New MINI Clubman at Geneva 2014 as a concept

The new MINI Clubman (pictured) arrives at Geneva as a concept

The first stage in the complete arrival of the new MINI only happened in November with the reveal of the all new MINI as a bigger, more complete MINI with completely new underpinnings thanks to BMW’s UKL1 platform. Now, the next iteration  of the MINI – the new MINI Clubman – is previewed with the arrival of the MINI Clubman Concept ahead of a Geneva Motor Show debut next month, and it to has grown. Considerably.

In fact, at 4223mm long and 1844mm wide, the new MINi Clubman is actually bigger than the current MINI Countryman – and a huge 260mm longer than the old Clubman – and is heading in to VW Golf and Ford Focus Estate territory.

Foresaking the quirky ‘one side’ rear door for a traditional four-door design, the Clubman keeps its barn-door tailgate, making the new Clubman a proper six-door people and stuff carrier.

The Clubman Concept looks almost production ready, even if there are a few concept flourishes like chrome door mirrors on stalks, but the rest is pure new MINI with round headlights, hexagonal grill, side scuttles and design that’s familiar from the new MINI and with a more sloping roofline and less upright back end than before.

The much bigger Clubman also offers an interior a long way from the old Clubman, with five proper seats and, at least on the Concept, nubuck leather, ash grain decorative strips, Union Jacks embossed on the seats, contrast stitching and piping and MINI’s traditional big round dial in the centre, which actually houses a high-res screen.

MINI hasn’t revealed engine details for the Clubman Concept but it seems likely they will be similar to the new MINI with 1.5 litre 3-cylinder petrol and and 4-cylinder 2.0 litre diesel and petrol options.

The new MINI Clubman will probably follow it s debut as a concept at Geneva with a production version at the Paris Motor Show in September, before going on sale at the end of 2014.

By Cars UK