MINI has really hit its stride with their next generation cars, fully integrated with BMW goodness and altogether more satisfying. And now they’re expanding the appeal of their lineup by going bigger and even more bespoke – this is the all new Clubman.
Longer and wider than any other MINI, growing over 12” in length and nearly 5” in width, and now distinguished as a separate model from the Cooper Hardtop, the 2016 Clubman has been crafted in the tradition of British estate cars. Its newfound largess catapults the Clubman from subcompact to midsize proportions and with the choice of 2 turbocharged engines, manual and automatic transmissions and front- or all-wheel drive, the new Clubman becomes the MINI with the mostest.
Pricing starts at about $25,000 for the 134-horsepower 3-cylinder model while this higher-performing Cooper S Clubman with the 2.0-liter turbo-4 begins at $28,500. Building your car is one of the coolest aspects of buying a MINI with literally over 10 million possible configurations, appealing to those who see their car as an extension of their personality. As such, my tester is highly optioned with items such as this beautiful Pure Burgundy paint, the 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters – a MINI first, and a host of loaded packages and standalone options adding over $11,000 of personalized equipment.
When you hear $39,500 you initially cringe…I get it. But the level of customization is off the charts with items like this gorgeous Chesterfield interior as just one example. It exudes a high quality feel and it’s as if you’re sitting in a car you yourself created. There’s really nothing on the market quite like it.
By TestDriveNow Auto Critic Steve Hammes for SouthFloridaReporter.com, April 12, 2016
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