Classic pearl of the future - Mini Cooper Clubman (R55)
11/21/2019
No doubt some readers will yawn now. But there are arguments as to why the Mini Cooper Clubman and its brothers in the second BMW Mini series( 2007 to 2014) are particularly popular.
First of all, the Mini Clubman of the R55 series brings back classic Mini variants that already existed in the sixties, namely the Traveller. Even in the original Mini, space was tight, so the rear was extended. The two rear doors that opened to the side were a characteristic feature.
The new Mini Clubman, which obviously did not want to be called the Traveller, inherited these two rear doors and also the basic design as a "Shooting Brake".
Of course, just like the normal version, the R55 Clubman was significantly larger and heavier than the original version. However, at 3.96 meters long and 1.68 meters wide, the Millennium Clubman can be described as compact and the 1220 kg kerb weight is also acceptable.
As a special feature, the Mini Clubman R55 had an additional door on the right which opened to the rear when the front door was open. This additional door was intended to facilitate access to the rear. The British criticized the fact that even in the right-hand drive version, the door was on the right and thus facing the traffic and behind the driver's seat, not ideal for letting the schoolchild out. This additional door made the Clubman a five-door model.
In the successor version, the F54, this unique selling point was dispensed with and a "conventional" six-door model was built. However, the charm of the shooting brake look was lost.
The Clubman R55 was available as a Cooper with 120 hp or as a Cooper S, as well as a diesel and, for the performance-hungry, a John Cooper Works version.
Thanks to the slightly longer wheelbase of eight centimetres and the 24 cm longer overall length, the Clubman offered significantly more space than the normal Mini variants, but without becoming a space miracle. But in principle, the Clubman, like its predecessor the Traveller, was a car for individualists and has remained so to this day, which is why used examples, the oldest of which are currently already 12 years old, are still in demand today.
How the Mini Clubman will develop as a classic, however, will not be known for sure for another 10 or 20 years.
