RE: Mini Clubman set to bow out with Final Edition

RE: Mini Clubman set to bow out with Final Edition

Author
Discussion

Nickp82

3,165 posts

92 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
I was keen to see the images of the “dark maroon” seats but they just look brown to me?

Overall though it seems a likeable car, the exterior colour is very nice.

biggbn

22,818 posts

219 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
braddo said:
cerb4.5lee said:
I do seem to keep getting conned when it comes to 3 cylinder engines though, and I've read many times on here people praising them for their smoothness(plus the 3 cylinder engine in the GR Yaris seems to be highly rated...or at least nobody seems to slate it anyway), but the 2 I've used have been a bit rough and ready and not much to listen to for me.
Agreed, the refinement in gear (auto) at idle is terrible and the most disappointing thing about the car for me. I can't stand how it vibrates the whole car like a diesel. But triples are always a bit unrefined and I associate the sound with super cheap rental cars so I'm not a big fan of the sounds either! biggrin
Triples and fives are my favourite engines!!

bern

1,262 posts

219 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
They aren't discontinuing them.

They are just rebranding them to Clubthem...

Jader1973

3,945 posts

199 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
My OH has a Cooper S - bought new 2 years ago. She loves it.

By any measure it is totally impractical and flawed - big outside but feels cramped inside, like a reverse TARDIS.

However, it is red, and as a result it is a little ray of sunshine and fun in a world of SUVs in varying shades of grey.

We should be sad that the supposed replacement is yet another SUV.

Olivera

7,068 posts

238 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
braddo said:
cerb4.5lee said:
I'm guessing that the B38 3 cylinder engine has far too much work to do though in the bigger/heavier body of the Clubman, and I presume that it is more of a better fit to the smaller/lighter F56 3dr MINI in comparison.
You need to keep reminding yourself that most people don't daily cars as quick as yours! laugh

The Cooper Clubman with that engine doesn't struggle remotely - it's tuned to drive like a diesel so has lots of low-down thrust (for a car that does 0-60 in 9 secs) and power trails off very markedly after mid-revs.

But - a remap unlocks 40hp! So I think what they've done is make a motor that is comfortably 170hp in order to get the low-down diesel-style torque, then it's tuned to reduce the boost right down at higher revs so that max power is only 130hp for their mid-range model.
My other half has an F55 (5 door) with that engine (+auto), and tbh I think it's a bloody excellent daily driver powertrain. Good low down torque + 7 speed auto means it's swift, plus it gets stupendous MPG. If you have to rev it harder (not usually required) then it's a little unrefined, but that's really just a 3 pot characteristic.

biggbn

22,818 posts

219 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
bern said:
They aren't discontinuing them.

They are just rebranding them to Clubthem...
Kudos.

braddo

10,399 posts

187 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
Jader1973 said:
My OH has a Cooper S - bought new 2 years ago. She loves it.

By any measure it is totally impractical and flawed - big outside but feels cramped inside, like a reverse TARDIS.

However, it is red, and as a result it is a little ray of sunshine and fun in a world of SUVs in varying shades of grey.

We should be sad that the supposed replacement is yet another SUV.
You think a Clubman is a reverse Tardis and impractical??

Have you ever been in a SUV? hehe

Mikebentley

6,037 posts

139 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
biggbn said:
braddo said:
cerb4.5lee said:
I do seem to keep getting conned when it comes to 3 cylinder engines though, and I've read many times on here people praising them for their smoothness(plus the 3 cylinder engine in the GR Yaris seems to be highly rated...or at least nobody seems to slate it anyway), but the 2 I've used have been a bit rough and ready and not much to listen to for me.
Agreed, the refinement in gear (auto) at idle is terrible and the most disappointing thing about the car for me. I can't stand how it vibrates the whole car like a diesel. But triples are always a bit unrefined and I associate the sound with super cheap rental cars so I'm not a big fan of the sounds either! biggrin
Triples and fives are my favourite engines!!
We have already established you are weird.

cerb4.5lee

30,189 posts

179 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
braddo said:
Jader1973 said:
My OH has a Cooper S - bought new 2 years ago. She loves it.

By any measure it is totally impractical and flawed - big outside but feels cramped inside, like a reverse TARDIS.

However, it is red, and as a result it is a little ray of sunshine and fun in a world of SUVs in varying shades of grey.

We should be sad that the supposed replacement is yet another SUV.
You think a Clubman is a reverse Tardis and impractical??

Have you ever been in a SUV? hehe
Or a F13 640d Coupe! biglaugh

cerb4.5lee

30,189 posts

179 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
Olivera said:
braddo said:
cerb4.5lee said:
I'm guessing that the B38 3 cylinder engine has far too much work to do though in the bigger/heavier body of the Clubman, and I presume that it is more of a better fit to the smaller/lighter F56 3dr MINI in comparison.
You need to keep reminding yourself that most people don't daily cars as quick as yours! laugh

The Cooper Clubman with that engine doesn't struggle remotely - it's tuned to drive like a diesel so has lots of low-down thrust (for a car that does 0-60 in 9 secs) and power trails off very markedly after mid-revs.

But - a remap unlocks 40hp! So I think what they've done is make a motor that is comfortably 170hp in order to get the low-down diesel-style torque, then it's tuned to reduce the boost right down at higher revs so that max power is only 130hp for their mid-range model.
My other half has an F55 (5 door) with that engine (+auto), and tbh I think it's a bloody excellent daily driver powertrain. Good low down torque + 7 speed auto means it's swift, plus it gets stupendous MPG. If you have to rev it harder (not usually required) then it's a little unrefined, but that's really just a 3 pot characteristic.
I test drove a F55 Cooper S with the auto and I thought that it was decent to be fair, so it did come as a bit of a shock at how poor one of these sounded and felt in comparison with the 3 pot. It must be the size/weight that hurts these though, and it felt breathless when you stuck your foot down, and the noise it made wasn't enjoyable either for me.

