Picture Of

Cooper Mini Clubman

It’s exciting for us when we get to report on a new, more powerful version of a much-loved car, but this isn’t one of those moments. Thankfully, we also like it when a much-loved car becomes available in a less expensive formula. What you see here is the soon-to-be minted entry-level version of the MINI Clubman Cars. The stretched version of BMW’s MINI has until now been offered only in Cooper guises: The standard Cooper with 120 horsepower, the sportier Cooper S with 175hp and the diesel Cooper D with 110hp. The MINI One Clubman makes do with lower levels of equipment and a less powerful 95hp 1.4-liter four, mated to the buyer’s choice of a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. Despite the lower content, it also includes such green touches as regenerative braking and start-stop engine management, giving the One the second best fuel economy and emissions figures in the range, trailing only the Cooper D. Naturally, the decontented Clubman will come in as the cheapest version of the MINI wagon, retailing in the UK for £13,290 (approximately $19,250). That’s a comparable price to the smaller but more powerful MINI Cooper hatchback (£13,715), about a grand more than the MINI One hatchback, but more than a grand less than the Cooper Clubman. MINI will continue to offer the North American market the Cooper, Cooper S and JCW versions, while the MINI One Clubman makes its debut in Geneva this coming March.

Related : Cars
Related : Cars Article

Picture Of

Cooper Mini Clubman Cars

Playfully named after London's famous red light entertainment district, the Cooper MINI Clubman Soho is a special edition model, exclusively destined for the Italian market. As with any other limited run special these days, the Soho is distinguished by a number of special features and unique color combinations.

Available in One, Cooper, Cooper D and Cooper S forms, the Soho is offered with a choice of five exterior colors including Horizon Blue, Midnight Black, Pepper White, Dark Silver and for the first time on the Cooper Mini Clubman, White Silver, contrasted by the black finish on the roof and exterior mirror caps.

Bi-xenon headlights with smoked lenses, a chrome kit and two-tone 16- or 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 195/55 or 205/45 tires respectively (depending on the model) are also part of the package.

Inside, MINI ups the luxury ante with a three-spoke, multifunction, leather steering wheel, sport seats upholstered in cloth and leather, brushed aluminum trim and upgraded standard equipment that includes air conditioning on all models.

The 2010 Cooper Mini Clubman Soho will go on sale in Italy in the beggining of January with prices ranging from €19,900 (US$27,100) for the One model to €28,900 (about US$41,500) for the Cooper S version.