2009 Mini Cooper S Clubman - Automobile Magazine
The Mini Cooper Clubman is the epitome of a niche vehicle. For my part, I think it's pretty cool, but I'd have to think long and hard before I made it my primary vehicle. Of course, it's far more practical than the regular Mini Cooper, thanks to the passenger's-side half-door (a feature we've already seen in the Saturn Ion and the Mazda RX-8) and the extended wheelbase, which translates into significantly more... In fact, I needed to haul a 27" x 27" x 18" plywood box (to be used to elevate a washing machine) to a friend's house, and I had no problem fitting it into the back of the Clubman with the rear seats folded (see photo). The Mini's turbocharged four-cylinder engine, mated to a six-speed manual, takes some getting used to. Torque steer is surprisingly bad, just like it was in our Four Seasons Mini Cooper S. You might think that BMW, of all car companies, could... As far as the Clubman's packaging goes, I can live with the impeded rear vision caused by the center pillar created by the rear Dutch doors, because it's a narrow pillar and you can still pretty easily see anything behind you. As for the passenger's-side half-door, well, like all such devices, it's better than nothing for giving rear-seat occupants better ingress/egress. Source: www.automobilemag.com
