Wagon gets Clubman endorsement
MINI has officially named its soon-to-be released 'third model'MINI has confirmed the name of its third model. The announcement took place at the Geneva motor show earlier this week.
BMW board member and MINI boss, Dr Michael Ganal told the assembled media that the new MINI Clubman would be released before the end of 2007.
MINI took the unusual step of previewing the car via a pre-show 'drive-by'. The stunt saw a finished Clubman wagon 'buzz' a media group assembled for the sneak peek.
Developed on a lengthened version of the new R56 structure, the Clubman is effectively a 'productionised' version of the Shooting Brake concept MINI unveiled at last year's Geneva show. Subsequently, the showcar appeared at the Frankfurt, Tokyo and Detroit shows.
CarPoint/Carsales caught the new car virtually undisguised during testing recently (more here). The compact wagon features an asymmetric offside paired door configuration that is designed to offer better rear seat access.
Said Ganal: "We already gave you a foretaste exactly one year ago when I presented the MINI Concept Geneva here at the Geneva Motor Show. This MINI Shooting Brake has meanwhile been developed to series production maturity.
"The new member of the MINI product family will be launched before the end of the year as the MINI Clubman. Yesterday, we let the MINI Clubman off the leash for a short time so that it could get used to life on the road," Ganal said, referring to the drive-by.
"The MINI Clubman will share all the characteristic genes of the new MINI generation as regards authenticity, design and go-kart feeling. So it is an unmistakable MINI and at the same time a stand-alone, unique concept sporting specific attributes and typical MINI solutions," Ganal said.
Ganal told the Geneva crowd the new model would play an important part in the marque reaching its annualised production target of 240,000 units.
The announcement of the Clubman nameplate brings to an end speculation the wagon would wear the badge, 'Traveller'. Speculation is still strong, however, that the Clubman will be officially launched at the London Motor Show in June.
CarPoint/Carsales' sources indicate that Frankfurt Show in September is a more likely timetable.
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