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The new Mini Clubman station wagon is driving into a design row in the world's right-hand-drive markets.
The carry-all, built on a platform 24cm longer than the standard Mini hatchback, comes with a narrow reverse-opening rear passenger door on the right-hand side to let rear-seat passengers get in and out without disturbing the driver. That's in left-hand-drive markets, where the car can cosy up to the kerb for passenger safety. But in right-hand-drive New Zealand, the driver will have to get out to let passengers out - because the Clubman is being built in one bodyshell style only.
A report this week said the right-hand-drive Clubman would have the reverse-opening door on the left so that front and rear passengers in New Zealand, Australia, Britain, Japan and so on wouldn't have to get out into traffic.
But Mini parent BMW has confirmed that the rear door will be on the car's right-hand side in all markets.
This means the driver of the right-hand-drive Clubman has to get out into traffic to let rear passengers out, while the driver of a left-hand-drive Clubman can stay behind the wheel.
It is understood that Mini wanted to build the car to suit both left-hand and right-hand-drive markets but were stymied by the cost of moving the fuel filler, which is on the rear left.
About 77 per cent of world vehicle production is left-hand drive. The narrow rear door in the Clubman is a "suicide" design in that it is hinged to open rearwards. It was given its name last century - if passengers held on to the door handle while getting out of a moving car they were often flung into the street. Carmakers don't like the "suicide" reference because it suggests a danger to safety. Mazda calls the rear doors in its RX8 sports car "freestyle." Rolls-Royce calls them "coach" doors.
Mini, which is using the name "clubdoor," says the suicide label is incorrect because the door cannot be opened on the move or without first opening the driver's door or, in left-hand drive markets, the passenger door. Mini says this addresses safety issues.
It might in left-hand-drive markets but right-hand-drive markets are not convinced, judging by internet traffic. Mini's BMW parent is being criticised for building a niche station wagon that arguably has five doors - front two, rear two and single "suicide" door - but forces the driver to get out to let rear passengers out.
Critics point out that the original Mini carry-all was a right-hand-drive British design. BMW will launch the Clubman in Spain later this year and in New Zealand in March. Its first official appearance will be at next month's Frankfurt motor show. The Clubman adds more rear legroom (about 8cm), headroom and cargo space to the front-drive layout, a nostalgic design echoing that of the Austin Mini Countryman, the Morris Mini Traveller and the Mini Clubman Estate, which sold between 1960 and 1982, mostly in Britain.
Its barn-style rear doors were first featured on the Mini Concept at the 2005 Geneva motor show, a two-door shooting-brake wagon designed to celebrate 45 years of the Morris Mini Traveller.
The Clubman will, like the three-door hatchback, be badged Cooper and Cooper S and powered by a 1.6-litre engine mated to six-speed manual or automatic transmissions.
The Clubman Cooper S will use the 128kW turbocharged variant. The Clubman Cooper will get the non-turbocharged 88kW engine.
Mini says the Clubman will match the three-door Cooper in acceleration, fuel consumption and exhaust emissions, but provides no further engine performance or weight details.
It does, however, say the Clubman rides on a wheelbase that's 80mm longer, and is 240mm longer overall than the three-door Cooper.
Both models are identical as far back as the B-pillar and all the extra wheelbase length is n the rear. Up to 260 litres of luggage space is available behind the 50/50-split folding rear twin-seat, and 960 litres with rear seatbacks folded. Expect the Clubman to cost more than the hatchbacks.
