The BMW Group, the owners of the Mini brand have launched the new second-generation Clubman model in India. This makes it the fifth model currently on offer in our market, after the Mini 3 Door, 5 Door, Convertible and Countryman.
Like all other Mini models currently on sale, the Clubman is also a CBU. The car is only offered with a 192hp 2.0-litre turbo-petrol motor paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard. There is no diesel engine on offer. Available only in Cooper S trim, it gets features like LED headlamps, drive modes, infotainment system, sports seats, rear parking sensors, auto climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels, airbags, ABS and stability control as standard. As with its siblings, the Clubman too is offered with a host of add-on options.
At Rs 37.9 lakh (ex-showroom, India), the new Clubman is the most expensive Mini on sale in India, positioned above the Countryman in the automaker's line-up.
This car marks the entry of the Clubman model in India with the first-generation car having never made it to our market. The defining feature of the Clubman models is the split two-door boot design which is popularly called ‘barn doors’. This, technically, makes the Clubman a six-door. Historically, the original Clubman, as well as the first-generation car, had a single suicide door called the ‘Club door’ on the right-hand side of the body. The current car, however, abandons this in favour of two traditional side doors.
Like the new Mini hatch and the Convertible, the second-generation Clubman is also based on BMW’s UKL platform. Mini’s entire line-up is expected to shift to the new platform; currently, the brand’s crossover Countryman model is the only model based on the older platform. However, BMW has unveiled its second-generation model internationally and the launch in global markets, including India, is expected soon. This will complete the shift of all Mini models to the new platform.