AboutThatCar.com

MINI Clubman -- Bigger is Better
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Frank S. Washington

The MINI has a slot in my dream garage. There’s only room for about five vehicles (how many cars and trucks do you need) and the MINI is one of them.

We fell in love with the car the first time we drove it which was several years ago in the dead of winter. To its credit, BMW, which owns the MINI brand, did not mess it up. It labels the British icon as the world’s only “small premium car.”

That may a bit much. But the MINI had panache, it had flair, it was quick, it handled really well, it was stylish, it was really fun to drive, it was economical and it was relatively cheap.

One reason you don’t see that many MINIs is that BMW has resisted market forces, stuck to its North America allotment of about 35,000 sales a year and it has sold every MINI headed to these shores without incentives since 2002.

Anyway, I had one real problem with the original MINI and the MINI Clubman takes care of it nicely. In a word, we’re talking space, or, the lack of it.

When I picked up the original car at the airport, I had a really oversized duffle bag. I had to lower the back of back seat to get the thing in the car and once in there wasn’t much room for anything else.

The back seat of the MINI is laughable. Although it looks like it can hold four passengers, common sense and the laws of physics say you get two people in the car. Well, the MINI Clubman takes care of that short coming. It’s bigger.

The Clubman’s wheelbase has been increased a mere 8 centimetres or 0.31 inches more than the regular MINI. But the Clubman is 9.4 inches longer than the original car.

So its now sold as a five-seater with rear seat passengers having more than 3.15 inches more legroom that in the regular MINI. What’s more, there is 9.1 cu ft of cargo space behind the rear seats.

An innovation is that the rear-seat backrest may be partially or fully tilted down. With the seat backs fully lowered the MINI Clubman's cargo space increases to 32.6 cu ft. Now that’s some room.

But the real news is access. The MINI HATCH provides split rear door access to the cargo area. Access to the rear seats is facilitated by an addi­tional door, called the Clubdoor; it’s hinged at the back on the right-hand side of the car.

In other words, although it is a subcompact car, the MINI Clubman has five doors.

Like the MINI, there are two versions of the MINI Clubman. The MINI Cooper S Clubman is powered by a dual turbocharged 175 hp four cylinder engine that can scoot the car  from a standstill to 62 mph in 7.6 seconds. Top speed is139 mph. What’s more, the MINI Cooper S Clubman gets a miserly 29 miles per gallon.

The MINI Cooper Clubman gets an even more economical 37 miles per gallon. Its four cylinder engine, without turbochargers, makes 120 horsepower and from a standing start can move the car to 62 mph in 9.1 seconds. Top speed is 126 mph.

The power plants can be mated to either a six speed manual gearbox or a six speed automatic. In the case of the manual transmission, it has a gas saving auto stop function: the car shuts off when idle. The MINI Clubman also has a five star European crash rating.

We were particularly pleased with its USB interface. This connection charges the compatible Apple iPhone while driving and an Apple iPod. Other MP3 players can be fully integrated into the MINI’s audio system via the USB audio interface.

Of course, the car has Bluetooth which turns any compatible cell phone into a hands free car phone. Prices start at $20,600 for the MINI Clubman and $24,100 for the MINI Cooper S Clubman.

I’m prejudiced but the MINI might be the best, fuel efficient, reasonably priced, and fun to drive every day driver on sale in the North American Market. If you don’t believe me, go see for yourself.

Frank S. Washington is managing partner/editor of AboutThatCar.com

About That Car: BMW I Series
BMW recaptures its past
2008-03-07
By Frank S. Washington

BMW is one of the most successful luxury brands in the world. It ranks second in North American sales to Lexus and it is arguably the premier German automaker when it comes to performance. So how do you make it better? Expand the brand.

Forty years ago it was the legendary 2002 Series that brought the automaker to the attention of American automotive enthusiasts. The car was small, light, quick and handled with rifle shot accuracy. BMW is trying to recapture that magic with its new 1 Series.

But rather than go with a retro styled sedan, BMW has come up with a new iteration. First, much like the 3 Series, the 1 Series will have plenty of variants. There will be a three-door and five door hatchback. These models are not destined for American shores. 

And then there’s the 1 series coupe and 1 series convertible. There are two versions: the 128i (starting at $29,375) and the 135i (starting at $35,675). That might sound like a lot but the starting price of a 3 Series coupe can range as high as $41,000.

Where BMW really delivers with the 1 series is its engines and transmissions. Rather than develop new power plants for the 1 Series, BMW gave the car the same engines and gearboxes as its 3 series. The core of performance has always been horsepower to weight. And BMW has given the 1 series the same engine family as the 3 series, a car that weighs roughly 300 lbs more.

The 128i is powered by a 230 horsepower inline six cylinder engine. The 135i is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine that produces 300 horsepower and 300 pounds-feet of torque from as low as 1,400 rpm.

What that means is that the turbocharged 1 series can haul tail from just about any speed. In fact, BMW says the car can get from zero to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. That’s a lot quicker than the law allows. The top speed is electronically limited to 130 mph (149 mph) with the sport package.

By combining sporty rear-wheel-drive dynamics, agile handling, powerful engines and seating for four, the BMW hopes to reinvent in the 1 Series coupe the niche that the legendary BMW 2002 created. We don’t think it will.
Most of the folks who will find the BMW 1 Series attractive are too young to remember the fabled 2002. Still, we think the car will be a hit. After all, it is a baby Beemer for a few dollars less.
 
The new 1 Series has unique elements combined with a muscular body. The greenhouse with its characteristic “Hofmeister kink” is moved rearward and offers a particularly nimble look with its long hood and short tail. The short overhangs, long wheelbase and large frameless doors sit on a body with a modern interpretation of BMW’s characteristic look.

The 1 Series has aggressive rear end styling. The trunk lid has an integrated spoiler chiselled into the rear end of the car to accentuate the short rear section. On the 135i, an additional lip spoiler provides greater down force on the rear end at high speeds.

BMW has again tried to simplify its iDrive system. We’ll leave it to drivers to determine if the automaker has been successful. iDrive is, with the optional Navigation system, integrated in the center console. Galvanized pearl gloss surfaces adorn the interior door handles, the glove compartment handle, the radio’s rotary knobs, the knobs of the automatic air conditioning system, the iDrive controller, and the ornamental trim strips featured on the sports steering wheel.

A wide choice of audio and communication equipment is also available. BMW says the 1 series can be equipped with satellite radio, HD radio, a premium sound system and Bluetooth interface. For simple and straightforward connection of an MP3 player, an auxiliary input jack is standard, and a USB port for direct control of an Apple iPod or iPhone media player is available as an option.

The 1 Series is scheduled to go on sale this spring. When it does, it probably will be a hit. Simply put, we’re talking about a Beemer with bullet-like performance for less money. That sounds like a winner.
 
Frank S. Washington is managing partner/editor of AboutThatCar.com.