
losses. This is why the crankshafts on both engines are
weight-optimized in design and structure, and come with special
bearing shells and comparatively small journals measuring 45 mm or
1.77 inches in diameter.
On
both engines, the alternator and air-conditioning compressor are
driven by a single poly-V-belt, while the coolant pump is driven by
a friction wheel gearing. Again, both of these design concepts help
make the drive units of the 2008 MINI compact – they are among the
shortest four-cylinder engines in their engine-displacement class.
A new
feature in the MINI segment is the use of a volume-flow-controlled
oil pump. Driven by a chain, this pump delivers as much oil at any
given point in time as the engine requires, no more, no less. The
result is a reduction in power uptake by the ancillary engine units
resulting in approximately 1.68 hp at an engine speed of 6,000 rpm
and reducing fuel consumption by about one per cent.
The
on-demand water pump on the coolant circuit offers a similar effect,
cutting in when the engine reaches its operating temperature. This
helps to save fuel in the warm-up phase, while at the same time the
catalyst reaches the temperature required for optimum efficiency
even faster and with a better effect.
·
Manual and Automatic Transmission – Precise, Spontaneous:
Both the 2008 MINI Cooper Clubman and MINI Cooper S Clubman come
with a standard six-speed manual gearbox and offer an optional
six-speed automatic transmission.
The manual gearbox comes in two different configurations: on the
MINI Cooper S Clubman, the first two gears are synchronized by means
of double cones, while the MINI Cooper Clubman uses carbon friction
linings for the same purpose. All gears on both versions are in
helical design and all – including reverse – feature synchromesh,
thus allowing for light, precise and efficient gear changes.
Sports
button: even more dynamic gearshift at the touch of a button
The driver of an automatic-equipped 2008 MINI is able to shift gears
by means of Formula 1-inspired paddles on the steering wheel,
allowing him or her to keep both hands on the wheel even during
gearshifts.
In the automatic mode, the transmission shifts gears according to
the driver’s commands with virtually no interruption of power and
pulling force. This is made possible by a converter activated when
setting off and a converter clutch closing immediately after the car
has started to move – an operating mode combining supreme comfort
with a sporting and crisp gearshift. Should the driver wish to
enjoy even more dynamic performance, all he or she has to do is
press the optional sports button for an even faster electronically
controlled gearshift.
The MINI Cooper S Clubman is available with an optional mechanical
limited-slip differential that minimizes the drive wheels from
spinning on slippery surfaces or in bends. To set off different
frictional coefficients, the differential instantaneously feeds more
engine power to the drive wheel with better traction.
·
Chassis and Suspension - A New Dimension of Go-Kart Feeling:
The
chassis, suspension, brakes and electronic-driving programs of the
MINI Cooper Clubman are basically the same as those of the MINI
Cooper Hardtop, with slight modifications (to compensate for the
slight weight increase of the new model) to provide the
characteristic go-kart feeling of the MINI. Featuring front-wheel
drive, a low center of gravity, (relatively) wide track and short
overhangs, the new MINI Cooper Clubman offers sporting, active
handling, with the agile experience of all other MINIs. At the same
time, the MINI Cooper Clubman offers a high standard of active
safety in the chassis design.
Front and rear suspension design
MacPherson-style spring struts on the front axle ensure precise
wheel guidance, keeping the steering almost entirely free of drive
forces in fast bends, when accelerating and when applying the
brakes. The central-arm rear axle, a concept unique in the MINI
segment, ensures optimum road contact at all times through its
kinematics. Use of aluminum longitudinal arms help keep the
components light, while anti-roll bars reduce body sway to a
minimum, making additional contribution to the car’s agile and safe
driving behavior.
Reflecting
the particular character of the MINI Cooper S Clubman, this model
comes as standard with the most sporting and dynamic suspension
set-up, and is also available as an option with sports suspension
enhancing
the go-kart feeling so typical of the brand to an even higher level.
The
sporting-minded customer can choose a sports suspension on the MINI
Cooper S and MINI Cooper featuring harder springs, stiffer shock
absorbers and stiffer anti-roll bars. With this kind of equipment,
the 2008 MINI comes even closer to the extremely direct driving
behavior of a genuine go-kart.
EPAS
for a brand-new steering experience
This
generation of the modern MINI introduced the EPAS Electrical Power
Assisted Steering system offering a combination of motoring comfort
and driving dynamics. The steering is sporting and direct; the
assistance provided is geared to the car’s current speed on the
road.
With
its electromechanical control, the steering system can be programmed
to various settings. The “basic” setting provides well-balanced
power assistance as a function of road speed, allowing the driver to
maneuver and park the car with minimum effort. In the interest of
safety and enhanced precision, steering forces have to be increased
at higher speeds, and the integrated, active return motion moves the
steering wheel back precisely to its central position in all
situations.
The
driver is able to set the electromechanical steering system
individually to his or her personal preference by pressing the
sports button. The sports mode, for example, activates a more
dynamic control map characterized by higher steering forces and
enhanced steering precision.
Introduction of EPAS steering technology in the MINI reflects the
BMW Group’s general development strategy of improving efficiency
while enhancing driving. Compared with conventional hydraulic
systems, the steering in the MINI reduces weight significantly. In
addition, electric servo motor is activated when power assistance is
required or desired by the driver.
Brake
and electronic-driving systems
The
braking systems are designed to work in concert with the chassis and
engine. Inner-vented front disc brakes, 11.57 inches on the MINI
Cooper S Clubman and 11.02 inches on the Cooper Clubman are
complemented by 10.2-inch discs at the rear. The fade-free brakes
of both models are enhanced and supported by an anti-lock brake
system (ABS), Electronic
Brake Force Distribution (EBFD)
and
Cornering Brake Control (CBC).
The brake assistant in the new MINI recognizes emergency braking
maneuvers reliably and in good time, immediately building up maximum
brake pressure whenever required to keep stopping distances as short
as possible.
Standard on Clubman models, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and on-demand
traction control (ASC+T) offer additional safety in critical
situations. Intervening in the brakes as required or reducing engine
power whenever necessary, DSC prevents the car from possibly
swerving out of control.
Yet
another feature is Hill Assist start-off assistance on uphill
gradients. Available in conjunction with DSC, Hill Assist activates
the brake system when setting off on an uphill gradient and thus
prevents the car from rolling back.
Runflat tires standard on the MINI Cooper S Clubman
The MINI Cooper Clubman comes
with 15-inch light-alloy rims and 175/65 R 15 tires. The MINI Cooper
S Clubman features 16-inch light-alloy wheels and 195/55 R 16
runflat tires.
Both models are available with optional 17-inch wheels in five-star
Pace
Spoke design exclusive to the MINI Cooper Clubman.
The
MINI Cooper S Clubman boasts run flat tires as yet another standard
feature, modified in this case to reflect the suspension set-up of
the MINI. Thanks to their failsafe running characteristics, these
tires allow the driver to go on motoring even when a tire is
completely flat, covering a distance of up to 90 miles at a maximum
speed of 50 mph.
And
the 2008 MINI is equipped with a tire-monitoring indicator
permanently monitoring air pressure and informing the driver in the
event of an emergency.
·
Safety Engineered Throughout the New MINI Clubman Design:
The new MINI Cooper Clubman reflects the high safety and quality
standards of the BMW Group in every respect In its safety and
quality, The
2008
MINI offers a high level of passive safety.
MINI meets or exceeds legal safety requirements in all countries in
which it is on sale, and has all the features and technologies
required for scoring best results in all crash tests.
Determining the wide range of safety features boasted by the 2008
MINI, the development specialists also considered the latest
findings in the BMW Group’s accident research. And from the start
they focused on future standards and requirements, for example in
the area of pedestrian safety and protection.
The car’s safety parameters are based on the occupant safety concept
already established by the MINI Cooper hardtop – a concept which has
been
awarded the maximum number of five stars in the Euro NCAP crash
test.
The results achieved in
this highly demanding test confirm the effective safety design of
the MINI Cooper Clubman.
Attention to detail in design of the body, especially on the right
side – where the Clubdoor is featured – results in crash worthiness
equal on both sides. A further safety feature of the MINI Cooper
Clubman is the rear-hinged Clubdoor can not be opened if the
right-front door is closed, thus preventing any
inadvertent opening of the door from inside.
Six airbags featured standard.
Six airbags come as
standard in a package comprising frontal, side and curtain head
airbags for both the driver and front passenger. The frontal airbags
inflate as a function of the type and severity of an accident, as
determined by sensors and calculated by a central computer. The two
side airbags are integrated in the side supports of the front seats
and effectively protect the driver and front passenger from thorax
injury. The curtain head airbags, as the name indicates, inflate
when required as large “curtains” coming down from the roof lining,
thus offering the occupants
both front and rear protection from head injury.
Three-point
seat belts are fitted on all four seats, featuring belt latch
tensioners, belt-force limiters and belt-warning signals for the
front seats. Not only the six airbags, but also the seat belts are
masterminded by the car’s central safety electronics serving to
activate the most effective safety elements in each case, depending
on the type and intensity of the collision involved. A further
point is that the electronic “brain” deactivates the central locking
in the event of a collision, switches on the hazard warning flashers
and interior lights, and deactivates the electrical fuel pump.
ISOFIX fastening points on the two outer seats at the rear ensure
simple and straightforward installation of child seats for optimum
safety. And should a child seat be fitted on the front passenger’s
seat, the airbag in front of the passenger can be deactivated.
Design and
engineering key to safety
To ensure the highest possible standard of safety despite the
compact
dimensions of the body, the various materials in the body are
appropriately
arranged and coordinated with one another to optimize crash safety
through
their particular features. High-strength steel and body plates
varying in thickness referred to as tailored rolled blanks, as well
as aluminum door elements and a magnesium carrier bar for the
dashboard between the
A-pillars, thus ensure not only supreme stability, but also low
weight through the right kind of lightweight construction.
In a side, collision forces acting on the car are diverted
appropriately to the
underfloor on the opposite side, the doors, B-pillars, seats,
instrument panel and roof frame keeping the side structure strong
and stable. The
right and left side of the car - regardless of the asymmetric
arrangement with the Clubdoor on the right-hand side - both offer
the same
high level of crash safety.
Diagonally arranged door reinforcements and an aluminum extrusion-pressed
profile on the doorsill level interact with the A- and B-pillars to
form one common deformation zone. The deformation zone at the rear,
in turn, is formed by two longitudinal arms, the luggage compartment
floor, the rear
panel, the rear side panels, and additional reinforcement elements.
With the engine of the new MINI Clubman being fitted transversely in
the front,
there is ample space for crash boxes absorbing impact energy in the
event of a head-on collision. Crash energy is
diverted into the floor through the special design of the front
axle subframe. Together with the structure, this system effectively
absorbs impact energy, keeping forces acting on the car away from
the extremely stiff passenger cell. So in a severe
collision or should the car roll over, the passenger cell is able to
retain its function as a survival area for the occupants.
Effective diversion and absorption of impact energy and the stable
passenger cell are the starting point for the optimum safety offered
by the restraint systems featured as standard in the new MINI, with
all of these components
and systems interacting for optimum safety under all conditions.
·
Premium Features and Equipment in the Compact Class:
Choosing either a Cooper Clubman or Cooper S Clubman brings a
comprehensive array of equipment, but MINI customers have an
extensive list of optional features to choose from to further
personalize their vehicles. The option portfolio ranges from unique
Hot Chocolate color/trim for exterior and interior to advanced
entertainment and navigation systems to leather seats to a sports
suspension and, of course, unique light-alloy wheels.
Hand-sewn leather for a touch of class
In
creating the interior of the MINI, the designers paid particular
attention to all the details and refinements a car of this caliber
deserves. Hence, the customer has all kinds of options in
personalizing the 2008 MINI. A set of 16 chrome surrounds for the
air vents, cupholders and instruments – for example, serves to make
the interior even more elegant and sophisticated.
Two
optional leather upholstery offerings – Punch leather in Carbon
Black and Gravity leather in Tuscan Beige – clearly evoke the
British heritage of every MINI. The hand-sewn piped leather of
these exclusive seats provides a feeling of quality and flair.
Available exclusively for the MINI Cooper Clubman is Hot Chocolate
as both the exterior paint or interior color and trim. When this
option is ordered, the Hot Chocolate colored, hand-sewn piping
leather surrounds the leather-lounge seats or in combination with
fabric on the sport seats.
MINI
all the way: special illumination in your favorite color within the
interior
Ambient illumination, acting as discreet “waterfall illumination”
from above and as indirect illumination of the roof lining, door
panels and door handle recesses, creates a unique atmosphere in the
interior of the MINI Cooper Clubman. And again in typical MINI
fashion, the color of the light may be changed at any time in five
stages from warm orange to sporting blue, depending on the driver’s
and passengers’ personal mood and preference.
Color
Line is available in the five color schemes: Dark Gray, Cream White,
Pacific Blue, Rooster Red and Mellow Yellow. The trim surfaces come
in the standard configurations, as well as with a choice of four
exclusive variants: glossy-black-piano paint, dark-brown- grain
oakwood, brushed aluminum and an extra-fine gloss surface resembling
liquid metal at first sight. The premium character of the MINI is
further enhanced by the use of natural wood and aluminum. In
addition, an optional enclosed storage box or CD changer may be
integrated in the trim surface on the front passenger’s side.
Navigation system
Cutting-edge entertainment and navigation systems can be specified
by the MINI buyer. The optional navigation system features a
6.5-inch TFT color display housed within the center speedometer; the
corners on the monitor rounded off and thus adjusted to the circular
shape of the center speedometer. When a US customer orders the
navigation system, a subscription to Clear Channel Real Time Traffic
Information comes standard as part of the option.
TFT
monitor technology provides an easy-to-read display, free of glare
even in bright sunlight; display brightness is driver adjustable.
In the dark, background illumination ensures optimum clarity and
readability. And the presentation of navigation graphics also
reflects the MINI style in both its configuration and color scheme.
