Got an Email today with the new 2016 Clubman announcement and configurator Built a Burgundy S for $39K Pretty Loaded didn't do the Lounge Leather and that kept me down under $40 Don't know if it comes with a spare like our 2011, it is tempting.

Tom

 

OK so there will be a new Clubman in the latest line-up... I haven't been following news of this but as I really like my '13 Clubman I was dismayed no end when I read BMW wasn't going to continue building them.

BUT: is the new one built on the latest MINI platform or did they 'steroid' it up onto the Countryman's foundation?

I drove an auto Countryman S for a month while the shop was trying to diagnose recurrent CEL light issues on my '07 S (which finally came down to $$$ for new turbo & engine wiring harness as the OEM had been filled with oil blowing out of the camshaft cover's breather for too many of its 97K miles; I let the dealer have it in trade for a C'man off their lot).

Didn't like it at all. Didn't feel like a MINI & the mileage was horrible. Wouldn't consider one for my next vehicle for a moment if it's on the "supersized" platform.

 

Yes, there will be a 2016 Clubman BUT it will not be anything like the 2013. The only thing they will share in common are the barndoors. The 2016 has 4 doors and is stretched from the 2013 (longer), so most likely wont drive like the 2013.

 

The new F54 Clubman will be built on the same platform as all the new MINIs (2014+ Hardtops, the upcoming new Countryman). It will share the same BMW group engines and all the new refinements.

While it is longer than the current Countryman, it also has the new BMW engines and the Cooper S will be using a new 8-speed auto. Mileage and performance should be better and early reviews seem to pretty positive so far.

 

Scheduled for dealer floor time mid November.
Great Christmas gift for your 16 year old.
Or is that 61?

 

http://www.miniusanews.com/newsroom.do?id=74&mid=165

official news from MINI.

 

The F54 weighs 400 additional LBS
Wheel base is additional 7 inches, that will help chop on freeways

Unable to find a F54 maximum load capacity.
The hardtop is about 800 Lbs load capacity.
If the F54 weighs 400 Lbs more

 

I'm going to a Debut party for the new Clubman at my dealer tomorrow night.
If there isn't an actual demo or pre-production model there to look at, I'm walking out the door....
But seriously, if there IS one in the flesh, any particulars that you want to know?
As for a spare tire- appears to be a $100 option, space saver style. I built up
2 or 3 new Clubmans on the Configurator at Mini. Had trouble staying under 40K....
Hopefully they're allowing some test drive time.....

 

We had our debut party early last month. Yes, there will be a preproduction there (Melting Silver Cooper S fully decked out, with the sport auto), that's the one we had. No, test drives...there's not really a whole lot more to learn about the vehicle. It's a work of art in person. I'm jealous of all those lucky enough to get an order for the first ones. Lol, it sat 20 feet from my desk for almost a week, hard to not stop staring.

 

The B pillar in the F55 makes it tough to get in and out.
See if there is more room in the F54 to enter and exit drivers seat.
Find out what the Max load is,( F56 is about 850 lbs.) it is not posted in the F54 specs.
Check how the barn doors open?
Where is the spare located, jack and wrench included.
Must the spare be inflated before use? How?
The 54 weighs 400 lbs more than the 56, are the torque values the same?
Does it make you SMILE??

 

Check how the barn doors open?
The same way as the R55

Where is the spare located, jack and wrench included.
I believe it was the same place. I remember seeing it.

Must the spare be inflated before use? How?
I don't think this one had a spare. Not sure.

The 54 weighs 400 lbs more than the 56, are the torque values the same?
Yes

Does it make you SMILE??
Yes.

P.S. The steering is lighter than the F55/56... I might have driven it around the block for about 5 miles.

 

Does anybody know if the new Clubman will be at the Detroit Auto show in January?

 

Check how the barn doors open?
The same way as the R55

Where is the spare located, jack and wrench included.
I believe it was the same place. I remember seeing it.

Those "SAME" answers assume one is familiar with the R Series.
Could you please be more specific?
The barn doors in the F series may have an automatic function that is
actuated by passing a foot under the rear bumper ?

 

Right door first, then left. you have to have comfort access to use your foot. It still opens the right door first then you have to use your foot again to open the left.

Also if it has runflats, its not going to have a spare anyways.

 

Thanks Jaque
"Also if it has runflats, its not going to have a spare anyways."

The Mini F54 build site offers the spare as a $100 option.This option is available for the Justa and the S model.
The option details make no mention of the runflats.
The spare option detail does make mention of the fact, that due to their engineering prowess, BMW/Mini made room for a spare.
The spare must be stored somewhere, passenger seat, roof, boot?
Has anyone seen or have real knowledge of the spare option storage area?