It wasn't bad on fuel though in the 3 pot Clubman I thought, and it was doing the same 40mpg that I used to get out of the 4 pot F56 Cooper S.

Olivera

7,068 posts

238 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
cerb4.5lee said:
I test drove a F55 Cooper S with the auto and I thought that it was decent to be fair, so it did come as a bit of a shock at how poor one of these sounded and felt in comparison with the 3 pot. It must be the size/weight that hurts these though, and it felt breathless when you stuck your foot down, and the noise it made wasn't enjoyable either for me.

It wasn't bad on fuel though in the 3 pot Clubman I thought, and it was doing the same 40mpg that I used to get out of the 4 pot F56 Cooper S.
The sound and feel is generally what a 3 pot is like in refinement terms, regardless of whether it's this or a Yaris GR. But yeah if you want more performance then go for the Cooper S, however I also have a JCW and still think the Cooper 3 pot is a good engine. It'll also get an easy 55mpg on a longer run.

Brian112Aston

47 posts

147 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
Good riddance to the BMW van. They were taking the you-know-what from day one, and the fact they are not replacing it makes me wonder if they might be more embarrassed about the design than any electric future. Maybe

Limpet

6,293 posts

160 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
We had an F54 Cooper and it was a really useful small estate car. Handled tidily and I did a couple of 300 mile trips in it without any fatigue or discomfort. Didn't miss a beat in 35,000 miles either, and still felt taut and "as new" when we sold it (for a JCW hatch!)

The worst thing about it were the van style rear doors which required a lot more space to open than a conventional tailgate.

Likeable cars, IMO.

gruppeb86

323 posts

12 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
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Motormatt said:
Ah - black plastic outside has been a feature since the R50 I think? Always assumed it was for practical reasons as its less vulnerable to bumps and scrapes. I'm not a fan of this either and it looks particularly incongruous on the more expensive versions.
Point here is it's an utter waste of money.
So gullible in respect of parting with the cash into the pockets of others.

nickfrog

20,872 posts

216 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
gruppeb86 said:
Point here is it's an utter waste of money.
So gullible in respect of parting with the cash into the pockets of others.
I am not sure I follow. You mean they should have made the body wider so that they don't need the trim bits at all? That would have worked and perhaps even saved a tiny bit of money.

I can't think of a car that hasn't got some sort of stylistic element that would have saved a bit of money if it wasn't there, can you ? Even a Dacia has some.

As for gullible, that sounds a little extreme particularly when it's not your money.

Dr Interceptor

7,743 posts

195 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
article said:
if you were to buy a regular Copper S Exclusive it would set you back £32,290.
Is it a Copper S due to the wheel colour? wink

mikeswagon

684 posts

140 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
I owned an R55 JCW, absolutely loved it.

Wanted one when I ended up at the local MINI dealers in Aberdeen in 2014, when the F56 had just come out. Got taken out in a 1.5 Cooper, had a test drive, ordered one in Volcanic Orange. Great car, yet 5 years later I still wanted a Clubby.

Any excuse...here's me and a few PH mates on a wee road trip when the 306hp F54 came out.





I certainly wouldn't say no to one in the future. biggrin




braddo

10,399 posts

187 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
Limpet said:
The worst thing about it were the van style rear doors which required a lot more space to open than a conventional tailgate.

Likeable cars, IMO.
I really like the barn doors hehe We never have issue with them and thats in a big city and street parking. Lifting up a tailgate isnt any better in my experience.

I got caught out a few times with a powered tailgate on my cayenne clattering into the roof in multistory parking…

edc

9,231 posts

250 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
nickfrog said:
gruppeb86 said:
Point here is it's an utter waste of money.
So gullible in respect of parting with the cash into the pockets of others.
I am not sure I follow. You mean they should have made the body wider so that they don't need the trim bits at all? That would have worked and perhaps even saved a tiny bit of money.

I can't think of a car that hasn't got some sort of stylistic element that would have saved a bit of money if it wasn't there, can you ? Even a Dacia has some.

As for gullible, that sounds a little extreme particularly when it's not your money.
It's not like you can order it without it. If it puts you off the car that much just don't buy it. Most cars will have something you do t like or aren't over the moon about. The plastic trim on a Mini I couldn't care about either way.

cerb4.5lee

30,189 posts

179 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
edc said:
nickfrog said:
gruppeb86 said:
Point here is it's an utter waste of money.
So gullible in respect of parting with the cash into the pockets of others.
I am not sure I follow. You mean they should have made the body wider so that they don't need the trim bits at all? That would have worked and perhaps even saved a tiny bit of money.

I can't think of a car that hasn't got some sort of stylistic element that would have saved a bit of money if it wasn't there, can you ? Even a Dacia has some.

As for gullible, that sounds a little extreme particularly when it's not your money.
It's not like you can order it without it. If it puts you off the car that much just don't buy it. Most cars will have something you do t like or aren't over the moon about. The plastic trim on a Mini I couldn't care about either way.
The plastic trim never bothered me on my F56 MINI either. Truthfully I only really noticed it after I'd read about so many people criticising how cheap it looked on here. On collection day I didn't even notice it/gave it any thought to be fair.