The navigation and audio system comes complete with a CD player
positioned
above the removable control panel housing the drive for the
navigation DVD. A joystick on the center console, developed for the
MINI, enables the driver to conveniently control navigation,
entertainment and communications functions in conjunction with menus
displayed on the screen.
The
joystick also enables the driver to directly select a destination on
the map presented in the display. The driver moves the cursor on the
map with the joystick to the desired destination and then selects it
by pressing down on the joystick.
External music systems such as an MP3 player are easy to connect to
the audio system, allowing the driver and passengers to enjoy their
personal music archives in the MINI at any time. A specific adapter
for an Apple iPod is also available providing convenient control of
the player via the MINI’s entertainment system.
Chrome
surrounds and 17-inch light-alloy rims setting additional highlights
The
available Chromeline further sets the MINI Cooper and Cooper S apart
from the pack. The option group comprises chrome-plated surrounds on
the instruments and a cross bracket for the lower air intake
(Cooper), chrome surrounds on the positioning lights and fog lamps
as well as the rear fog warning light (Cooper) and, respectively,
the air outlet in the rear air dam (Cooper S) as well as the handle
on the rear lid (Cooper S).
The aficionado seeking to really highlight the sporting character of
his or her MINI also has the choice of a sports suspension with
stiffer springs, shock absorbers and anti-roll bars on both the MINI
Cooper and MINI Cooper S. And to provide the final touch, the sports
suspension may be supplemented by a variety of 16-inch or 17-inch
wheels
·
Unique Features to Further Personalize the MINI Clubman:
Supplementing the car’s standard equipment as well as the options
offered by the factory, the new MINI may be further personalized
through a wide range of Genuine MINI Accessories. All of these items
provide a perfect match for the 2008 MINI and meet the quality and
safety standards of the BMW Group.
Sporting highlights from John Cooper Works Tuning
Components from John Cooper Works provide the latest road-going MINI
with classic motorsports technology. The wide range of Works
Accessories named after the legendary MINI tuner includes
enhancements like the 11.57-inch, cross-drilled front-brake discs
for the MINI Cooper S Clubman. To match these larger brakes, John
Cooper Works offers 18-inch double-spoke light-alloy wheels, the
largest wheels approved for MINI (7J x 18), mounting 205/40X18
low-profile, tires (and featuring optional run flat technology).
Another John Cooper Works accessory is a roof spoiler with a carbon
surface approved for both the MINI Cooper S Clubman and MINI Cooper
Clubman.
An
alternative option is the single-piece roof spoiler finished on
request in body color. Both roof spoilers can be supplemented by the
Aerodynamics Package from the MINI’s accessories range that comes
with front and rear air dams as well as side sills. The youthful
appearance of the package is enhanced by multi-spoke 17-inch
light-alloy wheels carrying 205/45X17 tires.
Roof
Graphics and Exterior components made of carbon-fiber
By tradition, special roof graphics and mirror caps play an
important role in customizing the MINI. The 2008 MINI offers the
Union Jack, Checkered Flag and the letters “MINI” amongst its roof
graphics.
Mirror caps and door handle trim with the Union Jack and Checkered
Flag
motifs highlight the British heritage and sporting DNA of the MINI.
And to add to this, the 2008 MINI is also available with exterior
components from the John Cooper Works Tuning Range made by hand from
carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic. These include panels for the front
air scoop, the exterior mirrors, and the grab handle on the
tailgate.
iPod
interface, illuminated door entry strips
Portable music players are becoming increasingly significant for
today’s premium-car buyer. The 2008 MINI supports this trend,
offering an interface to integrate the Apple iPod into the car’s
radio and navigation systems. This music unit is controlled either
via the MINI joystick, the multifunction steering wheel or the radio
buttons, while the interface itself is located in the glove
compartment.
Useful
features for everyday motoring
To
protect the interior of the MINI from heavy use, the range MINI
accessories include textile floor mats. Additionally, the
accessories range offers components to further raise the MINI’s
functionality. Apart from an aluminum rear rack for bicycles, skis
or snowboards, these include a roof-carrier system (compatible with
ski and bicycle holders as well as roof boxes), theft-security bolts
for the car’s light-alloy wheels and additional high-beam headlights
combining the most advanced clear-glass technology with a look
reminiscent of the additional headlights on the classic Mini Cooper
which was the three time winner of the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964,
1965 and 1967.
·
Tradition and Quality, Made in England:
The
modern MINI’s sales success is mirrored by its production triumph.
The original plan launched in 2000 called for an annual output of
100,000 units, but demand by 2005 had doubled the number.
Growth of this
magnitude demanded the utmost performance and great flexibility on
the part of the production plants as well as the suppliers. To
facilitate this, the new generation of MINI is built by three
British plants of the BMW Group production network in Oxford,
Swindon, and Hams Hall. These three plants form a closely-knit
production system, a highly integrated structure further enhanced in
recent years by the BMW Group investing some ₤200
million in the expansion and modernization of plant facilities. Together,
all three plants currently employ some 6,350 associates, a figure
planned to increase in the medium term to 6,800, with capacity
reaching 240,000 MINIs a year.
The
concept of sharing out the workload among the plants in Oxford
(final assembly), Swindon (press shop), and Hams Hall (engine
production) is tailored to the requirements of the market. The BMW
Group plants in Oxford and Hams Hall are acknowledged in Great
Britain as role models for flexible work-time concepts, with
production continuing in up to three shifts on seven days a week
with a maximum of 140 hours. The production plants in Swindon and
Hams Hall are flexible to respond
to changes and modifications in Oxford, ensuring optimum
just-in-time delivery of individual components exactly as required.
Production consistently maintaining the BMW Group’s high quality
standards
The
three plants comply with the production and quality standards of the
BMW Group and are certified for environmental management to ISO
14001. Together with the BMW Research and Innovation Center (FIZ) in
Munich, Germany, the Quality and Engineering Center (QEC) in Oxford
played a decisive role in the ongoing technical development of the
MINI. And now the QEC consistently monitors production quality by
means of advanced and sophisticated inspection methods.
Apart
from a test track, a four-die rig for detecting material noise, a
rain and climate chamber (covering a temperature range from – 40 to
+ 90 °C), the Quality and Engineering Center also has a dynamic test
rig complete with a rolling road where the MINI can be tested under
laboratory conditions in all kinds of situations, and, if necessary
up to the car’s top speed.!
BMW
Group Plant Oxford: final assembly of the MINI
The
origins of the Oxford plant, 62 miles northwest of London, begin in
the 1930s as the place where William Morris started series
production of the cars he had developed.
The
BMW Group purchased the plant 1994, then in use by the Rover Group,
and thoroughly modernized it for the 2000 onset of MINI production.
A further investment of ₤100
million since 2005 by the Group prepared the facility for the
production of this MINI generation and an annual production run of
240,000 cars. Employment will grow from 4,500 to 4,700 associates
when capacity is attained.
Most
of this investment has gone into the modernization and expansion of
the body shop as well as the construction of a second paint shop,
which is the first within the BMW Group to use the Integrated
Painting Process (IPP). This process applies the rust proofing and
primer together with the first layer of paint, formerly separate
operations. This accounts for significant savings in the amount of
material required, energy and time. And the new process fully
maintains the BMW Group’s strict quality standards.
Flexible, customer-oriented production
The
Mobile Standard Production Cells (Mobi-Cells) developed by the BMW
Group, a significant innovation employed in the 15,000-square-meter
body shop, increase production flexibly and quickly whenever
required. This makes production of the new MINI highly flexible,
reflecting the standards of the BMW Group’s Customer-Oriented Sales
and Production Process (KOVP). This flexibility allows the customer
to change the configuration of his or her car up to six days prior
to the start of assembly, despite a choice of more than 370 features
and options in the interior, more than 300 variants on the exterior,
and the approximately 2,000 components which go into every MINI.
BMW
Group Plant Swindon: turning steel plates into body components
Body
panels have been manufactured in Swindon, some 43 miles west of
Oxford, since 1954 – and since 1994 this plant has been part of the
BMW Group. Apart from production of approximately 280 of the 350
body panels used on the MINI, the 1,100 associates in Swindon are
also responsible for the sub-assembly of individual body components.
To make this possible, the plant has been modernized with an
investment of approximately 60 million pounds Sterling for
production of the new MINI.
This modernization added 100 welding robots and brought the
number of automatic press lines to 19. This expansion as well as
additional improvements has raised the degree of automation to 95
percent, increasing production capacity by approximately 30 percent.
The
culmination of the improvements means Swindon provides just-in-time
delivery to the Oxford plant, with a four-hour lead time for
supplying parts.
BMW
Group Plant Hams Hall: building the engines for the new MINI
Compared with the two other pillars of the BMW Group’s British
production triangle, the engine plant in Hams Hall has a short
history: Built on the premises of a former coal power station near
Birmingham, the Hams Hall Plant has been the BMW Group’s Competence
Center since 2001 for the production of four-cylinder gasoline
engines displacing up to 2.0 liters.
Built
at an initial investment of 400 million pounds Sterling and recently
expanded at a further investment of some ₤30 million,
the Hams Hall Plant with its 750
Associates has a production capacity of up to 300,000 engines a
year.
From
here, up to 700 MINI engines are delivered to Oxford just-in-time
and just-in-sequence every day, that is at the right time and in the
right order for the car’s final assembly. The working week in Hams
Hall may be anything between 30 and 140 hours, depending on current
requirements.
In
addition, the BMW Group Plant in Hams Hall has already received
several awards for its impressive architecture and innovative
environmental management.
Strict
quality standards also applied to suppliers
A
number of suppliers have located in the vicinity of the BMW Group
Plants in Oxford, Swindon, and Hams Hall, creating approximately
750 more secure jobs in the region. Such close contact with
manufacturers of components including seats and cockpit modules
guarantees optimum, on-time management of production processes.
·
A Continuance of MINI Split-door Heritage:
The roots of the new MINI Clubman go deep into the past. This third
member of the MINI brand family -- joining the MINI Cooper Hardtop
and the
MINI Cooper Convertible -- follows the examples of the Morris Mini
Traveller and the
Austin Mini Countryman built in the 1960s, as well as the MINI
Clubman
Estate which a decade later entered the market.
The new MINI Cooper Clubman reflects the characteristics of
these historic models - exceptional design, agile driving behavior,
a generous interior and the split-door at the rear, re-interpreting
them
with appropriate materials and functions for the 21st
century.
Twins: Morris Mini Traveller and Austin Mini Countryman
Alec Issigonis, an ingenious engineer of Greek origin, created a car
in 1959
destined to change the world. Working for British Motor Corporation
(BMC), which at the time comprised the Morris, Austin, MG, Wolseley
and
Riley brands, Issigonis developed a truly revolutionary car concept:
engine fitted crosswise at the front, front-wheel drive, an almost
vertical hatch at the back and a layout following the principle of
“one wheel at each
corner.”
BMC subsequently built this
car in two forms: the Morris Mini Minor and the Austin Seven, their
radiator grills and model designation being the differentiators.
One year after launching the hatchback sedan, BMC presented a
further body variation under the motto “revolutionary in concept,
smart
in appearance.”
Based upon the already successful commercial Mini Van, it featured
glass windows, in the place of the van’s metal sides, and a folding
rear seat.
At the rear, the new model incorporated a two-piece door, opening at
a wide angle for easy and convenient access – the birth of the
split-door.
Like the hatchback sedan, the new variant was marketed as the
technically identical Morris Mini Traveller and Austin Seven
Countryman.
And as a token to their ancestors in earlier times – although
without any
construction purpose or function – they featured wooden paneling on
the sides
and the rear, giving both models the nickname
“Woody.” In technical terms, the new variant was largely identical
to the sedan,
an 848-cc four-cylinder driving the front wheels. Maximum output of
34 hp was sufficient at the time for a top speed of 69 mph.
Together with the short body overhangs, the slightly longer
wheelbase and the
wide track, the power unit provided the same sporting and safe
driving
characteristics already offered by the Morris Mini Minor and the
Austin Seven.
This new concept immediately won over the hearts of numerous fans in
Great Britain and other European countries, with sales of the Morris
Mini Traveller
and the Austin Seven Countryman (re-named the Austin Mini Countryman
in
1962) by 1967 amounting to some 161,000 units.
In the autumn of 1967 BMC launched revised, updated versions of both
models. Apart from minor optical changes, like the radiator grill,
the new Mk II models featured a more powerful engine: Enlarged in
size to 998 cc,
the four-cylinder now developed 39 hp. And as an alternative to the
four-speed manual gearbox featuring full synchromesh since 1968, an
automatic transmission was offered.
BMC sold 46,000 units in the next two years of the two models
in the second generation.
Parallel production of the Mini and the Mini Clubman since 1969
A year following the 1968 merger of BMC and Leyland (forming British
Leyland) saw the consolidation of all Mini models under the Mini
name. Production of the Morris Mini Traveller and
the Austin Mini Countryman ended in
November 1969 when the Mini Clubman Estate entered the
market as the new model. This was also the first time the name
“Clubman” appeared within the brand’s nomenclature.
While the classic Mini remained in production virtually without any
changes,
the Clubman received a new front end and upgraded equipment,
including
wind-down windows, instead of sliding windows, for the doors. The
rear end of
the car, with its characteristic split-door, remained largely
unchanged, with a chrome-framed plastic trim bar characterizing the
first generation of the Mini Clubman Estate.
The engine remained the proven 39-hp four-cylinder
until engine capacity of the manual-gearbox models increased to
1,098 cc in 1975, with engine output of 45 hp giving the Mini Clubman
Estate a top speed of 81
mph.
·
MINI in the United States:
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United
States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North
America, LLC which has been present since 1975 in the United
States. ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles
in 2003. The BMW Group in the U.S. has grown to include marketing,
sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand, the
MINI brand and the ROLLS-ROYCE brand of motor cars; DesignworksUSA,
an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in
Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country.
BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s
global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing
plant for all Z4 models and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW
Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks
of 340 BMW passenger-car centers, 327 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
centers, 148 BMW motorcycle retailers, 80 MINI dealers and 25
ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW
Group’s sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is
located in Woodcliff Lake, N.J.
Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via
the Internet at:
www.bmwgroupna.com
www.bmwusa.com
www.bmwmotorradusa.com
www.miniusa.com
www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com
Journalist note:
Information about the BMW Group and its products is available to
journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following
address:
www.press.bmwgroup.com.
#
# #
at the
40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007. The MINI Clubman Contents:
1. Description in
Brief.
.............................................................................................
2
2. Unique, Extroverted, Irresistible:
The MINI Clubman. (Short Version)
........................................................................................................
5
3. In Search of New Challenges. Concept.
................................................................................................................
15
4. Typically MINI – Surprisingly New. Design.
..................................................................................................................
19
5. Dynamic on the Road, Modest at the
Filling Station. Engines and Transmissions.
................................................................................
25
6. Driving Pleasure and Safe Handling –
Genuine MINI Style. Chassis and Suspension.
.....................................................................................
30
7. More Space, Optimum Safety, Supreme
Quality. Body and Safety.
...................................................................................................
33
8. Even More Space for Individual
Wishes. Features and Equipment.
.....................................................................................
36
10. More MINI – with a Concept that has
Always Been Unique. Heritage.
................................................................................................................
46
Unless stated otherwise, the
contents of this press kit refer to models
and features in the German market. Deviations in other markets are
possible.
1. Description in Brief.
•
Extension of the MINI brand family through the addition of an
innovative, unique shooting brake concept highlighting both the
car’s sportiness and its
functional qualities through its stretched, sleek roofline. The MINI
Clubman combines the driving experience so typical of the
brand with extroverted design, a high level of personal freedom in
its customisation, and superior function: Five seats, rear hatch
with two doors opening to the sides (split-door design); additional
Clubdoor opening in the direction of travel on the right-hand side
of the car, body length extended over the “regular”
MINI Hatch by 24 centimetres (9.45´´
), wheelbase and legroom at the rear extended by 8
centimetres (3.15´´ );
luggage compartment capacity
variable from 260–930 litres (9.1–32.6 cu ft) with the rear-seat
backrest tilted down.
•
Unique proportions and, as a result, highly individual character in
all features of the MINI Clubman, clear allocation to the BMW
product family through design language typical of the brand.
• New
generation of four-cylinder gasoline engines with twin-scroll
turbocharger and fully variable valve management as well as
four-cylinder diesel with common-rail fuel injection. All engine
variants featuring
a wide range of improvements to optimise fuel economy and emission
management: Auto Start-Stop, Brake Energy Regeneration, gearshift
point indicator.
•
Front-wheel drive; go-kart feeling typical of the brand ensured by
chassis and suspension technology tailored specifically to the MINI
Clubman, brakes with anti-lock function (ABS), electronic brake
force distribution (EBD), Cornering Brake Control (CBC) and Brake
Assistant; Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with Hill Start-Off
Assistance standard on all models. Limited-slip differential
available as an optional extra on the
MINI Cooper S.
•
Crash-optimised passenger cell, six airbags featured as standard,
three-point inertia-reel seat belts on all seats, belt latch
tensioners and belt force governors at the front, belt warning
system; ISOFIX child seat fastening system at the rear featured as
standard.
•
Contemporary, up-to-date rendition and modern interpretation of
typical brand features highlighting the historic roots of the brand,
bearing clear testimony to the the Morris Mini Traveller and Austin
Mini Countryman in the 1960s.
•
Wide range of customisation options on the exterior and interior,
C-pillars and upper section of the rear bumper finished in body
colour, roof either
in body colour or in a contrasting colour, choice of more than 40
colour combinations on the exterior, specific range of optional
extras and accessories.
•
Market launch with three engine variants:
MINI
Cooper S Clubman:
Four-cylinder gasoline engine with twin-scroll turbocharger and
direct fuel injection,
Capacity 1,598 cc, max output 128 kW/175 hp at 5,500 rpm,
max torque 240 Nm/177 lb-ft from 1,600–5,000 rpm
(260 Nm/192 lb-ft with Overboost),
Acceleration 0–100 km/h in 7.6 sec,
Top speed 224 km/h (139 mph),
Average fuel consumption in the EU composite cycle
6.3 litres/100 kilometres (equal to 44.8 mpg imp),
CO2 rating 150 g/km.
MINI Cooper Clubman: Four-cylinder gasoline engine with fully variable valve
management
based on the BMW Group’s VALVETRONIC technology,
Capacity 1,598 cc, max output 88 kW/120 hp at 6,000 rpm,
max torque 160 Nm/118 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm,
Acceleration 0–100 km/h in 9.8 sec,
Top speed 201 km/h (125 mph),
Average fuel consumption in the EU composite cycle
5.5 litres/100 kilometres (equal to 51.4 mpg imp),
CO2 rating 132 g/km.
MINI Cooper D
Clubman:
Four-cylinder turbodiesel with common-rail fuel injection and
variable turbine geometry,
Capacity 1,560 cc, max output 80 kW/110 hp at 4,000 rpm,
max torque 240 Nm/177 lb-ft from 1,750–2,000 rpm
(260 Nm/192 lb-ft with Overboost),
Acceleration 0–100 km/h in 10.4 sec,
Top speed 193 km/h (120 mph),
Average fuel consumption in the EU composite cycle
4.1 litres/100 kilometres (equal to 68.9 mpg imp),
CO2 rating 109 g/km.
2. Unique, Extroverted, Irresistible:
The MINI Clubman. (Short Version)
MINI, the world-famous
premium manufacturer, is celebrating a very special debut in Asia at
the 40th Tokyo Motor Show, with the new MINI Clubman
to be admired for the first time in the capital city of Japan from
26 October – 11 November 2007 at the Makuhari Fairgrounds.
Approximately one year after
the launch of the new model generation,
MINI is enlarging its model range by an equally innovative and
irresistible car concept scheduled for introduction in the Japanese
market in February 2008.
The MINI Clubman, through its
truly surprising design, stands out clearly from conventional
concepts and categories. Unmistakably a MINI from every angle, the
five-seater MINI Clubman, through its unique rear end and
exceptional proportions, captures maximum awareness right from the
start.
The MINI Clubman is truly
fascinating through its qualities typical of the brand and the many
possibilities it has to offer. At the wheel of this unique car the
driver will enjoy pure driving pleasure with the same sporting
performance and thrilling behaviour as in every MINI. And behind the
front seats the passengers at the rear will discover a new MINI
experience, with enhanced inner values and extroverted flair. For
the combination of that typical MINI feeling with lounge-like
seating comfort at the rear, flexible use of space available and a
unique door concept makes the MINI Clubman quite unmistakably an
unparalleled car in its own right.
Clearly MINI,
irresistibly
innovative.
The unique character of the
MINI Clubman is obvious at first sight.
The roofline of the car extends across all three pillars, merging
smoothly into the striking rear section where the innovative,
two-piece split-door with
its two halves opening to either side sets not only an optical
highlight through its frame in contrasting colour.
The generous luggage
compartment may be further extended in flexible configuration,
offering very easy and convenient loading options thanks to the two
rear doors.
A further important point is
that the MINI Clubman is entering the market as a five-seater, the
passengers at the rear enjoying 80 millimetres or 3.15´´
more legroom than in the “regular” MINI. Access to the rear “lounge”
is facilitated by
an additional door, the
Clubdoor hinged at the back on the right-hand side of the car.
Through its diversity alone,
the MINI Clubman provides an up-to-date interpretation of
traditional shooting brake concepts incorporating the smooth flow of
the rear section and the steep rear end to highlight both the car’s
sportiness and function.
All this makes the MINI
Clubman the modern successor to three legendary classics, the Morris
Mini Traveller, the Austin Mini Countryman, and the
Mini Clubman Estate, thrilling customers side-by-side with the
original Mini, the grandfather of all compact cars, back in the
1960s.
Debut with three engine
variants.
The MINI Clubman will be
entering the market with three engine variants: Powered by a
1.6-litre four-cylinder with twin-scroll turbocharger, direct
gasoline injection and maximum output of 128 kW/175 hp at an engine
speed of 5,500 rpm, the MINI Cooper S Clubman will immediately move
right
up to the top of the new model series. The MINI Cooper Clubman, in
turn, benefiting from its 88 kW/120 hp 1.6-litre four-cylinder
developing
88 kW/120 hp at 6,600 rpm and featuring fully variable valve
management, offers superior driving pleasure and convincing economy
at all times.
The MINI Cooper D Clubman
stands out as a particularly efficient
performer, offering fascinating traction and pulling force as well
as extremely low fuel consumption and exemplary emission management.
Accordingly, the MINI Cooper
D Clubman also offers average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle
of 4.1 litres/100 kilometres (equal to
68.9 mpg imp) and CO2
emissions reduced to just 109 grams per
kilometre – record figures unmatched by the competition even
throughout
the broader segment.
All power units represent the most advanced
state-of-the-art in engine technology based on the outstanding
competence in development of
the BMW Group. And naturally all of these power units benefit from
all the improvements introduced in the 2008 model year for further
reduction
of fuel consumption and emissions, including Brake Energy
Regeneration,
the Auto Start Stop function, and a gearshift point indicator.
Extroverted design and
five doors in brand-new configuration.
The new generation of the
MINI is the only small premium car in the world to combine the
fascinating flair of unique design with incomparably agile
driving characteristics, quality
and safety of the highest standard, a wide range of options in
customising the car, and exemplary efficiency.
And now the MINI Clubman adds
further significant facets to this diversity, offering 24
centimetres or 9.45´´
more body length and its wheelbase extended by 8 centimetres or 3.15´´
in the interest of extra space at the rear.
One of the absolute
highlights in this context is the innovative door concept of the
MINI Clubman, making this unique car a very special five-door model,
with the conventional driver’s and front passenger’s door
supplemented by an additional rear-hinged door on the right-hand
side of the car and the two
wings of the split-door at the rear. Indeed, this two-piece rear
door offers a
highly interesting re-interpretation of an authentic detail already
boasted
on the MINI’s classic forerunners.
Featuring an additional door
on the right-hand side opening against the direction of travel and
allowing very comfortable and convenient access to the rear seats,
the MINI Clubman also extends a warm welcome to the rear-seat
passengers right from the start when entering the car. For reasons
of safety, the rear door at the side can be opened only when the
front door is open – again a particular feature which adds to the
special looks of the car, since the Clubdoor, as it is called, does
not require a door handle outside and thus blends harmoniously and
almost invisibly with the body of the MINI Clubman.
Hinging right at the outside,
the rear doors of the MINI Clubman –
the so-called split-door – open up to the left and right, offering
comfortable
and convenient access for all your shopping or bulky goods and
equipment such as sports gear. To load smaller objects, in turn, it
is quite sufficient
to open just the right-hand side of the split-door.
Although the MINI Clubman
comes with either four or five seats as an option, offering the
passengers at the rear exceptionally generous legroom,
the luggage compartment, measuring 260 litres or 9.1 cubic, is most
spacious even without the rear-seat backrest tilted down.
Folding down either in part
or completely from one side to the other,
the rear-seat backrest, together with the completely flat luggage
compartment floor available as an option and the generous height
provided within the luggage compartment, gives the MINI Clubman
additional variability and freedom for the driver and passengers.
A slight elevation, the so-called Dune Line,
extends back on both sides from the A- to the C-pillars along the
entire length of the roof, giving the roofline an exciting look of
tension and power and raising the level of the car’s flanks by
approximately two centimetres. The highest point
is above the B-pillar, helping to give the new MINI Clubman very
well balanced and flowing proportions also from the side.
On all
model variants the roof flows into a discreet air spoiler at the
rear
end of the car, combining design and sophisticated aerodynamics to
provide
a particularly aesthetic and appealing touch.
Modern interpretation of
a classic concept.
In its split-door
configuration, the MINI Clubman brings back memories of its famous
predecessors: the Austin Mini Countryman, the Morris Mini Traveller,
and the Mini Clubman Estate sold very successfully between 1960 and
1982.
Particularly the first two of
these classic models were indeed the source
of inspiration for the MINI Clubman, which nevertheless in all its
details offers state-of-the-art technologies and features for the 21st
century.
The MINI Clubman is
reminiscent of its classic forerunners also in terms of design. But
where once a wooden frame and open hinges characterised the rear end
as optional features, the surfaces of the doors now merge perfectly
with the C-pillars for supreme streamlining and a harmonious rear
end. Enhanced by the colour scheme, the C-pillars take up the flair
of the classic rear-end construction, the C-pillars on the MINI
Clubman being accentuated together with the bumper by a contrasting
paint scheme, interacting to give the car a truly striking graphic
look at the rear. The colour of this rear door surround is the same
in each case as the colour of the roof, which comes in standard on
the MINI Clubman in either Black non-metallic or Pure Silver
metallic.
As an option the MINI Clubman
is also available with the roof finished in body colour, in which
case only the C-pillars including the upper section of the bumpers
are finished in contrasting Silver or Black paintwork, thus
maintaining the striking look of the rear door frame on all versions
of the MINI Clubman.
Enhanced function,
driving characteristics typical of MINI.
MINI has developed this new
variant for the active and truly passionate individualist wishing to
consciously stand out from the mediocrity so common on our roads
today. Precisely this is why this sporting and charismatic car
offers new and flexible options in interior use and practical value.
But at the same time, despite its longer wheelbase and the body
overhang extended to the rear, the MINI Clubman retains the
“stance-on-the-wheels” concept so typical of the MINI with its short
overhangs. The car’s driving characteristics,
in turn, are truly fascinating and full of agility, offering that
legendary go-kart feeling
inseparably linked to the MINI brand ever since the early days of
the MINI.
In a configuration tailored
specifically to the MINI Clubman, the chassis and suspension
developed for the new MINI generation guarantees superior handling
safe and sporting at all times. On the front axle McPherson spring
struts ensure excellent wheel guidance, keeping the steering smooth
and responsive wherever you go, unaffected by the power of the
engine both on winding roads and when accelerating or applying the
brakes.
