Sporty little car or lifestyle statement? We drive the hottest version of the more practical MINI and here is the verdict.
Nitish Ramanujam

It is a surprising thing, these sequels. Hollywood keeps churning them out one after the other, hoping they will emulate the success of the original, many a time to see them sink without a trace at the box office. Car manufacturers too have been trying this formula over recent years; we have seen modern-day versions of the Mini, Volkswagen Beetle and, more recently, the likes of the Fiat 500 and the Dodge Challenger.

Recently, MINI went a step ahead and launched the Clubman in the region. In its split-door configuration, the car attempts to bring back memories of its famous predecessors - the Austin Mini Countryman, the Morris Mini Traveller, and the Mini Clubman Estate that sold quite successfully between 1960 and 1982.

The Clubman’s innovative door concept makes it a 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. Entering the market as a five-seater, the Clubman is 240mm longer than the regular MINI, and offers rear passengers 80mm more legroom than one. The extra length doesn’t take away anything from the Clubman’s design though, which looks less edgier, and a bit more relaxed than its shorter sibling. And I think that is exactly what the designers were after - a lifestyle car that garners appreciative glances, a car you (and your friends!) would love to be seen in. With its distinctive design and paintwork, the Clubman - especially in Cooper S guise - will get you attention for sure. The time we had it with us, people just stared, many coming to us at fuel stations and mall parking lots armed with a bunch of questions and comments.

If you have been in a MINI before, the interior holds no surprises; traditional elements like the toggle switches and large, central speedometer dominate the view. The circular speedo houses the displays for the entertainment system as well as the navigation system, while the tachometer remains a separate unit, located behind the steering wheel. In a possible allusion to the club scene, the Clubman features interior lighting that can be varied in five stages from warm orange to sporting blue. As much as the interior looks good - especially in our test car’s Hot Chocolate leather seats with cream piping, and piano black trim - the controls are not very intuitive. As a first time driver, you would be at a loss to find certain functions while on the move; the right thing would be to spend some time playing around with the switches and getting accustomed to the layout. Rear visibility also takes a slight hit in the name of style – the central pillars of the split doors block a fair bit of the view behind, a fact augmented by the small curvy inside rearview mirror. Otherwise, the driving position is spot-on and you get to caress a nice-looking steering wheel with paddle shifters and integrated audio controls.

The Cooper S Clubman features the familiar 1.6-litre under the bonnet, aided by a twin-scroll turbo. All 175 horses come at a usable 5500rpm, and are directed at the front wheels via a 6-speed automatic. A round transmitter serves as the key; you have to insert it into a slot and press the start/stop button to start the action. Off the line, and especially when making a turn from standstill, a light foot is your best option. Be overtly heavy, and you get bags of torque steer, the steering wheel struggling to free itself from your hands. But it’s fun nonetheless! In-gear performance is good, the smooth auto ‘box responding commendably to inputs from the right foot, thanks to a torque converter clutch that closes shortly after the car has started to move. In case you feel like going for it on a nice, winding road, all you have to do is press the Sport button for a faster electronically controlled gearshift.

With wheels pushed to the corners, the typical MINI go-kart experience is evident once on the roll, the car changing direction at the flick of your wrist. And the longer wheelbase means the car is more comfortable than the shorter MINI, especially on the highway, in addition to offering a well controlled ride.

An alphabet soup of standard driver aids accompanies the sports-oriented suspension, including Anti-Lock Brakes, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, Cornering Brake Control and Dynamic Stability Control with hill start assistance. Brake Assist on the Clubman recognises emergency application of the brakes and immediately builds up maximum brake pressure to stop as quickly as possible; fortunately, there was no occasion when we had to verify those. The Cooper S Clubman comes with 16-inch wheels as standard, but you can get optional 17-inchers, both wrapped in run flat rubber as standard. Thanks to their unique characteristics, these tyres allow you to cover up to 145km at a maximum speed of 80kph.

In case you were wondering, the Clubman is available in no less than 12 body colours, and more than 40 combinations of the exterior paintwork alone. This car is all about style and making a statement, which it does by the bucketful. That it happens to retain the charm and the frisky performance of the regular MINI, as well as offer additional room for friends and cargo, is a very welcome bonus.