Mini Cooper Clubman

The car is slightly different from the standard Mini Cooper. As a legacy of the original Mini Cooper - a station wagon model till 1982 the word "Clubman" is retained in the name of the car. At the Frankfurt Auto Show this car was introduced as the Mini Traveller concept.In reference to the earlier Mini Cooper, this car will have an increased wheelbase by 3.1 inches, body stretched by 9.5 inches and the rear overhang by 3.2 inches. This increase in size facilitates optimum storage capacity and balances the car body.

The rear door design of the car is similar to an extended cab pickup. This is due to the rear access door is on the curb side of the second row of the seat, which is hinged at the rear and opens in the front. The door fitting thus requires the front door to be opened first without which it is not possible to open the cargo door. The 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman has two center opening doors instead of a tailgate. Apart from easy access to the cargo area, there is increased cargo capacity which now stands at 9.1 cubic feet behind the seat and if the rear seats are folded one can avail of 32.6 cubic feet.

The engine in the standard trim is a naturally aspirated engine producing 120 horsepower and 118 pound-feet of torque whereas the S trim of Clubman uses a direct-injection, twin-scroll turbocharged 1.6-liter inline four-cylinder, producing 175 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 177 pound-feet of torque from 1600 rpm. The 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman and its S trim come with a six-speed manual gearbox and electric power steering. The S trim of Cooper is fitted with 16 inch rolling stock and run-flat tires to save on space and weight whereas the base version has 15 inch tires and wheels.

Additional feature in the English 2009 Mini Cooper Version is a start-stop engine feature that works off the clutch pedal, which may not be available in the American version of the car. Something different on the 2009 Clubman is that the front wheels carry an electrical power regeneration braking system, the power generated here, charges the battery when the brakes are used. Furthermore, the alternator disengaged during acceleration in order to maximize all of the engine's horsepower.

To be launched in 2009 in the United States, a Mini Cooper Clubman was displayed as a Mini Traveller Concept. This is a newer version of the Mini Cooper which was used in the US of A in the years 1960 -1980s.