2008 MINI Cooper Clubman Review

Sometimes a Mini is just too mini. Plenty of car buyers lust after a Mini Cooper but find the cramped backseat and minimal cargo capacity too much of a drawback. A potential solution for these frustrated fans is the 2008 Mini Cooper Clubman.

This lengthened Cooper increases rear legroom by 2.5 inches, which is hardly limolike, but every bit helps. The Clubman also adds a passenger-side rear-hinged door to allow rear passengers to make more graceful entries and exits. The cargo area has also grown, with 3.5 added cubic feet of space along with a pair of nifty rear doors that swing outward like those on a cargo van. The visual result of this added length is a Mini that's not quite proportional and even more quirky than its traditional brother. Plus, it's the first car since the old Camry wagon to feature two rear wipers.

Despite its stretched body style (10 inches in total), the Clubman is still all Mini, retaining most of that trademark go-kart handling. The same Cooper and Cooper S trim levels are available, along with their respective engine choices, which are both a significant improvement over the mills they replaced in last year's model redesign. Both are more refined, powerful and substantially more fuel efficient. The base engine is a particularly impressive improvement, and as such, many buyers might find the regular Cooper perfectly adequate for their daily driving needs. The excellent turbocharged engine in the Cooper S Clubman is practically overkill -- it is prone to torque steer -- but speed junkies will love the rush of power it provides.

Powertrains and Performance
The base Cooper Clubman is powered by a 1.6-liter inline-4 that produces 118 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque. The Cooper S raises the bar considerably, packing a turbocharged version of the base Cooper's four-cylinder. It generates a robust 172 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque, and produces a 0-60-mph time of an estimated 6.7 seconds. Both engines come standard with a six-speed manual transmission, while a six-speed automatic with manual shift control is optional.

With the manual transmission, the base Clubman achieves 28 mpg city and 37 mpg highway, while the Cooper S gets 26/34 mpg. Opting for the automatic hurts mileage by about 2 mpg.

© Source: edmunds
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MINI Confirms Ute; Magna To Build

Back in 2001 it was a matter of pride for BMW that it was building the all-new MINI in the U.K., home of the original city car that was launched in August 1959. Using the former British Leyland plant at Cowley, Oxford, gave the car credibility even though it was a German project. But that was before the cute car became a global sales phenomenon, spawning a cabriolet and now the Clubman estate.

The next stage, as widely predicted, is a MINI Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV), and there's simply not room at Cowley to build it. The answer has come in the form of Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria.

"The vehicle concept has been entrusted to Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik for series development and for later production," said a BMW statement. "The co-operation with Magna Steyr is an efficient way for BMW Group to ensure the planned profitable growth through new model launches set out in the company's strategic alignment."

There's no official details on the car yet, nor when it will appear in showrooms. The smart money could be on a debut in August 2009, exactly 50 years after the launch of the original version and surely an anniversary BMW will want to celebrate somehow.

No concept version has been seen yet, but insiders say many of the features that appeared on the various Traveller prototypes that previewed the Clubman do provide clues. These include fold-down exterior storage panels and integrated roof bars.

BMW says the move means Cowley can use its annual production capacity of 260,000 units to meet demand for the three core models. But in reality outsourcing is the only way of extending the family. Magna Steyr has worked with BMW before, producing the X3 compact SUV.

© Source: thecarconnection
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Mini Clubman John Cooper Works with 192 bhp

The new Mini Clubman John Cooper Works is the new top version of the trendy estate built by Mini. It looks very similar to the Mini Clubman Challenge Safety Car.

The Clubman JCW is largely based on the Mini Cooper S Clubman, it has a different low front grille, new logos and the twin-black stripes alla along the body. There is also a new design for the 18 inches alloy wheels.

The 1.6 turbo petrol engine now outputs 192 bhp, and 250Nm with a temporary overboost to 270 Nm. As the three-door Mini JCW, the Clubman John Cooper Works will offer new exclusive seats, carbon-trims and a stiffer setup. No official news about the prices but we can suppose that a full optional Clubman JCW will cost around 35.000 Euros!

© Source: eurocarblog

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