By Staff Reporter

The refreshed Mini Clubman Range has landed in Mzansi and buyers can look forward to up to 225 kW of power courtesy of the top John Cooper Works model. Those who aren’t keen on playing in those leagues have two other competent and entertaining models to choose from.

Exterior

The most noticeable design feature of the new Mini Clubman is the newly designed radiator grille, which now extends across the entire bumper. New structure for the air inlet add to the refreshed face. Specific features in the front section of the Mini Cooper S Clubman are the hexagonal grid pattern instead of the horizontal struts and the individual chrome strut in the air inlet as well as the latter’s chrome-plated emblem with a red “S” at the centre.

The refreshed Mini Clubman’s front benefits from modified design of the circular headlamps. The standard halogen headlamps now have an enlarged reflector and a striking black shield on the inside. The daytime driving light is integrated in the parking lights in the lower section of the front apron. The optional LED headlamps likewise feature a new design. The adaptive LED headlamps with Matrix function for the high beam and LED fog lamps are available as a new option.

The updated Mini Clubman is now fitted as standard with LED rear lights. These can be optionally fitted had with a Union Jack motif to underscore the brand’s British heritage.

The refreshed Mini Clubman is now available in Indian Summer Red metallic, British Racing Green metallic or Mini Yours Enigmatic Black metallic. As an alternative to body colour, the roof and exterior mirror caps can also be finished in black, white or silver. With the optional Piano Black Exterior for the Mini Cooper S Clubman and the Mini Cooper SD Clubman, the surrounds of the headlights, rear lights and radiator grille are finished in high-gloss black instead of chrome.

Finally, new 18-inch light alloy wheels in the design variants Multiray Spoke 2-tone and MINI Yours British Spoke 2-tone, along with 19-inch light alloy wheels in John Cooper Works Circuit Spoke 2-tone design have been added to the Clubman arsenal.

Another entirely new offering in terms of optional equipment items is the sports suspension with a lowering of 10 millimetres. In addition, there is also the option of adaptive suspension.

Interior

The range includes an optional Mini Yours sports steering wheel and the seat upholstery variant Mini Yours Leather Lounge Carbon Black. The seats acquire a Union Jack motif on the headrests which is applied with precisely positioned perforations.

Interior Styles option: this is available in the three versions Piano Black illuminated, Frozen Blue illuminated and Fibre Alloy illuminated. The features included here are illuminated door bezels along with the all-round cockpit bezel, the cockpit trim and the centre console trim elements, which are designed to harmonise in matching colours. All Mini Yours options are also available individually. The Mini Yours package likewise on offer additionally includes Mini Yours floor mats with black piping and aluminium-coloured seam pattern as well as a Mini Yours design label on the side windows.

Further customisation options for the interior are the seat upholstery variants which have been newly added to the programme of optional equipment items. The Leather Chester variant is now also available for the new Mini Clubman in the colours Malt Brown, Indigo Blue and Satellite Grey.

Engines and performance

The engine portfolio for the new Mini Clubman includes one 3-cylinder and two 4-cylinder petrol engines. A 7-speed Steptronic transmission with double clutch is standard on the Mini Cooper Clubman and the Mini Cooper S Clubman. A new 8-speed Steptronic sports transmission with integrated mechanical differential lock for the front wheel does duty in the Mini JCW model.

The Mini Clubman variants come in these flavours:

Mini Cooper Clubman: 100 kW, 0 – 100 km/h in 9.2 seconds, top speed: 205 km/h, fuel consumption combined: 5.4 – 5.3 litres/100 km.

Mini Cooper S Clubman: 141 kW, 0 – 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds, top speed: 228 km/h, fuel consumption combined: 5.6 – 5.5 litres/100 km.

Mini Cooper Clubman JCW: 225 kW, 0 – 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds, top speed: 250 km/h, fuel consumption combined: 7.9 litres/100 km.

Prices

Prices start at R433,000 for the Mini Clubman Cooper, R511,000 in the Mini Clubman Cooper S and finally R642,000 for the Mini John Cooper Works Clubman.