Life's tough sometimes, but someone's gotta do it!

Owen

Off to Berlin for 3 days to drive the new MINI Clubman, and put it through it's paces, both in terms of on the track, and of how practical the rear is. Should be fun! Will post again when I'm back with first impressions, etc ...

colm_mcm

Let us know if it isn't completely ridiculous looking in real life will ya!

easyontheeye

looks nasty from the back, overall it just looks weird...

Owen

colm_mcm wrote:

Let us know if it isn't completely ridiculous looking in real life will ya!

Yeah yeah yeah, keep them coming!

unkel

The original station wagon looked weird. The new one emulates it perfectly. Just as the new MINI has emulated the original Mini.

I can just about imagine Sir Alec smiling approvingly from beyond the grave

Is the one you'll be driving endowed with a decent engine, ned? If so, I wish you good fun

Stephen

Didn't they completely fcuk it up in RHD form? i.e. the rear side door is only on the right hand side... the side that opens into traffic, and would require the driver to move his seat?

Seems like a completely half-arsed conversion from LHD.

Owen

Stephen wrote:

Didn't they completely fcuk it up in RHD form? i.e. the rear side door is only on the right hand side... the side that opens into traffic, and would require the driver to move his seat? Seems like a completely half-arsed conversion from LHD.

It's got nothing to do with it being a conversion from LHD. It's to do with the fuel cap being on the left hand side. The Club door opens only 38cm onto the road, and can't be opened by accident, and only with the driver's consent so there's no safety issue.

colm_mcm

that's a bit of a pain, the driver having to get out every time someone in the back wants to get in or out.

Owen

colm_mcm wrote:

that's a bit of a pain, the driver having to get out every time someone in the back wants to get in or out.

Doesn't have to. They can get out the passenger side if they want, just like a conventional 3 door.

copacetic

colm_mcm wrote:

that's a bit of a pain, the driver having to get out every time someone in the back wants to get in or out.

exactly, a '4' door which is just as much as a pain in the ass for the driver as a 3 door. pointless in rhd.

colm_mcm

is it technically a 5 door?

pburns

ned78 wrote:

It's got nothing to do with it being a conversion from LHD. It's to do with the fuel cap being on the left hand side. The Club door opens only 38cm onto the road, and can't be opened by accident, and only with the driver's consent so there's no safety issue.

ned, I think your enthusiasm for all things MINI is clouding your judgement. This feature has been widely acknowledged even in the British car mags as being a pretty major c0ck-up.

Surely they could have come up with some sort of solution when developing Mini MkII. Different fuel tanks for RHD/LHD perhaps?

As it stands this just gives the impression of lazy engineering or even worse, the bean-counters have had too much sway. They've become complacant because the MINI sells like hotcakes and gets rave reviews.

It'll be interesting to see how the MINI brand evolves - I've heard something about them bringing out a jacked-up soft-roader thingy and a new mini-MINI (which would seem more in tune with the times)...

Leaving all that aside though, a trip to Berlin for 3 days to drive shiny new motors sounds like a nice gig - I'm jealous!

colm_mcm

Learn from Smart. one funky car can't prop up an entire overpriced brand.

mick.fr

You can't understand guys, this is for girls who are making a lot more shopping that the average ones, BMW listened to them...
This car has always been for girls anyway, when I see a guy in this car that makes me smile. Last time I saw guys in this car in France, the boyz were..you know...

colm_mcm

...French?

mick.fr

colm_mcm wrote: »

...French?

What makes you think I am French ?

Owen

pburns wrote: »

ned, I think your enthusiasm for all things MINI is clouding your judgement. This feature has been widely acknowledged even in the British car mags as being a pretty major c0ck-up.

This is getting beyond a joke. I can't post one thing in this Forum without people chiming in with "You're biased", "You have an agenda", etc. So kindly leave it out. You're also incorrect in your 'widely acknowledged' press coverage. I've read and digested nearly every article on the subject, and only a few magazines had issues, most were skeptical until they say the rear door in the flesh and realised just how little of an issue it actually is - and subsequently gave it positive press.

I would post my thoughts on the car here, but there's little point as the thread will probably degrade into a) It's a girl's car, or b) Ned's opinion matters not as he's a Dealer. For those that have an interest in the car, it's great fun, even more so than the hatch.

The event itself was incredible. Very nightclub-esque, with live music, DJs, graffiti artists, and the track we used was a disused WWII German Airfield, with the product training sessions done inside old aircraft hangars which had been kitted out. We were also driving the Volvo C30, and the Peugeot 207 (With the MINI/Peugeot engine). We had 2 very very late night sessions, and bugger all sleep. And Berlin is incredible, well worth going there on holidays!

colm_mcm

mick.fr wrote:

What makes you think I am French ?

mick.fr wrote:

Last time I saw guys in this car in France, the boyz were..you know...

me wrote:

....French

Not that you could tell by looking by them