Mini gets serious with the new Clubman - Automotive News
So it will ditch the gimmicks and slap-happy marketing it's used for more than a decade when it launches the redesigned Clubman wagon next year. The Clubman has grown up -- gotten bigger and more premium -- so Mini will, too, says David Duncan, vice president of Mini of the Americas. The Clubman will be one of Mini's five models going forward, including the Cooper hatchback and Countryman crossover, as the brand trims its lineup from eight cars. Mini has used black as the background in most of its communications and will switch to a "brighter look," said Duncan. Mini is switching to a logo that looks more two-dimensional, he said, replacing the one used today that carries a 3-D effect. The new Clubman is 12. 4 inches longer and 4. 6 inches wider than its predecessor and sheds a quirky door design for four conventional doors. Because of the larger size, the Clubman will be a compact -- Mini's first car in the segment, Duncan said. Mini will position the Clubman as a premium compact, moving away from past competitors such as the Fiat 500 and Nissan Juke. The current Clubman launched in 2007. production ended in June 2014. Duncan said Clubman sales likely will increase with the debut of the redesigned model, but he did not give targets. Mini sold 5,155 Clubmans in the U. S. in 2013 and 2,613 in 2014, according to company. Source: www.autonews.com