The central-arm rear axle, in
turn, benefits from the full competence of the BMW Group in
state-of-the-art development. This is indeed a structure
quite unique in the MINI segment, offering optimum road contact at
all times thanks to its elaborate, sophisticated kinematics.
Aluminium longitudinal arms
help to optimise the car’s weight, while anti-roll bars additionally
promote the safe handling of the MINI Clubman.
Reflecting the extra power of
the car and its enhanced performance,
the suspension set-up on the MINI Cooper S Clubman is even more
sporting and dynamic than the sports-oriented suspension of the MINI
Cooper Clubman and MINI Cooper D Clubman, all model variants
maintaining their substantial safety reserves even when driven to
the absolute limit.
The new MINI Cooper Clubman
and the new MINI Cooper D Clubman come as standard on 15-inch
wheels, while the MINI Cooper S Clubman
features 16-inch rims with runflat tyres allowing the driver to
continue even after a complete loss of tyre pressure.
EPAS Electrical Power Assisted Steering gives the driver exact
feedback on road conditions and the current driving situation, the
steering remaining sporting and direct at all times, with power
assistance geared to road speed.
A further advantage of
Electrical Power Assisted Steering is its weight far lighter than a
conventional steering system, as well as the steering function
geared to current demands in order to save energy: The electrical
servo motor is activated only when power assistance is required or
desired by the driver.
The sports-oriented
suspension of the MINI Clubman is supported by a
highly efficient and powerful brake system featuring highlights such
as
anti-lock control (ABS), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD),
Cornering Brake Control (CBC) and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
including hill
start-off assistance all coming as standard. The Brake Assistant on
the new MINI recognises emergency application of the brakes and
immediately builds up maximum brake pressure whenever required to
keep stopping distances
as short as possible.
The power units: maximum
efficiency in three power stages.
The MINI Clubman stands out
from the start not only through its unique concept and extroverted
design, but also through exceptionally attractive power units.
Indeed, the three high-tech engines developed specifically for the
new generation of the MINI guarantee unique driving pleasure
combined
with remarkable efficiency at all times. And all the power units
featured in the MINI Clubman naturally come as standard with all new
technologies introduced in the
2008 model year for maximum reduction of fuel consumption.
These intelligent
technologies serving to maximise the engine’s efficiency allow an
appropriate reduction of fuel consumption and, at the same time,
a further increase in driving pleasure. A very good example in this
context is Brake Energy Regeneration, energy management ensuring
that the output coming from the engine is converted primarily into
drive power, with electricity being generated for the on-board
network only when the car is rolling freely
in overrun or during application of the brakes. To achieve this
effect, the alternator is automatically disengaged from the engine
while under power, that is when accelerating and pulling the car.
Accordingly, the power the alternator would consume and take away
from the car in the conventional mode
now remains fully available for even faster and more dynamic
acceleration.
An adequate supply of
electric energy to the on-board system is nevertheless ensured at
all times, since the alternator is activated again as soon as the
MINI returns to overrun or the driver applies the brakes.
The new Auto Start Stop
function on all manual gearbox versions of
the MINI Clubman serves to effectively shorten idle speed phases
while the engine is running: Whenever the car comes to a stop at a
road junction,
for example, Auto Start Stop automatically switches off the engine
as soon
as the driver shifts to neutral and takes his foot off the clutch
pedal.
Then, to re-start the engine, all the driver has to do is press down
the clutch pedal again, the engine starting automatically without
the slightest delay.
Auto Start
Stop serves to optimise fuel efficiency above all in city traffic,
helping to reduce fuel consumption accordingly.
The
gearshift point indicator in the MINI Clubman provides additional
support in the process of reducing fuel consumption and emissions:
Benefiting
from this function likewise featured as standard, the driver of a
manual gearbox
MINI Clubman is able to constantly focus on the most efficient style
of motoring, the electronic engine “brain” permanently analysing
engine speed, driving conditions and the position of the gas pedal,
and calculating the most
efficient
style of motoring for the respective gear selected by the driver.
As soon as a shift in gears would appear appropriate under such
driving conditions, an arrow symbol appears in the Cockpit Display
beneath the rev counter, with the ideal gear being shown as a
number.
Shifting gears is without doubt
a thrilling experience in the top model of the new series, the MINI
Cooper S Clubman. Boasting a 1.6-litre
four-cylinder power unit developing maximum output of 128 kW/175 hp
at 5,500 rpm with the help of a twin-scroll turbocharger and direct
gasoline injection, the
MINI Cooper S Clubman offers maximum torque of 240 Newton-metres or
177 lb-ft all the way from 1,600 to 5,000 rpm, with a further brief
increase
to an even more significant 260 Newton-metres or 192 lb-ft by means
of the Overboost function.
On the road, this accelerates
the MINI Cooper S Clubman to 100 km/h in just 7.6 seconds and gives
the car a top speed of 224 km/h or 139 mph.
The MINI Cooper S Clubman
offers not only impressive performance, but also an exceptionally
good balance of driving pleasure and economy, with average fuel
consumption in the EU test cycle of just 6.3 litres/100 kilometres,
equal to 44.8 mpg imp. And at the same time the MINI Cooper S
Clubman has a
CO2 emission rating of 150 grams per kilometre.
The balance of performance
and fuel economy is equally impressive on the MINI Cooper Clubman,
its four-cylinder normal-aspiration power unit likewise displacing
1.6 litres featuring fully variable valve management developed on
the basis of the BMW Group’s VALVETRONIC system.
Maximum output of this
innovative, high-tech engine is 88 kW/120 hp at
6,000 rpm, with maximum torque of 160 Nm or 118 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm.
With this kind of power, the
MINI Cooper Clubman accelerates to 100 km/h
in 9.8 seconds and has a top speed of 201 km/h or 125 mph. And with
average fuel consumption in the EU cycle of 5.5 litres/100
kilometres, equal
to 51.4 mpg imp, and a CO2 emission rating of 132 grams
per kilometre,
the car sets the standard among all gasoline engine models in its
class.
The 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel in the MINI
Cooper D Clubman,
finally, offers outstanding efficiency all round, at the same time
providing maximum output of 80 kW/110 hp at an engine speed of 4,000
rpm.
The technical highlights of this new diesel engine
exceptionally light thanks to its new aluminium structure include
innovative direct injection based on the
common-rail principle as well as a turbocharger with
variable turbine geometry for optimum power and performance in all
speed ranges.
An Overboost function in the MINI Cooper D Clubman
also ensures a particularly powerful and dynamic response to the
accelerator, providing exactly the same effect as on the
particularly sporting and dynamic
MINI Cooper S Clubman: Overboost briefly increases maximum torque
from 240 to 260 Newton-metres (177–192 lb/ft) between 1,750 and
2,000 rpm.
The new MINI Cooper D Clubman
accelerates to 100 km/h in 10.4 seconds and has a top speed of 193
km/h or 120 mph. At the same time it combines this dynamic character
with exemplary fuel economy, average fuel consumption in the EU test
cycle amounting to just 4.1 litres per kilometre
or 68.9 mpg imp. And last but not least, the CO2 emission
rating is extremely
low at just 109 grams per kilometre.
Engine power is once again
conveyed to the front wheels in that typical
MINI style. In addition, the MINI Cooper S Clubman, MINI Cooper
Clubman,
and MINI Cooper D Clubman are all equipped as standard with a
six-speed manual gearbox, six-speed automatic transmission coming as
an option
on each of these three model variants.
Unique, characteristic
design with striking MINI features.
The three versions of the
MINI Clubman are identical in their design and body structure to the
MINI Cooper, MINI Cooper D and MINI Cooper S up to the
B-pillar, all the classic design icons of the MINI being highlighted
appropriately also on the MINI Clubman. At the front end of the car
these include
the characteristic, large round headlights, round positioning
lights, and the hexagon radiator grille. Further distinctive
features are the diagonal
engine lid joint and the side direction indicators so typical of the
MINI.
A chrome band extending round
the entire car at shoulder level is to be admired also on the MINI
Clubman, resting directly on the doors at the rear end of the car.
Measuring the same in width and hardly any higher than
the “regular” MINI Hatch, the MINI Clubman with its low-slung
overall look and compact proportions creates the same nimble and
dynamic impression
as all other models in the MINI family.
The rear light clusters are
kept as small a possible, reflecting the smallest dimensions
eligible for worldwide homologation. In all, the design of the rear
end, through the interaction of the car’s graphics and elements such
as
the rear lights and door handles, conveys an elegant and clear
impression.
The
individual model variants are highlighted at the rear through the
designations “Cooper”, “Cooper D” and,
respectively, “Cooper S”. The name “Clubman”,
in turn, is to be found on the right-hand entry trim strip beneath
the Clubdoor.
More than 40 colour combinations for driving
pleasure in beauty
and style.
Driving a MINI is more than just
getting from A to B – it is an expression
of lifestyle, of a genuine attitude in life. In particular, the
focus is on driving pleasure and the joy of powerful, trendsetting
design.
Now the MINI Clubman offers
the enthusiast even greater options in customising his car and
personal style, with more than 40 combinations of the exterior
paintwork alone. This overwhelming freedom of expression is further
enhanced by a wide range of accessories and a great selection of
options and special equipment geared specifically to the MINI
Clubman.
Hot Chocolate, a particularly
extroverted metallic colour, is reserved exclusively to the MINI
Clubman.
In all, the MINI Clubman is
available in no less than 12 body colours – the three non-metallic
colours Chili Red, Pepper White and Mellow Yellow, as well as the
additional metallic colours Astro Black, Sparkling Silver, British
Racing Green, Pure Silver, Lightning Blue, Nightfire Red, Dark
Silver, and Laser Blue over and above Hot Chocolate.
Everybody is an artist –
freedom in interior design.
The purchaser of a MINI
Clubman is also able to choose his or her very own, individual
interior design, combining four interior colours and five Colour
Line variants with one another as he wishes.
The seats are available not
only in their regular upholstery, but also – on all models – in a
combination of cloth and leather as well as all-leather upholstery
in all kinds of variants and colour schemes.
A wide range of trim options
helps to underline the premium character of the MINI Clubman, for
example through optional English Oak or in glistening
Black Piano paint. This wide range of individual choice is finally
rounded off by two standard trim options as well as Fluid Silver and
Brushed Alloy as further optional selections.
The MINI Clubman is unique –
and precisely this makes the car a typical
MINI in every respect, consciously interpreting traditional shooting
brake concepts in a modern design language. At the same time the
MINI Clubman
intentionally bears out
similarities to the classic Mini, just as it comes with
a new range of engines boasting brand-new features.
Like the new generation of
the MINI as such, the MINI Clubman is also the result of a modern
re-interpretation of the car taking all the demands
of the 21st century into account and in the process
offering new possibilities
and opportunities.
Given its wide range of
qualities, the MINI Clubman paves the way into a brand-new segment
in the market, while the MINI premium brand, introducing this
avant-garde innovation, once again underlines its leadership in the
small car segment in terms of vehicle concepts, technical and design
features.
3. In Search of New
Challenges. Concept.
The
“godfather” was the Shooting Brake. This is the term applied in
Great Britain, the home of the MINI, to sports cars combining the
flair and
character of a coupé with a hatchback, thus offering more functions
than
a “regular” coupé.
Catering
for customers looking precisely for a car of this kind, various
manufacturers have built thrilling and exclusive cars time and again
in years gone by, offering the discerning customer the opportunity
to pursue in
some cases quite extravagant hobbies, without having to use a
conventional
estate for that purpose. Indeed, quite often these manufacturers
were
highly specialised companies building such very special vehicles by
hand.
The new
MINI Clubman now takes up this shooting brake concept and is
therefore taking on its own very special role within the MINI brand
family
now comprising three very different models: The new MINI Clubman is
an authentic and unconventional re-interpretation of MINI’s brand
values.
Based on the MINI with its extremely agile performance and typical
go-kart feeling, the MINI Clubman is indeed a completely unique and
very
emotional concept taking up typical features of MINI design and
carrying
them forward to a new and different segment of the market.
Unique
proportions underline the individual, sporting, active and masculine
character of the new MINI Clubman. The Clubdoor at the side opening
in the direction of travel, the two-piece split-door at the rear,
and wheelbase extended over the “regular” MINI by 80 millimetres or
3.15´´
make the new MINI Clubman quite unmistakable. This is a car that
appeals to the active
and extroverted individualist, the connoisseur who sees his (or her)
car as a genuine statement standing out from the usual crowd in road
traffic.
Modern interpretation of
classic functions.
Following
MINI’s motto of “From the Original to the Original”, the new
MINI Clubman is fully aware of its historical DNA and interprets
these genes with all the features now
possible in the 21st century. Hence, it quotes
design features from its ancestors, the Morris Mini Traveller and
the
Austin Mini Countryman, both of which were built from 1960–1969.
These very special models now legendary not only in Great Britain
served as
sources of inspiration in developing the MINI Clubman. And in the
process
the designers responsible for the car succeeded in blending classic
features
with the
shooting brake concept in an entirely new style, creating a car
through the interaction of ultra-modern technology and functionality
which meets the challenges of today’s world in a truly fascinating
manner.
A good
example in this context is the split-door at the rear: The new
MINI Clubman takes up this principle of two wing doors hinged at the
side dating back to the 1960s, adding innovative details and
features appropriate
in our modern times.
Characteristic highlights in this context are the rear light
clusters fitted in
the structure of the body itself and not in the doors, the
split-door opening mechanism supported by gas pressure springs, as
well as the use of two screenwipers at the rear, one on each side of
the doors. The focus, obviously, was on everyday function and
practical use.
Another
example is the unusual design of the vertical C-pillars standing out
as the ongoing development of the wooden planks to be admired on the
car’s ancestors, which gave the classic Mini equipped with this
particular feature the nick-name “Woody”.
To
underline this particular quote, the C-pillars and the rear bumper
on
the new MINI Clubman come exclusively in contrasting Black
Non-Metallic
or Pure Silver Metallic, this striking surround distinguishing the
new
MINI Clubman from the rear at very first sight.
Go-kart feeling and reduction of fuel
consumption.
