We may be red-blooded car enthusiasts here at PH and, clearly, rarely get out of bed for anything without a 500hp V8. Unless it's got blanked out rear windows. Yes, we're partial to a van. Indeed, I turned up for my first day at work at PH in
bright orange VW Caddy
and spent last summer tooling about in a
blinged up Transporter
(...with a bright orange Caterham towed behind).
'Make it look like this!' we said - and they did!
Given that the latest addition to the PH fleet shouldn't come as too much of a culture shock then. A
commercial vehicle
, yes, but we hope you'll agree a suitably PH one.
And that's not just because of the artwork on the sides, courtesy of PopBangColour's Ian Cook and created earlier in the year at the Autosport show. This was a last minute change of heart, the original plan being for a more traditional 'butcher's van' type graphic. Stuart and I had a falling out over fonts though, my desire for a sign-written serif style at odds with Stuart's more modernist ideals. Salvation came in the shape of the PopBangColour smiley, a last minute Photochop lash-up sent off to Mini days before delivery and speedily turned around by their in-house graphics people. A cracking job they did too - thanks guys!
The PH Le Mans fleet chills on the campsite
The debate over fonts was almost as bitter as that over the engine. I wanted petrol. Everyone else insisted van = diesel. I thought I'd managed to sneak it through. But a Cooper D turned up so I guess not. To be fair the only petrol you can get on the Clubvan is the 122hp normally aspirated 1.6, the 112hp diesel playing 198lb ft of torque against the petrol's weedier 118lb ft. I'd have probably had an easier case if they did
a JCW
van but, sadly, not as yet. We can dream!
Even if such a thing existed it'd have faced a job keeping up with the rest of our all-British convoy to Le Mans, for which the Clubvan arrived in the nick of time pretty much still with the paint still tacky. With Garlick in a supercharged V6 Jaguar XJ and Stuart in an Aston Martin DB9 the man with the keys to the 1.6 diesel Mini was always going to have a job staying in touch. As ads man Mark H reports, "Keeping up with the Jag and Aston was frequently bloody frustrating! I would get there eventually and comfortably cruise along with them on open motorways." Techs Matt and Phil also spent time at the wheel, Matt reporting "It's surprisingly pokey for a diesel, but it did struggle to keep up on the motorway. Around town it's very zippy and I may have set a personal best on the Kingston grand prix circuit." On a backroad diversion around Rouen the Mini was happier on the twisty stuff according to Phil, though matching the overtaking ability of the Jag and Aston was a challenge. A more PH running period you couldn't contrive!
Working the door at our Le Mans Friday Service
Is it big enough though? True to say, the Clubvan is not the largest of vehicles and even without any back seats the load area is only 860 litres and quite long and low. A Fiesta van will hold 1,000 litres and has a bigger load area. In 1.6 TDCI Sport trim its £14,370 OTR price is slightly more than the Mini's £14,275 (both plus VAT) too, though Ford throws in stuff like a leather steering wheel and velour floor mats (the decadence!) that Mini makes you pay extra for. The 95hp Ford is quite a bit slower than the Mini too and, at the end of it all, 'just a van' while the Clubvan makes a passable attempt at crossover lifestyle appeal.
What next? Well, expect the Mini to be at the heart of future PH events like Sunday Services where it'll provide a useful team rallying point and means of carrying both kit to and confectionary based gifts back from the venues. And, yes, we're always grateful for any sugar-based donations! Especially now we've got just the vehicle to deliver them back to the office...
FACT SHEET
Car: 2013 Mini Cooper D Clubvan
Run by: Everyone
On fleet since: June 2013
Mileage: Le Mans and back...
List price new: £19,575.50 (Basic list of £14,275 +VAT plus £400 for Midnight Black paint, £1,700 for Media Pack, £55 for Storage Pack, £50 for space saver spare, £105 for leather two-spoke steering wheel, £60 for velour floor mats, £45 for warning triangle and first aid kit and £30 for front passenger airbag deactivation switch. All options prices inclusive of VAT.)
Last month at a glance: Arrived in the nick of time, straight on the ferry to Le Mans loaded to the roofline