 

I will check out the Wheel Well/ Spare tire well if it's under the storage area in the rear. I suspect ala BMW that the Spare will need to be inflated, or, if room permits, you get a fully inflated MINI /Temp. spare since the new Clubman is larger than the old one.
I too saw the Spare Tires as an Option for the S models when I was building up my dream cars.
I'm 6 foot tall, and have driven both the current 2 door and 4 door hardtops as loaners or demos, so I can compare all of that , along with my 2012 Clubman against the new Clubman for front and back seat room.
I'm taking along a measuring tape to get Real World Dimensions of certain things that have me curious, esp,. the cargo/boot area.

Looking forward to tonight.

 

The interior looks great and more features. Cant wait to use the new power seats.

 

Very nice. I really dig that color.

 

Hopefully these few pictures will load correctly. We ended up with a Black Demo to play with instead of that Silver one that another poster show us.
S model, very loaded, about $42K. Had the 40/20/40 seats in the rear, with the Leather/Cloth combo seating material choice. No spare, but I was fully explained on where it will be if you order that package.
Electric front seats option, Dynamic Shocks, higher level interior with the LED lighted side sections of the door panels[ mood lighting that comes through sort of perforated trim instead of a straight light shining down]
Black Headliner, which probably made the interior smaller than a lighter color would.
LED headlights if I heard right, or maybe they were just Xenon with LED rings[ all this from a 'plain Halogen" Clubman owner lusting after everyone else's higher output lighting....

WIDE front, almost 73" of nose compared to about 63" on my 2012 S. To me,if you cover the front badge, you've almost got a Porsche look to it.

With me in the front, and my 5' 10" wife in the back, I was able to leave the front seat back to where I would be very close to driving position by myself in the car, and she wasn't cramped for leg room.
The upper seat backs of the front seats have very pronounced dishes or concave sections to allow your knees more room while sitting in the rear seats.
All the seats were comfy at least for the brief time we were in them. That 40/20/40 seat option will get you the center arm rest folding down between a normal bucket seat type arrangement and there are two small cupholders waiting for you once it's lowered.
The Standard 60/40 seat doesn't have that feature as far as I know.
The rear seats fold easy enough from reaching at the front/top of them, but are missing that great middle of the seat back release that my current Clubman has, which might not matter that much since you have the extra doors to easily open for access to the seat release buttons anyway....
About those rear doors, Long actually, not as short as the Countryman or 4 door Hardtop, which I guess is to be expected with the longer wheelbase that this Clubman has to work with.
Barn Doors, ah, the Barn Doors. Still use the gas struts to pop them outward, but with the Comfort Access option, you get the "foot release/opening' feature if you want it. You wave your foot under the middle of the rear of the Clubman to engage it.
Spare tire, DOES fit under the Flat Floor panel, the demo model just wasn't equipped with the metal bracket and spare tire that you'd get from MINI if you pay the current $100 asking price for it. WILL fit front brakes on the S models, so no more wheel swapping to clear front calipers. WILL NOT fit the larger JCW brakes, when that model comes.. whenever that is.
Spare is a smaller, fully inflated version, not a 'fill-to-'use' model that would have required a compressor on hand. Once your spare is tucked under the floor, you might have room for some tools or jumper cables, BUT, you don't get multiple levels of storage compartments under the floor regardless if whether you checked off the Spare Option when ordering your car, it's one compartment, then it's the body of the car. Gone is the 2 tier system that we older Clubman owners have[ if you indeed have that like I do]..

Outer Mirrors are HUGE compared to current MINI products, okay, just a lot larger..., but still, this could be a thing for some people..

 

Front view

 

More views- rear seats folded flat too. I didn't see many people trying this out. Funny, as much as I haul stuff with my 2012 Clubbie, I'd HAVE to know how the rear seats go down... Child seat Tether system, and that panel at the rear of the seats WILL lower to cover the storage compartment where the Spare or other stuff is. It's a bi-fold arrangement from what I saw. Again, if I'm getting any details wrong on the Cars, I apologize in advance, there was a lot to take in.

 

The ALL Business view, the Engine. In this case, the larger 2.0 liter that the S model gets you. Brochure listed the 3cyl as 134 HP and 162 Ft. lbs torque, and the S gets the 4 cyl. at 189HP and 207 ft lbs torque.
Base Curb weight at 3160 lbs for the 6 speed auto, and a lighter 3105 for the standard 6 speed Manual.
The S that we were looking at had the 8 speed Auto, which is NOT a ZF unit, but still Asian Warner apparently.
Weight for the S is apox. 3300 lbs Auto, and 3235 for the 6 speed manual.
I'm betting Electric seats add to that....
Washer Reservoir is way down in front, very easy to reach.
That second picture shows the RED cap for the Battery Jumping post, and a closer look at the Dynamic/Electric controlled shocks that the Option brings to the Vehicle for a Cool $500 at this point in time. Can't wait to try them out in Chicago during a Winter month test drive once the Clubmans show up in numbers....

 

Door pictures. Hopefully the LED lighting shows up decently in the trim on the doors.

 

Cargo area, with the foldable cover up and away from the floor where it normally lives. If you order the Spare tire Option, this is where it will be.

 

Side View- yep, it's that LONG...