Despite the
longer wheelbase and the slightly higher weight of the new model,
the new MINI Clubman offers virtually the same performance as the
“regular” MINI, benefiting in the process from its somewhat better
streamlining and drag coefficient.
This
equality in terms of performance is of course a result of the
engines offering the same power and torque, the principle of short
body overhangs retained also on the MINI Clubman, and the specific
set-up of the car’s suspension and steering. The driver of the new
MINI Clubman thus enjoys the full thrill of an agile go-kart so
typical of the MINI brand. And at the same time the car offers
perfect straight-ahead running stability, an advantage particularly
significant on long distances.
All models
in the range come with numerous technologies serving to reduce fuel
consumption. Brake Energy Regeneration, Auto Start Stop, and
a gearshift point indicator enable the driver to save fuel without
making any concessions in terms of driving pleasure.
Detailed solutions for enhanced function.
Through its
overall concept, the MINI Clubman ensures enhanced function and
superior comfort, quite literally bearing out the principle of
“maximum car on minimum space”. In its exterior dimensions, the MINI
Clubman is more
or less a “normal-sized” car in its class, while in its interior
dimensions it is far larger than the regular standard in its
segment.
Wheelbase
extended over the MINI Hatch by 8 centimetres or 3.15´´
ensures generous legroom at the rear. The Clubdoor, in turn, not
only facilitates
access to the rear seat bench with either three or two seats,
depending on the customer’s choice, but also serves, together with
the comfortable seats,
the wide window areas and high-quality materials inside the car, to
provide
a stylish lounge ambience at the rear. And since the MINI Clubman
also
comes as standard with an easy-entry function on the front seats,
access to the rear is really convenient.
The unusual
split-door configuration extending virtually over the entire width
of the car also ensures convenient access to the rear area. Together
with
the split rear backrest folding down individually as required for
flexible use of the luggage compartment, the split-door opens up new
dimensions in practical use and personal lifestyle.
Taking
along a large music instrument, for example, is no problem in the
new MINI Clubman, just as the driver can accommodate a mountain bike
or
a kiteboard in the luggage compartment.
Clearly,
this gives the driver of the MINI Clubman new freedom, greater
flexibility and a greater margin for spontaneous leisure time
activities.
And if even this is not enough, both the MINI Cooper Clubman and the
MINI Cooper D Clubman are available as an option with a towbar.
Millions of options for
customising the car.
One of the
highlights of the MINI Clubman concept is the unprecedented range of
customisation options. Indeed, taking the extended offer of optional
features into account and the numerous items of Original MINI
Accessories developed in some cases exclusively for this model, the
discerning customer has several million variations in configuring
his personal MINI Clubman.
The new Hot
Chocolate colour developed especially for the MINI Clubman,
for example, is typical of MINI, taking up the tradition of classic
and vintage cars from Great Britain re-interpreted in a particularly
surprising manner.
Hot Chocolate is available as metallic paintwork for the car’s body,
as an upholstery colour on the leather seats, and as the interior
colour.
Combining
these options and the choice of further features, the customer
enjoys a huge margin of freedom in personalising the car. As an
example,
the new colour variant enables the customer to cover an extremely
wide range of stylish features and personal choice – from
sophisticated and harmonious through extravagant all the way to
consciously extroverted. And the addition of new body and interior
colours also offers the purchaser lots of freedom in living out his
or her personal choice or preference.
International teamwork in
the development process.
The new MINI Clubman
was developed in a modern cooperation network
with the BMW Group standing in the middle through its core
competences and skills. The design of the car, therefore, comes from
the MINI Design Studio. The main development work on the car’s
concept, the drivetrain and the set-up of the chassis, in turn, was
carried out by the BMW Group’s Research and Innovation Centre in
Munich.
In this process all
steps in development were closely coordinated with the MINI
Production Plants in Great Britain.
A further pillar of the
international design team was Italdesign Giugiaro (IDG) building
pre-series prototypes and providing engineering services in series
development.
Last but certainly not
least, the main suppliers were also integrated directly into the
project team in all phases of development, ensuring intelligent
interaction of the skills and abilities of the companies involved
and a highly flexible and agile development process of the highest
standard on all sides.
4. Typically MINI –
Surprisingly New. Design.
A real MINI
– but nevertheless surprisingly new: As a unique car concept,
the MINI Clubman boasts exterior and interior design proving clearly
that it is a member of the MINI brand family but nevertheless
setting a series
of fascinating new highlights.
Through its
various icons, the MINI Clubman continues the design language of the
new MINI, at the same time taking up various details of its
ancestors
in time, the Morris Mini Traveller and the Austin Mini Countryman in
modern, up-to-date style. One of these highlights is the split-door
at the rear,
another striking and brand-new feature of the MINI Clubman is the
Clubdoor on the right-hand side of the car opening against the
direction of travel.
And with its longer rear overhang as well as the vertical C-pillars
with their particular accentuation, the new MINI Clubman stands out
strongly
as a distinctive member of the MINI brand family.
The overall
look of the new MINI Clubman is characterised by the smooth and taut
design of the body. Twelve different body colours, nine of which are
in metallic paintwork, interact with Black Non-Metallic or Pure
Silver Metallic on the roof and C-pillars to provide more than 40
colour schemes and combinations.
A special
colour developed for the new MINI Clubman is Hot Chocolate Metallic
bridging the gap between the classic heritage of the “original” Mini
and modern design of the 21st century. Other body colours
are the three
Chili Red, Pepper White, and Mellow Yellow non-metallic options as
well as Astro Black, Sparkling Silver, British Racing Green, Pure
Silver, Lightning Blue, Nightfire Red, Dark Silver, and Laser Blue
metallic in addition to Hot Chocolate.
The new
MINI Clubman boasts its own unique look and stature, making a
strong and elegant statement all
in one. Through its design alone, it accentuates the
emotional character of a truly extroverted car concept. Indeed, the
distinctive design of the body highlights the new MINI Clubman from
the start not just as a member of the MINI brand family, but also as
a car with very special features and characteristics.
World debut: Clubdoor for
easier access to the rear.
The
asymmetric structure of the car’s flanks is a truly unusual design
feature
of the new MINI Clubman: While on the left-hand side the front door
provides convenient access in classic configuration, the additional
Clubdoor on the right-hand side, opening against the direction of
travel, ensures particularly convenient access to the rear seats.
The name
“Clubman” on the entry strip on the right-hand side beneath the
Clubdoor serves as an additional signal in welcoming the rear-seat
passengers. The B-pillar with its integrated belt support for the
front seat,
in turn, is integrated into the Clubdoor itself, and the side pillar
graphics
likewise contribute to the unmistakable look of the MINI Clubman.
The side view: Dune Line
and the contrasting C-pillars.
Seen from
the side, the new MINI Clubman stands out particularly through
its dynamic wedge shape created by the interaction of the shoulder
line rising up slightly to the rear and the horizontal roofline. The
shoulder line extends from the headlights at the front along
muscular shoulders all the way to the
C-pillars, where the distance to the roof is smaller than around the
A-pillars. This, in turn, creates side window graphics opening up to
the front and giving the car a forward-pushing impression of power
and action, clearly bearing out the sporting character of the
MINI Clubman even with the car at a standstill.
The dark
surface colour on the A- and B-pillars presents the window areas
as one uninterrupted strip, at the same time creating the impression
of
a roof “hovering” in space, connected to the rest of the body only
through the C-pillars.
A slender
elevation, the so-called Dune Line, extends back on both sides from
the A- to the C-pillars along the entire length of the roof, giving
the roofline
a distinctive look of tense motion and raising the height of the
car’s flanks by approximately 2 centimetres, with the highest point
just above the B-pillars.
This gives
the new MINI Clubman very well-balanced, sleek and flowing
proportions also from the side, the roof on all model variants
extending into a discreet spoiler at the rear. The result is a
particularly aesthetic and functional combination of design and
sophisticated aerodynamics.
Wide track
and very short body overhangs underline the typical posture of the
car, its “stance on the wheels” so characteristic of the brand.
Indeed,
it is fair to say that the new MINI Clubman “stands like a rock” on
its wheels
at all four corners.
This
overall impression is further enhanced by the plastic frame
extending round the entire body and bordering on the front and rear
air dams as well as the wheel arches and side-sills at the bottom.
The almost
vertical C-pillars and the body overhang at the rear extended by
16 centimetres or 6.3´´
versus the MINI Hatch highlight the greater functional value of the
new MINI Clubman and create new proportions nevertheless
still typical of MINI. Similarly, the C-pillars in a different and
highly conspicuous colour help to create a look of perfect balance
throughout the car from front
to rear.
The rear end: split-door
and rear lights integrated into the body.
The rear
end of the new MINI Clubman is characterised by parallel, horizontal
lines standing out clearly and distinctively from the vertical
C-pillars.
These lines serve to split up the body into individual sections
becoming more slender and narrow step-by-step as they move up.
Such an
arrangement of contours referred to by the designer as a “waterfall
line” highlights the car’s low centre of gravity and the stable
roadholding
of the MINI Clubman, guiding the eyes of the beholder even more
towards
the wheels.
This
horizontal stratification of elements at the rear is further
accentuated
by the large third brake light integrated in the roof strip, the two
screenwipers on each of the rear doors, the chrome-plated door
handles, the separate reflectors, and the bracket on the bumper
finished in a contrasting colour.
The
horizontal lines at the rear are hardly interrupted, at least
visibly, by the centre joint of the split-door. The frame formed by
the C-pillars together with the upper edge of the bumper, on the
other hand, generates a clear visual signal standing out at very
first sight. Regardless of the body colour, this rear frame or
surround is finished in all cases in contrasting Black or Pure
Silver Metallic, the C-pillar frame and the split door giving the
new MINI Clubman an absolutely unmistakable look from behind.
Another
characteristic feature of the new MINI Clubman becomes obvious to
the beholder only at second sight: The rear lights are fitted
directly into
the main body structure of the car, and do not open and close
together with the split-door.
This design
feature serves to meet legal and homologation requirements stating
that the rear lights must be clearly visible to motorists and other
road users following from behind also when the rear doors are
opened.
,.
Despite
this requirement, the designers and creators of the MINI Clubman
wanted to hinge the split-doors as far to the outside as possible on
the
C-pillars in order to capitalise on the space available. And the
solution they have found for this purpose is not only interesting in
technical terms, but
also serves to highlight the rear light clusters as design elements
within the door frame, thus standing out most conspicuously despite
their very small
size intentionally reduced to the smallest dimensions allowed by
worldwide homologation standards. This is done by slightly tapering
in the contours
of the rear lights at the top, discreetly following the line of the
rear door frame.
Seen from
behind, the MINI Cooper Clubman and MINI Cooper D Clubman are
virtually identical. To stand out visually from the MINI Cooper S
Clubman, they come with small appliqués on the bumpers on either
side of the numberplate support. The MINI Cooper S Clubman, in turn,
features grid net inserts at the same point, in a hexagon structure
reflecting the pattern
of the air intake grid at the front.
The cover
on the third brake light is also different on the MINI Cooper S
Clubman, made in this case of white glass. And before the beholder
notices the model designation at the rear, he will recognise the
MINI Cooper S Clubman right from the start through the two tailpipes
positioned on either side of the body.
The front end:
distinguishing the individual model variants.
Seen from the front, the new
MINI Clubman stands out from the MINI Hatch only through the
different contour of the roofline, with all other signs
of distinction so typical of the MINI being carried over to the new
model.
The homogeneous hexagon radiator grille and large round headlights
therefore characterise the “face” of the new model, showing quite
clearly that the new MINI Clubman is also a member of the MINI brand
family.
Other common features are the
direction indicators integrated in the headlights as well as the
positioning light units beneath the headlight units, which also
accommodate the foglamps available as an option.
The front end of the car
serves to distinguish the individual model variants also in the case
of the MINI Clubman. The MINI Cooper S Clubman, for example, stands
out through two design features visualising the power and
performance of its turbocharged engine: First, the powerdome – the
curved section of the engine compartment lid – is 20 millimetres or
0.79´´ higher. Second,
the size of the bottom air intake is highlighted in particular by a
hexagon grid net presenting a theme taken up by the radiator grille
with its chrome
surround.
A further point is the stylised opening in the engine compartment
lid
of the MINI S Clubman.
On the MINI Cooper Clubman
the radiator grille boasts a chrome frame and three horizontally
chrome-plated crossbars. The edges of the lower air intake, in turn,
show a slight upward swing, almost giving the MINI Cooper Clubman a
smile on its face and creating an elegant, likeable touch at the
front.
The MINI
Cooper D Clubman likewise comes with a particularly “muscular”
powerdome, another characteristic feature on this model being the
larger air intake at the bottom giving the entire front end
additional presence, symbolising the power and performance of the
turbodiesel engine, and an ensuring an appropriate cooling effect.
Sophisticated
chrome features emphasising the premium character of the
car are common to all three variants of the new MINI Clubman. These
design elements unique to the MINI in its segment are to be found,
inter alia,
on the headlights, the radiator grille surround, the strip extending
around the entire car on the level of the shoulder line, and on the
door handles.
The interior: sporting
cockpit, lounge ambience at the rear.
Inside, the new
MINI Clubman is again identical to the MINI Hatch up to the level of
the B-pillars. In other words, it boasts the same avant-garde,
sporting cockpit including the circular instrument in the middle so
typical of the
brand as such. Apart from the analogue speedometer, this circular
instrument also comprises the audio controls as well as the optional
entertainment
and navigation functions, with all of these additional functions
spaced out around the speedometer like a ring.
The rev counter
is positioned directly behind the steering wheel,
also comprising the display for the on-board computer and an
additional, individually adjustable digital speed signal.
Below the
central instrument the driver will find further controls and
features such as rotary knobs for ventilating the interior, two
cupholders integrated in the base of the centre console, as well as
toggle switches carried over in their style and design from
motorsport. These switches serve, inter alia, to operate the
electric windows and central locking. Similar toggle switches are
also to be found on the roof lining, operation of the optional
sliding roof again reflecting the style and control functions
typical of MINI.
