The Clubman concept displayed at the Geneva motor show previews what will become the longest production car ever to wear a MINI badge, measuring just over 4.2 meters or 13.9 ft. With its new six-door design and visibly stretched wheelbase, it’s a bit like a…first-gen Dacia Logan MCV, but with two fewer seats.
MINI’s designers wanted it to be a friendly-looking car, instead of an overtly aggressive one, though according to its styling chief, Christopher Weil, they also wanted to make it appear more muscular than the almost-utilitarian-looking five-door it replaces.
Weil even goes so far as to call it “a cool uncle,” but one with working BMW-sourced “air breathers” (vents that help reduce turbulence and drag), sporty suspension and spritely performance.
Expect the production MINI Clubman to look pretty much like this concept, but one thing that will certainly change is the choice of materials for the interior. The show car features luxurious soft Nappa leather and chalk wood that will be replaced by similar looking but cheaper alternatives.
By Andrei Nedelea
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