Mini shows a new side

The spiritual successor to the original Mini Traveller van, the new Clubman will be the third distinct body style to spring from the modern Mini design concept.

Joining the classic two-door hatch, the Cabriolet and the seemingly endless “special” trim and engine combinations, the Clubman brings the Mini aficionado yet another choice.

First official photos of the car, evolved from the Mini Traveller concept that starred at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show, are released today ahead of the car's official public debut at this year's Frankfurt Show in September. It goes on sale in Germany on November 10.

Mini's Australian operation is negotiating to get the car into local markets but there are still no guarantees on timing.

“We're pushing hard to get the Clubman here in the first half of next year,” is all Mini's Alexander Corne will say on the issue.

The most obvious design change from the original concept car is the addition of a single side door for back-seat access in the rear-hinged “suicide-door” style popularised in modern design by the Mazda RX-8.

Mini refers to this as a “Clubdoor”, which is on the right-hand side of the car in both left- and right-hand-drive models.

As with the Mazda — and other similar designs — the door can be opened only when the front door on the same side is open.

For right-hand-drive markets, such as Australia, having the only side access to, and exit from, the rear seats on the traffic side of the car is a design trade-off once common in early peoplemovers imported from the US.

The five-door configuration of the Clubman comes from the vertically split rear doors, which open independently to give added access to either the rear seats or luggage-loading area depending on the interior configuration.

At launch in Australia the Mini Clubman will be offered with the same two engines and gearbox combinations — six-speed manual and six-speed automatic — currently available on the Cooper and Cooper S.

The 1.6-litre engines are those developed and built in co-operation with French giant PSA, the naturally aspirated version making 88kW and the turbocharged four a creditable 128kW.

Although the European markets will be offered a slightly more advanced version of those two engines with similar power but slightly better emission control — plus an aluminium turbo diesel — Australian buyers will not see those in the immediate future.

With an 80mm stretched wheelbase and 240mm more in overall length, rear passenger space — one of the shortcomings of the two-door models — has been considerably enhanced.

The colour palette is extensive and, in keeping with Mini philosophy, the possible interior/exterior combinations run into the thousands, giving each owner the opportunity to trim up a unique car.