The horizontal
orientation of the cockpit emanating a strong touch
of generosity is accentuated additionally by a wide range of trim
surfaces available in a number of variants. Inter alia, the premium
character of the
MINI Clubman is borne out by high-quality trim materials and
upholstery also available on this new member of the MINI model
family. Particularly the
new colour Hot
Chocolate is a very extroverted option for both the interior
and the leather seats.
The extension
of the MINI Clubman’s wheelbase by 8 centimetres or
3.15´´
serves completely to benefit the passengers in the rear, offering
them extra legroom and freedom. The rear seat bench has been
re-designed
and is available in either three- or two-seat arrangement. The upper
ends on the backrests, in turn, are rounded off harmoniously and on
the three-seater version the centre console has been cut back to
form a self-contained insular element.
The rear side
panel split up into two sections by the Clubdoor on the right takes
up the graphics of the door lining with its characteristic oval
design elements. The second elliptic line stands out as an
integrated and dynamic design element stretching out the interior of
the car, visually underlining the generous space available, and
housing the loudspeaker unit. The optimised space available, the use
of high-quality materials and the stretched left
side window, finally, also serve to create an elegant lounge
ambience at the rear of the car.
5. Dynamic on the Road,
Modest at the Filling Station. Engines and
Transmissions.
The new
MINI Clubman is entering the market with a choice of three engines:
The MINI Cooper S Clubman features a 128 kW/175 hp four-cylinder
gasoline engine displacing 1.6 litres and boasting direct fuel
injection together with a twin-scroll turbocharger for superior
performance at all times.
The MINI
Cooper Clubman is also powered by a 1.6-litre gasoline engine,
in this case with normal aspiration and fully variable valve
management for maximum output of 88 kW/120 hp.
The
1.6-litre power unit of the MINI Cooper D Clubman offering maximum
output of 80 kW/110 hp combined with supreme economy, features
direct diesel injection and turbocharger technology for extra
performance.
In all
cases, the cars’ specific performance on the road as well as their
output per litre differ only marginally from the respective versions
of the MINI Hatch, again clearly proving the supreme sportiness of
the MINI Clubman.
All three
power units offer sporting performance of the highest standard
combined with superior all-round economy. Also featuring Brake
Energy Regeneration, Auto Start Stop and a gearshift point
indicator, the new
MINI Clubman reduces both fuel consumption and CO2
emissions to a minimum. The top performer in terms of economy is the
MINI Cooper D Clubman consuming only 4.1 litre of diesel fuel in the
composite EU cycle, equal to 68.9 mpg imp, and offering a CO2
rating of only 109 grams
per kilometre.
MINI Cooper S Clubman:
maximum driving pleasure.
The new
MINI Cooper S Clubman combines superior efficiency with supreme
performance. The 1.6-litre four-cylinder of this outstanding car
incorporates
a twin-scroll turbocharger and direct gasoline injection, developing
maximum output of 128 kW/175 hp at maximum engine speed of 5,500
rpm.
Peak torque of 240 Newton-metres, in turn, equal to 177 lb-ft, is
maintained consistently between 1,600 and 5,000 rpm and may be
briefly boosted
by increasing turbocharger pressure to an even more significant 260
Nm or 192 lb-ft.
Clearly,
this Overboost function gives the new MINI Cooper S Clubman even
more powerful acceleration whenever required.
The MINI
Cooper S Clubman reaches a top speed of 224 km/h or 139 mph and
accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds. Average
fuel consumption in the EU test cycle is 6.3 litres/100 kilometres,
equal to 44.8 mpg imp, and the car’s CO2
emission rating is 150 grams per kilometre.
MINI Cooper Clubman:
unique and efficient.
In the
four-cylinder normal-aspiration version of the new MINI Cooper
Clubman, the intake valves are controlled by fully variable valve
management, valve lift and the valve opening times being varied
infinitely and with
electronic precision to the driver’s power and performance
requirements.
This
principle of engine load management is based on the BMW Group’s
VALVETRONIC technology, innovative valve management of this calibre
ensuring not only particularly spontaneous response and a high
standard of motoring culture, but also minimum fuel consumption and
optimised
emission control.
Displacing
1.6 litres, the four-cylinder power unit develops maximum output
of 88 kW/120 hp at 6,000 rpm, with peak torque of 160 Newton-metres/
118 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm.
This kind
of power accelerates the MINI Cooper Clubman to 100 km/h in
9.8 seconds and gives the car a top speed of 201 km/h or 125 mph.
With average fuel consumption of 5.5 litres/100 kilometres (equal to
51.4 mpg imp) in the EU test cycle and a CO2
rating of 132 grams per kilometre,
finally, the new MINI Cooper Clubman guarantees superior efficiency
and driving pleasure all in one.
MINI Cooper D Clubman:
agile and efficient.
The new
MINI Cooper D Clubman impressively proves the great potential of a
modern diesel engine, its 1.6-litre four-cylinder developing maximum
output
of 88 kW/110 hp at an engine speed of 4,000 rpm, accelerating the
car to
100 km/h in 10.4 seconds and providing a top speed of 193 km/h or
120 mph.
This
sporting performance comes on extremely low consumption and emission
ratings, average fuel consumption of 4.1 litres/100 kilometres
(equal to 68.9 mpg imp) in the EU test cycle setting the same
exemplary standard
as a CO2
rating of 109 grams per kilometre.
This
outstanding combination of agility and economy is the result of the
turbodiesel power unit particularly light thanks to aluminium
construction.
The engine comes with direct diesel injection based on the
common-rail principle as well as a turbocharger with variable
turbine geometry for optimum
power and
performance at all engine speeds. And to enhance the car’s torque
and pulling force – for example for fast overtaking – maximum torque
of
240 Newton-metres or 177 lb-ft, like on the MINI Cooper S, is
briefly boosted to 260 Newton-metres or 192 lb-ft by the Overboost
function
Brake Energy Regeneration
for optimum use of engine power.
The new MINI
Clubman combines maximum driving pleasure with extremely low fuel
consumption. This is the result of a wide range of improvements
focusing on greater efficiency and giving the MINI an even higher
level of economy in the 2008 model year.
Brake Energy
Regeneration may well be the best example of this successful
combination of driving pleasure and fuel efficiency, naturally
coming as standard on all model versions. In this case intelligent
energy management serves to feed engine power primarily to the drive
wheels, with as little
engine power as possible being used to generate electrical energy
for the ancillary units. To provide this effect, the alternator is
automatically disconnected as long as the engine is pulling the car,
electricity being generated for the on-board network only when the
new MINI Clubman
is coasting or when the driver applies the brakes.
In practice,
this means that the energy converted into electric power comes
virtually free-of-charge, while the valuable drive energy coming
from the engine serves primarily to enhance the driver’s pleasure at
the wheel.
Brake Energy Regeneration thus allows the driver to reduce fuel
consumption and emissions regardless of his style of motoring,
making the car even
more agile whenever the driver presses down the accelerator and
providing extra electric power for the on-board network when
applying the brakes.
At the same
time intelligent energy management permanently monitors the level of
battery charge, the observance of appropriate regeneration
phases, a defined minimum charge level, and the use of new AGM
(absorbent glass mat) battery technology giving the battery maximum
service life.
Saving fuel while
standing still: Auto Start Stop.
The new Auto
Start Stop function on all manual gearbox models of the new MINI
Clubman ensures that the engine automatically switches off whenever
the car comes to a standstill, for example at the traffic lights: As
soon as
the driver moves the gearshift lever to neutral and takes his foot
off the clutch pedal, Auto Start Stop interrupts both the ignition
and fuel supply. Then, to start the engine again, all the driver has
to do is press down the clutch pedal, the engine being re-activated
automatically without the slightest delay.
In both city
traffic or under stop-and-go conditions, the Auto Start Stop
function ensures optimum use of the fuel available, reducing the
consumption of energy and emissions to zero in a very uncomplicated
process whenever the car comes to a standstill. Unnecessary fuel
consumption when idling is therefore now a thing of the past.
The Auto Start
Stop function is ready to go immediately when the driver
starts the engine and is activated once the engine oil has reached
its
normal operating temperature. Whenever necessary for reasons of
safety
and motoring comfort, however, the electronic “brain” will override
the
Auto Start Stop function, which the driver may also deactivate
himself if he wishes simply by pressing a button.
Saving fuel while
driving: gearshift point indicator.
Thanks to the
gearshift point indicator featured as standard, the driver of a MINI
Clubman with manual transmission is able to optimise his style of
motoring at all times in the interest of maximum economy. To allow
such a fuel-conscious style of motoring, electronic engine control
permanently analyses engine speed, driving conditions, as well as
the position of the gas pedal, applying this data to determine the
optimum gear for economic motoring.
As soon as the
appropriate time comes to shift gears, an arrow symbol lights up in
the cockpit display beneath the rev counter, with the ideal gear
shown next to the symbol as a number.
The gearshift
point indicator can be activated and de-activated via the
on-board computer. A further point is that the system takes the
driver’s current style of motoring into account: Should the driver
obviously wish to accelerate all-out, for example, the gearshift
point indicator remains inactive for a certain, temporary period.
Six gears featured as standard, automatic
transmission optional
on all models.
Like the
MINI Hatch and the MINI Convertible, the new MINI Clubman conveys
engine power to the front wheels. All model variants come as
standard with
a six-speed manual gearbox, while automatic transmission likewise
offering six gears is available as an option.
The
availability of six gears in all transmissions enhances the agile
and sporting character of the MINI Clubman, with the individual gear
increments naturally being perfectly matched to engine power and
performance.
Sports performance at the
touch of a button.
The
automatic transmission offers two different operating modes: In the
Automatic mode the electronic control unit carries out the
instructions to shift gears with virtually no interruption of torque
and pulling force. To ensure
such efficiency, the automatic transmission incorporates a converter
for setting off and a converter lock-up clutch closing immediately
after the car has set off. This mode combines superior comfort with
a muscular and sporting gearshift.
Should the
driver wish to enjoy even more dynamic performance, all he has to do
is press the optionally available Sports Button to switch to the
Sports mode, electronic control then providing even shorter
gearshift times. A further effect of the Sports Button – also on the
manual gearbox models –
is adjustment of the gas pedal control map for even greater agility
and even more direct steering response.
In the
manual mode the driver is able to choose gears via paddles on the
steering wheel, like in a Formula 1 racing car. And since he is thus
able to keep his hands on the steering wheel when shifting gears,
the driver remains in
full control of the car at all times.
6. Driving Pleasure and
Safe Handling –
Genuine MINI Style. Chassis and
Suspension.
The
chassis, suspension, brakes and electronic dynamic driving
programmes on the MINI Clubman are basically the same in their
configuration as on
the respective model variants of the MINI Hatch. However, the
various chassis components have been adapted in their set-up to the
specific requirements
of the MINI Clubman, the engineers and development specialists
making every effort to convey the characteristic go-kart feeling of
the MINI straight to the third model in the range, without diluting
these qualities in any way.
Featuring
front-wheel drive, a low centre of gravity, wide track and the
principle of short body overhangs typical of the brand, the new MINI
Clubman offers everything required for sporting, active handling,
with the agile experience of driving the MINI coming out as strongly
as ever on the MINI Clubman.
At the same time all three model variants offer a very high standard
of safety
in their driving behaviour.
Elaborate front and rear
axle construction.
On the
front axle McPherson spring struts ensure excellent wheel guidance
at all times, keeping the steering absolutely neutral under all
driving conditions – including fast bends – when accelerating and
applying the brakes, without any influence coming from engine or
drive forces.
The
multi-arm rear axle developed with the skills and competence of the
BMW Group, in turn, ensures optimum grip on the road at all times
through its elaborate kinematics.
Use of
aluminium longitudinal arms helps to keep the components very
light, while anti-roll bars reduce body sway to a minimum, making an
additional contribution to the car’s agile and safe driving
behaviour.
Reflecting
the particular character of the MINI Cooper S Clubman, this model
comes as standard with the most sporting and dynamic suspension
set-up, and is also available as an option with sports suspension
enhancing the go-kart feeling so typical of the brand to an even
higher level.
The MINI
Cooper Clubman and MINI Cooper D Clubman come as standard with
15-inch light-alloy rims and 175/65 R 15 tyres. The MINI Cooper S
Clubman, in turn, features 16-inch light-alloy wheels and
195/55 R 16 runflat tyres enabling the driver to continue his
journey even after a complete loss
of tyre pressure.
As an
option, all models are available with 17-inch wheels in Five-Star
Pace Spoke Design exclusive to the MINI Clubman.
Electromechanical power
steering for even greater driving pleasure.
The new
MINI Clubman comes as standard with EPAS Electrical Power Assisted
Steering combining motoring comfort and driving dynamism in a truly
unique blend: EPAS varies steering power assistance as a function of
speed, enabling the driver to manoeuvre and park the car with
minimum effort.
Steering
forces are then increased intentionally at higher speeds in the
interest of enhanced safety and precision, the integrated active
wheel return function serving to precisely guide the steering wheel
back to its central position after reaching the end of a bend.
In
conjunction with the optional Sports Button with its specific
influence on the steering control map, EPAS may also be adjusted to
the driver’s individual wishes. In the Sports mode also available
via the optional Sports Button the driver will enjoy an even more
dynamic response and driving characteristics with higher steering
forces. As a result, both steering precision and handling are
improved to an even higher standard when driving to the limit.
Compared
with conventional hydraulic power assistance, a further advantage of
EPAS is the significant reduction of weight. In addition, the
electrical
servo motor is only activated when steering assistance is really
required or when the driver expresses the wish for such assistance,
such on-demand operation ensuring that the electromechanical
steering system also helps to reduce fuel consumption.
DSC and ASC+T standard on
all model variants.
The
sports-tuned suspension of the new MINI Clubman is further enhanced
by a high-performance brake system. The front axle comes with
inner-vented disc brakes measuring 280 millimetres/11.0´´
(294 millimetres/11.6´´
on the MINI Cooper S Clubman) in diameter, with 259 millimetres/10.2´´
discs on the rear axle for optimum stopping power at all times.
