As some of you may or may not know, the Clubman comes as a 5 passenger in europe.

Is any one here in the states interested in converting to 5 passenger??

 

It'd be a rather expensive conversion wouldn't it? I'd imagine it would require new seat backs which can be expensive (especially if you own leather)...but you would need a new headliner and 3rd ceiling mounted seat belt as well.

I have heard about the s person rear seats, but I've never seen any pics.....do you happen to have any?

 

The back seat's pretty tight for two, three would be quite a very tight squeeze, which is why it's not a U.S. option. This is a MINI, after all.

 

The European marketing claims the back seats two adults and a child. It does not meet US safety standards. I sat in the back seat of a Cooper D Clubman which seats three and was surprised by the center seat shoulder belt. Then I realized it was a 5-seat car. I don't think it will be possible to retrofit US-spec cars.

 

J O K E........

 

Hey, Subaru did it in their Tribeca. I tried it out at a dealer once... no dice. I couldn't even climb to the back of the car.

 

And the Tribeca has soo much more shoulder room than the Clubman. I can imagine the 5-passenger option would be an expensive retrofit. New rear bench seat, lap shoulder belt mount for center passenger in the roof. Yeah and it is not US DOT approved.

 

If you want to see what the 3rd rear seat version of the Clubman looks like, go to the U.K Mini site and use the Build Your Mini configurator. It has an interior option and when that is selected, you can jump to a 360 degree view of the interior. It is a very good representation of the interior and shows the 3rd headrest, etc.

 

Since the dimensions of the space the seat is going in does not change, I would bet it would be VERY uncomfortable to seat 3 people there (even 3 kids), unless the rear side interior panels are also narrowed significantly.

 

I've only ever seen a 5-seater Clubman that was part of a dealer's UK launch package supplied by MINI as showroom and demo cars to illustrate the option.

Perhaps someone has ordered it but I dunno why they would as it converts a pleasant and fairly spacious 4-seater into something very different! (It will ruin resale values too IMHO!)

 

I really was hoping that they would offer the 5-seat option. Not that I would use it all the time but we simply need two cars that we can fit the three kids into... even in a pinch. If you could retrofit it for not a ridiculous cost.. I would be game and it would make my case for the purchase of a Clubman a little easier.

 

I'm in the same spot.
I don't need to fit 5 full size humans, just
possibly 2 full size humans and 3 mini sized.
And not to drive to CA but just across town.

When I got the survey call (had my car in for service)
I complained vigorously about the lack of the
5th seatbelt.

I indicated if it had a 5th seatbelt we would buy
one tomorrow. Which we would.

So we're trying to hold out for the SAV, if it doesn't come
soon I have to get my wife something like a CRV.
But with the honda business model I swore to never buy
another new honda so I guess it would be a rav4 even
if they are ugly. And both gulp gas.

 

If I might suggest - take a peek at the Subaru Forester. A few years ago (pre-redesign) I was looking for a small SUV and went with Subaru - aside from a small clutch issue (due to the combo of a difficult clutch and newbie driver), it was a great choice - good enough that when it was time to go get another car the Subaru dealership was near the top of my list. Lots of storage, can fit three mid-sized adults in the backseat without an inordinate amount of squishing, but it isn't so huge that when you go to park you'll feel like you're in a boat...

But then the clubman came and all thoughts of other cars flew out the window... ;P

 

So Eddie,

Since you started this thread, is this something that you guys are working on or...

 

So I know that many have said that this is completely impracticle but... has anyone tried yet anyways?

 

My situation exactly!! I desperately want this Clubman, and 99% of the time I will be commuting solo. Occasionally I will have two or all three of my kids on the way to school (the oldest I can place in the front). The problem occurs when our family car goes for service and I need to cram all five of us in for the short trip from the dealer. Comfort is not a consideration, I just need to safely secure my three boys in back for that 10 minute trip on a few short occasions.

It boggles the mind that BMW won't offer the five seater as an option in the US. I mean, there is no retooling needed, as they already make the three seater in the same plant in the UK I'd guess. The Mini Brand is so customizable from the factory, what is the disadvantage of them offering the dimunaitive three seat bench as an order only option? Like a few of you have expressed, I'd buy mine tomorrow if I knew it could carry my family in a pinch. Instead, I either have to either bite the bullet, buy the car I love, and risk being profoundly disappointed and frustrated, or consider the likes of the Mazda3 and Saturn Astra as a small commuter car with the ability to carry my family. How boring is that!

C'mon BMW, give us break here! Just imagine how many fence sitters are out there, like me, that the only reason we are holding back from buying their brand is that silly three seat bench seat which just taunts us from across the pond!!!

On a side note, those of you have you taken the plunge and have three small kids, have you or would you consider, strapping them into the two seatbelts for such short trips?

Thanks!

 

It's not the manufacturer that won't allow the 5th seat. It's the DOT (department of transportation). When cars are imported several items must be changed to meet DOT standards, such as emissions - this is why we don't have the diesel mini here, glass, some lighting, & other safety controls.

 

Thanks for the info. I guess I'll redirect my frustration to the DOT and give the good folks at Mini/BMW a break!

 

Did this ever get any traction? I really want a bench rear