On all
model versions, the brake system free of fading is further enhanced
by ABS anti-lock control, EBD Electronic Brake
Force Distribution, and CBC Cornering
Brake Control. And when applying the brakes in an emergency,
the Brake Assistant on the MINI Clubman serves to immediately build
up maximum brake power regardless of how hard the driver is pressing
down the brake pedal, keeping stopping distances as short as
possible.
DSC Dynamic
Stability Control featured as standard ensures superior safety
in critical situations, acting on the brakes specifically as
required or reducing engine power in order to prevent the car from
possibly swerving in a bend.
In the new
MINI Clubman DSC is combined with ASC+T traction control and may
deactivated by the driver at the touch of a button.
An
additional feature on the new MINI Clubman is Hill Assist serving to
activate the brakes when setting off on an uphill gradient and thus
preventing the car from rolling back.
As an
option, the MINI Cooper S Clubman is also available with a
mechanical limited-slip differential feeding more engine power
within split- seconds
to the drive wheel with better traction in order to set off the
effect of different frictional coefficients on either side of the
car. In this way the limited-slip differential effectively prevents
the drive wheels from spinning, for example on slippery surfaces or
in fast bends.
7. More Space, Optimum Safety,
Supreme Quality. Body and Safety.
In its safety
and quality, the new MINI Clubman reflects the high standards of the
BMW Group in every respect.
The car’s
safety equipment is based on the occupant safety concept already to
be admired in the MINI Hatch and Convertible – a concept which has
been awarded the maximum number of five stars in the Euro NCAP crash
test.
So the
excellent results already achieved by the volume model of the brand
in this highly demanding test confirms the very effective protection
of all the car’s occupants also in the MINI Clubman. And in this
process the particular structure of the car’s body serves to absorb
side impacts on the right-hand side – where the Clubdoor is featured
– just as effectively as on the
left-hand side.
A further
feature of the MINI Clubman’s safety concept is that the Clubdoor
can only be opened when the right-hand front door is already open,
preventing any inadvertent opening of the door from inside.
Six airbags featured as
standard.
All model
variants of the MINI Clubman come as standard with six airbags,
three-point seat belts on all seats, and ISOFIX child seat
fasteners.
Over and
above the frontal airbags, the two side airbags integrated in the
side elements of the front seats give both the driver and front
passenger effective safety and protection. The curtain head airbags
extending further back than on the regular MINI Hatch inflate in the
form of large curtains from the roof lining in the event of a
collision from the side, offering the occupants both front and rear
maximum protection from head injury.
Both the
driver’s and front passenger’s seats, as well as the two or three
rear seats – depending on the configuration chosen – come with
three-point
seat belts. Belt latch tensioners,
belt force limiters and belt warning units are also featured at the
front.
Not only the six
airbags, but also the seat belts are masterminded by the car’s
central safety electronics serving to activate the most effective
safety elements in each case, depending on the type and intensity of
the collision involved.
A further point is that the electronic “brain” deactivates the
central locking in the
event of a
collision, switches on the hazard warning flashers and interior
lights,
and deactivates the electrical fuel pump.
ISOFIX
fastening points on the two outer seats at the rear ensure simple
and straightforward installation of child seats for optimum safety.
And should
a child seat be fitted on the front passenger’s seat, the airbag in
front of the passenger can be deactivated.
Clubdoor also offering
optimum protection in a side-on collision.
In developing
the wide range of sophisticated safety features of the new
MINI Clubman, BMW’s specialists naturally resorted to all their
knowledge gained from the BMW Group’s practice-oriented accident
research. And so,
to ensure the highest possible standard of safety despite the
compact dimensions of the body, the various materials in the body
are appropriately arranged and coordinated with one another to
optimise crash safety through their particular features.
High-strength steel and body plates varying in thickness referred to
as tailored rolled blanks, as well as aluminium door ele-ments and a
magnesium carrier bar for the dashboard between the A-pillars, thus
ensure not only supreme stability, but also low weight through the
right kind of lightweight construction.
In a side-on collision forces
acting on the car are diverted appropriately to the underfloor on
the opposite side, the doors, B-pillars, seats, instrument
panel and roof frame keeping the side structure strong and stable. A
further point is that the right and left side of the car –
regardless of the asymmetric arrangement with the Clubdoor on the
right-hand side – both offer the same high level of crash safety.
Diagonally arranged door
reinforcements and an aluminium extrusion-
pressed profile on the doorsill level interact with the A- and
B-pillars to form one common deformation zone. The deformation zone
at the rear, in turn,
is formed by two longitudinal arms, the luggage compartment floor,
the rear panel, the rear side panels, and additional reinforcement
elements.
With the engine of the new MINI Clubman being
fitted crosswise at the front, there is still ample space for
so-called crash boxes absorbing impact energy in the event of a
head-on collision. A further point is that crash energy is smoothly
diverted into the underfloor through the special design of the front
axle subframe. Together with the carrier structure, this system
effectively absorbs impact energy even in a small and confined area,
keeping forces acting on the car away from the extremely stiff
passenger cell. So in a severe collision or should the car roll
over, the passenger cell is able to retain its function as a
survival area for the occupants.
Effective diversion and
absorption of impact energy and the stable passenger cell are the
starting point for the optimum safety offered by the restraint
systems featured as standard in the new MINI, with all of these
components and systems interacting for optimum safety under all
conditions.
8. Even More Space for
Individual Wishes. Features and
Equipment.
The MINI
Clubman offers its owner new dimensions in personalising the car.
Indeed, the options available straight from the factory add up to
provide several million possibilities in configuring your very own
and personal MINI Clubman. In addition, Original MINI Accessories
for the MINI Clubman offer a wide range of further components and
features enabling the driver to express his or her very own,
personal style.
Hot Chocolate paintwork
for a spectacular look.
Over and above
the many features and items of equipment largely taken over from the
MINI, a number of options is available exclusively for the new
MINI Clubman. Introducing the very intense Hot Chocolate colour
tone, for example, the interior designers are setting several
spectacular highlights.
The hand-sewn piping leather finished in this colour and offering a
particularly sporting and sophisticated effect comes all round the
seats in the Leather Lounge version or in combination with fabric on
the optional sports seats.
A further
option is to choose Hot Chocolate also for the body of the car and
its interior world, again giving the customer many opportunities to
create his very own MINI Clubman with a truly extroverted look.
An alternative
to this variant is the particularly sophisticated piping leather on
the seats in Carbon Black reminiscent of the great tradition of
British classics. And as further opportunities, there are no less
than four combinations of leather and fabric for the sports seats.
Checkered cloth
upholstery with black-and-white squares on the seat and backrest
surfaces is exclusive to the MINI Cooper S Clubman, while the
MINI Cooper Clubman and the MINI Cooper D Clubman come as standard
with cloth seats in a combination of Cosmos and Carbon Black. And as
an option, the standard seats are also available with full leather
upholstery in Carbon Black
(Leather Punch) and, respectively, Tuscan Beige (Leather Gravity).
Ambient illumination –
colours tailored to your mood and emotions.
The optional Colour Line
allowing the armrests on the front doors and at the rear as well as
the lower edge of the dashboard to be finished in Dark Grey, Cream
White, Pacific Blue, Rooster Red or Mellow Yellow, gives the new
MINI Clubman even greater colour and style.
The trim surfaces –
comprising the middle section on the instrument panel, the ellipsoid
frame in the side panels, the door openers and, depending on the
model and equipment variant, either seven or 14 trim rings – may
also be personalised as an alternative to the standard trim in four
exclusive variants.
A particular expression of
the premium character of the new MINI Clubman is the use of natural
wood such as English Oak and massive aluminium in the case of
Brushed Alloy.
Further variants are glossy
Black Piano paint as well as a fine gloss surface with its
shimmering structure reminiscent of liquid metal. And as an
option a fully closing storage compartment or a CD player may be
integrated into the trim area of the dashboard on the front
passenger’s side.
A particular
highlight inside the MINI Clubman is ambient illumination included
in the optional Lights Package. Acting as discreet “waterfall
illumination”
from above and with indirect illumination of the roof lining, the
door pockets and door handle cutouts, this ambient illumination
gives the interior a truly unique atmosphere, with the colour of the
light being infinitely variable all the way from warm orange to
sporting blue at the touch of a button.
Flat loading area up to
the front seats.
Numerous
features and items of equipment have been developed especially for
the MINI Clubman in order to offer additional functions within the
larger interior. The rear seat bench, for example, comes as standard
in three-seat arrangement, but is also available as an option at no
extra cost in two-seat configuration offering the passengers at the
rear an even higher level of comfort.
The option
to fold down the rear seat bench either in part or completely
converts the rear area whenever required into a highly versatile and
very large luggage compartment. Indeed, luggage capacity may be
increased in this
way from 260 litres or 9.1 cubic feet all the way to 930 litres/32.6
cubic feet.
This
enhanced functionality is optimised additionally by the folding
floor panel for the luggage compartment available as an option,
providing a completely
flat loading surface whenever required all the way to the front
seats, simply by folding down the rear seat bench.
A further
advantage is that the floor panel able to carry a substantial load
provides a practical subdivision within the luggage compartment
together with a separate loading area with a capacity of about 50
litres beneath the
panel – clearly the ideal place to keep smaller items safely away
from prying eyes where they can hardly slip around and suffer any
damage.
Yet a
further option is to vary the angle of the rear seat backrests:
Fastening
the backrests in their vertical position, the driver and passengers
will
enjoy even more space often crucial when transporting very bulky
objects.
High-tech entertainment
and navigation systems.
Sophisticated
entertainment and navigation systems underline the superior class
and calibre of the new MINI Clubman. The controls for the audio
system and the 6.5-inch TFT colour display featured as part of the
optional navigation system are housed within the round instrument in
the middle.
The audio
system includes a CD player fitted on cars with a navigation
system above the removable control bar covering the disc drive for
the navigation DVD. To select the functions presented in the
display, a joystick comes conveniently on the centre console
precisely where it is needed.
Integrating
external sources of music in the audio system of the new
MINI Clubman is simple and straightforward. Using a standard AUX
port, for example, the driver is able to play back music from an MP3
player on the
car’s audio system, with an interface for complete integration of an
Apple iPod also available as special equipment. In this case the
user is even able to
select music files on the controls of the audio unit.
Further
technical highlights of the entertainment system are the optional
hybrid TV receiver for reception of both analogue TV and DVB-T
signals
from more than 30 transmitters and presentation on the TFT display
in the Center Speedo.
A mobile phone
preparation kit and, respectively, an integrated hands-off
communication unit both equipped with a Bluetooth interface and a
USB connection for audio units serve as an option to ensure optimum
and reliable communication while travelling. Both allow the
integration of numerous
up-to-date mobile phones including the Apple iPhone.
Sports suspension and light-alloy wheels for
enhanced driving dynamics.
To further accentuate the
dynamic performance of the MINI Clubman,
the connoisseur also has the choice of an Aerodynamics Package as
well as sports suspension with harder springs, dampers, and
anti-roll bars. This
sports suspension may then be supplemented by 16- or 17-inch
light-alloy wheels in various designs, 17-inch wheels in Five-Star
Pace Spoke Design being reserved exclusively to the new MINI
Clubman.
The extra-large windows as
such already provide lots of light within the
interior of the new MINI Clubman – and this effect can be enhanced
to an even higher standard by the optional Panorama glass sliding
roof.
The Chrome Line finish with
frames surrounding the air intake scoop and the positioning lights
and foglamps, to mention only some examples, adds further to the
car’s sophisticated and stylish exterior look.
Wide range of special equipment: more flair, more
sports,
more function.
The wide range of special
equipment comprises more than 200 options giving the MINI Clubman
even greater personal style over and above the optional extras
available from the factory. This special equipment includes classics
already very popular among MINI drivers everywhere as well as new
offers created especially for the MINI Clubman.
In terms of both their
material and looks, all components are perfectly tailored to the new
MINI Clubman and fulfil the high quality and safety standards
applied by the BMW Group. They are officially approved by the
factory for the new MINI Clubman or they come with an official
certificate or note of confirmation by the manufacturer.
Exclusive light-alloy wheels
ensure an even greater touch of sportiness
and stylish appearance, with a choice of no less than 12 different
wheels measuring 16 and, respectively, 17 inches. Then there are
also additional headlights with either black- or silver-coloured
caps placed to the right and left in front of the hexagon radiator
grille.
A particularly striking
feature also on the MINI Clubman is the choice of
roof paintwork ranging from the Union Jack all the way to the
heliport look.
And to match this special effect, the exterior mirror caps, door
handles, direction indicator trim covers and wheel valve caps are
all available in different trim variants.
Packing in style,
travelling in bliss.
A further range of options
ensures even greater fun in using the car’s transport capacities.
These include not only a roof carrier system fully compatible with
the usual ski and bicycle carriers as well as roof boxes, but also
additional storage boxes for the
interior and transport boxes for the luggage compartment.
A practical subdividing unit
for the glove compartment, to mention yet another example, helps to
keep everything tidy and in good order, taking up CDs
or, for example, sunglasses safely and securely where they cannot
slip around.
To preserve the interior of
the new MINI Clubman when subject to
particular demands – for example when taking along a dog – the MINI
range of accessories also offers a protection carpet at the rear
covering the entire loading area all the way to the front seats.
Further safety and an individual look is provided by an illuminated
bar in the door cutout area, and illuminated cupholders are also
available.
Hot Chocolate leather for the steering wheel,
portable navigation system.
Matching the exclusive Hot
Chocolate leather upholstery, the wide range of MINI accessories
comprises further components in this inclusive colour variant. Inter
alia, these include a leather steering wheel, a gearshift lever
knob, a gearshift lever gate and the handbrake lever all finished in
leather.
The customer wishing to fit
his MINI Clubman with a navigation system at
a later point in time will also find the right solution within the
MINI range
of accessories. Indeed, a particular forte of this portable
navigation unit is the symbol in the 3D display showing your current
position in the guise of a
MINI Clubman with individual variations of the roof pattern.
John Cooper Works for
sporting moments.
The wide range of John Cooper Works equipment adds the classic look
of motorsport to the road. Named after the legendary MINI tuner,
these JCW accessories comprise features such as cross-drilled and
inner-vented brake discs for the front wheels of the MINI Clubman.
Eighteen-inch light-alloy
rims from John Cooper Works, in turn, push the range of wheels to
the very limit, offering cutting-edge technology in every respect.
John Cooper
Works upgrades the interior of the new MINI Clubman among other
things with accessories in a special carbon look, for example on the
gearshift lever knob and handbrake lever. And the gearshift point
indicator is almost reminiscent of the cockpit of a Formula 1 racing
car, a series of light diodes ranging from green through yellow and
all the way to red enabling the driver to optimise the process of
acceleration.
More than a
million MINIs in just six years – this is the current production
record set up by the world’s one and only small premium car built in
Great Britain. And now the next chapter in this story of success is
just around the corner, with the MINI Clubman being integrated in
technical and
logistics terms into the ongoing MINI production process at the
plants in Oxford (Bodyshop, Paintshop, Assembly), Swindon (Press
Plant) and
Hams Hall (Engine Plant), putting everything in place for series
production
of the third MINI model variant. So it is fair to say that MINI is
once again
aiming at new records in production and sales.
The three BMW
Group production plants within the MINI Production Triangle, as it
is called, form an efficient and flexible production network for all
variants of the MINI and have been prepared thoroughly within the
last twelve months for the specific requirements of the MINI
Clubman.
Like the other variants of the MINI, the MINI Clubman
offers virtually unlimited freedom of choice in customised
production, with every car built to order.
So every customer is able to put together his or her own MINI
according to his personal wishes and preferences. All production and
logistics processes
are flexible and fully tailored to such a high standard of diversity
in the model variants built. And given the numerous options of
equipment as well as the almost unlimited range of variation, it is
extremely unlikely that two completely identical MINIs will leave
Plant Oxford within one production year.
6,800 associates building
up to 800 MINIs a day.
Upon the
launch of the new MINI in September 2006, the British plants in Hams
Hall and Swindon were fully integrated into the MINI Production
Triangle, where today MINI engine and body pressings are made for
Plant Oxford. In all, the MINI Production Triangle in Great Britain
employs some 6,800 associates within the MINI production process.
The
outstanding success of the MINI is borne out most clearly by the
development of Plant Oxford: While in 2001 some 2,400 associates
built a maximum of 200 cars a day in one shift, more than 4,700
associates
now work here in three shifts, on seven days and up to 134 hours per
week, building up to 800 MINIs day-by-day.
The plant’s
maximum production capacity, reflecting great demand
in the market, has been increased in the same period step-by-step
from approximately 100,000 to the new record level of up to 240,000
units
a year. In all, the BMW Group has invested more than GBP 380 million
(Euro 550 million) in production of the MINI at Plant Oxford since
the year 2000.
Production based on the
high quality standards of the BMW Group.
All three
plants naturally follow the high production and quality standards of
the BMW Group and are certified for environmental care to ISO 14001.
Together with the BMW Group’s Research and Innovation Centre in
Munich, the Quality and Engineering Centre in Oxford played a
decisive role also in the technical development of the MINI Clubman.
And at the same time the QEC applies the most advanced methods in
testing and confirming production quality.
Apart from a
test track, a hydraulic vibration tester to simulate chassis and
body loads, a rain and climate chamber (with temperature from –40 to
+90 °C),
the QEC also operates an acoustic dynamometer where the MINI is
examined and tested under laboratory conditions while “driving”, if
necessary all the
way to top speed.
Plant Oxford: Bodyshop,
Paintshop, Assembly.
The origins of the
plant in Oxford, a university town so rich in tradition about 100
kilometres north-west of London, go back to the beginning of the
last century: It was here that in 1913 William Morris started to
build cars he had developed himself. In 1994 the BMW Group acquired
the plant and completely modernised all facilities in the years 2000
and 2001, preparing production of the modern MINI.
In the Paintshop and
Assembly the MINI Clubman is built
together with the other variants of the MINI on the same, highly
flexible production lines.
Separate facilities for the new model are required only in some
parts of the Bodyshop due to the car’s different dimensions.
The approximately 350
body components are fitted together completely automatically by
means of high-precision welding and handling robots, more than 500
of these computerised robots working throughout the Bodyshop, and
about 80 being added specifically for the production of the MINI
Clubman.
Applying
more than 4,100 individual welding spots, the robots put together
each individual body to ensure a high standard of stability and
torsional stiffness. In some cases, in fact, eight robots work on
one body at the same time on three different levels.
Quality assurance in
the Bodyshop is ensured by integrated Perceptron laser measuring
stations and inline measuring robots working to an accuracy
of 0.05 millimetres in the measuring process to guarantee absolutely
precise measurements on each individual body.
The MINI Clubman goes
through the Paintshop process together with the various other
versions of the MINI in any random order, thus benefiting from all
the advantages of the innovative Integrated Paint Process (IPP)
introduced for the first time worldwide at Plant Oxford in 2006.
Compared with conventional processes in applying the paint, IPP
technology leaves out the individual stage of applying and burning
in the filler coat, with the filler function instead being
integrated on to one of two newly developed layers of basecoat.
In so-called wet-in-wet
application of the two layers, the first layer takes on all
functions and properties of the filler primer, while the second
layer of basecoat provides the necessary optical qualities such as
colour, effect and depth.
As in the past, the
basecoat is finally covered by clear paint, the IPP process meeting
the same demanding requirements as a conventional paint application
process in terms of its looks and the functional protection provided
by the paint. A further point is that IPP technology makes a
positive contribution to the plant’s environmental objectives by
omitting the filler normally containing solvent and significantly
reducing the consumption
of materials and energy in the Paintshop.
Like the other models
in the range, the MINI Clubman is available in unique contrasting
roof colours exclusive to MINI. So depending on the customer’s
request, the roof is painted in a contrasting colour by robots in a
special paint application process.
In the Assembly Hall
the MINI Clubman is built on the same line as the other MINI models,
associates assembling up to 2,000 components on
each individual MINI, depending on the customer’s request and the
specific equipment chosen.
In the case
of the MINI Clubman, 18 main modules are delivered to the assembly
line just-in-sequence at exactly the right time and in the right
order for assembly, again depending on the customer’s wishes. These
modules include the engines, the complete front module together with
the headlights, bumper and cooling system, the integrated door
modules, the seats and
the cockpit. A special feature is that in the case of the MINI
Clubman not only the two “regular” doors, but also the Clubdoor and
the split-door are removed from the body at the beginning of the
assembly process with all the specific
customer
components being fitted on a separate assembly line and the doors
being fitted back on to the body later on in the assembly process.
Numerous quality checks
are integrated in the assembly process. To carry out these tests,
highly qualified associates use wireless and portable hand-
held computers to identify the car by means of the chassis number
scanned in advance as well as specific, pre-determined test
requirements.
A comprehensive
sequence of tests is also conducted after assembly, including a
driving test on a rolling road and a wide range of electronic tests.
Plant Swindon: supreme
precision in steel pressing.
Plant Swindon
some 70 kilometres west of Oxford has been making
body panels since 1954. Today the workforce of 1,100 associates
makes
90 per cent of the pressings and 80 per cent of the pre-assembly
body components such as the lids and doors for MINI Assembly at
Plant Oxford. And since 2005, the BMW Group has invested some GBP 60
million
(Euro 88 million Euro) in the production of MINI at Plant Swindon.
The Pressings
Production Area is made up of 19 pressing lines with a total of 50
individual presses. All presses have been thoroughly revised,
automated and equipped with the latest electronic control systems
for production of the MINI, with press forces ranging from 400 to
5,000 tonnes.
The appropriate press
is used in each case according to the size and complexity of the
pressing involved, the front and rear lids on the MINI,
for example, being pressed into shape on the longest pressing line
with a total of six pressing stages, proceeding from a flat piece of
steel plate all the way
to the fully pressed, moulded and shaped outer skin. Particularly
large body components on the MINI Clubman such as the doors, the
roof with its two Dune Lines, and the side panels go through two
four-stage large-area presses with a pressing force of 5,000 tonnes.
In all, more than 130
welding and handling robots are used in the highly automated
production of complete body components such as the doors and lids,
20 of these robots building the Clubdoor and the split-door for the
MINI Clubman.
Plant Hams Hall:
high-tech engine technology for the MINI.
Compared with
the other two pillars within the British BMW Group Production
Triangle, the Engine Plant in Hams Hall is very “young”: Built near
Birmingham in 2001, Hams Hall is the BMW Group’s Competence Centre
for the production of four-cylinder gasoline engines displacing up
to two litres.
The BMW Group
has invested some GBP
30 million in the Plant since 2005 on the production of gasoline
engines for the MINI, some 1,000 associates building engines in Hams
Hall with the most advanced highlights in
technology. These include
innovative valve control based on the VALVETRONIC valve
management system developed by the BMW Group and ensuring optimum
power and performance in the four-cylinder on the MINI One, the MINI
Cooper and the MINI Cooper Clubman. A further outstanding
achievement is twin-scroll technology ensuring an immediate response
of the turbocharged power unit in
the MINI Cooper S and the MINI Cooper S Clubman.
Hams Hall delivers up to 800 MINI engines a day to Oxford –
just-in-time and just-in-sequence for maximum efficiency in final
assembly.
10. More MINI – with a Concept
that has Always Been Unique. Heritage.
The roots
of the new MINI
Clubman go far back into the past: In its concept this third member
of the MINI brand family now joining the MINI Hatch and the MINI
Convertible follows the examples of the
Morris Mini Traveller and the Austin Mini Countryman built back in
the 1960s, as well as the MINI Clubman Estate
entering the market a decade later.
The new
MINI Clubman
therefore takes up the characteristic features of
these legendary models – exceptional design, agile driving
behaviour, a generous interior and the
split-door at the rear, re-interpreting these features with
appropriate materials and functions for
the 21st century.
Twins: Morris Mini
Traveller and Austin Mini Countryman.
Alec
Issigonis, an ingenious engineer of Greek origin, created a car in
1959 destined to change the world: Working on behalf of British
Motor Corporation (BMC), which at the time comprised the Morris,
Austin, MG, Wolseley,
and Riley brands, Issigonis developed a truly revolutionary car
concept. With its engine fitted crosswise at the front, featuring
front-wheel drive, with an almost vertical hatch at the back, and
following the principle of “one wheel at each corner”, this new
model was fundamentally different from anything else to be seen on
the roads of Europe at the time. BMC subsequently built this
exceptional car in the guise of the Morris Mini Minor and the Austin
Seven – twins differing only through their radiator grille and model
designation.
Just one
year after launching the hatch saloon, BMC presented a further
body variant of this agile front-wheel-drive performer. This model,
entering the market in 1960 under the motto “revolutionary in
concept, smart
in appearance”, was based on the Mini Van already very popular among
commercial customers. Instead of a rather spartan metal-clad loading
compartment, it came with glass windows all round and a rear seat
bench folding down easily and conveniently within a matter of
seconds.
At the rear the new model featured a two-piece door opening up to a
wide angle for easy and convenient access – this was the birth of
the “split-door”.
Like the
hatch saloon, the new body variant was marketed in the guise of the
technically identical Morris Mini Traveller and Austin Seven
Countryman.
And as a token to their ancestors in earlier times – although now
without any construction purpose or function – they featured wooden
planks at the
side and
the rear – an unusual design feature giving both models the
nick-name “Woody”. Later on in their life, both models were
incidentally also available without that wooden finish.
In
technical terms, the new variant was largely identical to the
saloon,
an 848-cc four-cylinder driving the front wheels. Maximum output of
34 hp was sufficient at the time for a top speed of 112 km/h or 69
mph, quite
all right in those early years.
Together
with the short body overhangs, the slightly longer wheelbase and the
wide track, the power unit provided the same sporting and safe
driving characteristics already offered by the Morris Mini Minor and
the Austin Seven.
This new
concept immediately won over the hearts of numerous fans in
Great Britain and other European countries, sales of the Morris Mini
Traveller and the Austin Seven Countryman (re-named the Austin Mini
Countryman
in 1962) amounting to some 161,000 units by the year 1967.
In autumn
1967 BMC launched revised, updated versions of both models. Apart
from minor optical changes – for example on the radiator grille –
the new Mk II models featured a more powerful engine: Enlarged in
size to 998 cc,
the four-cylinder now developed maximum output of 39 hp. And as an
alternative to the four-speed manual gearbox featuring full
synchromesh since 1968, there was now also an automatic
transmission.
Within the
next two years, BMC sold another 46,000 units of the two models in
the second generation.
Parallel production of
the Mini and the Mini Clubman since 1969.
Through the
merger of BMC and Leyland in 1968, the new company established in
the process was called British Leyland, the separation of
Austin and Morris models being lifted in 1969 and all Minis now
being
jointly marketed under the name “Mini”. Production of the Morris
Mini Traveller and the Austin Mini Countryman both built previously
as equal partners
continued until November 1969, when the Mini Clubman Estate entered
the market as the new model. This was also the first time that the
name “Clubman” appeared as the brand’s nomenclature.
While the classic Mini remained in production
virtually without any changes, the Clubman received a new front end
and upgraded equipment, including wind-down windows instead of
sliding windows on the doors. The rear end of the car with its
characteristic split-door, on the other hand, remained
largely unchanged, only a chrome-framed plastic trim bar
characterising the first generation of the Mini Clubman Estate.
To begin
with the engine featured in the car remained the proven 39-hp
four-cylinder. Engine capacity on the manual gearbox models
increased to
1,098 cc in 1975, with engine output of 45 hp giving the Mini
Clubman Estate a top speed of 130 km/h.
After a
further change in name in 1980 to the Mini 1000 HL Estate and the
re-introduction of the 998-cc power unit, the split-door model
reached
the end of its lifecycle, with exactly 197,606 units of the Mini
Clubman Estate coming off the production lines by the end of
production in 1982.
