A five-door Mini Clubman concept car will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show next week, a version of the popular hatchback that will compete with bigger vehicles like VW's Golf and Audi's A3.
The quality of the interior will be ramped up in the new car, enabling the five-door Clubman to sit comfortably in the compact premium class.
It is expected that the final production version will be very similar to the concept version, following a tradition at Mini for producing near-market-ready concept vehicles.
Coming in at 4m 22cm long, the new concept adds a full 26cm to the car’s length. This is almost precisely the same as the Golf. Insiders believe the new five-seat Mini will also compete well with the Golf in terms of storage space. The German hatchback offers 380 litres, a figure the concept Clubman will no doubt try to emulate.
Visually the exclusivity of the new Clubman has been accentuated with chrome headlights, door handles and rear light edging, although the merged grille-and-bumper design is still present.
A large oval touchscreen replaces the central circular unit found in other Minis, including the new hatchback. Leather and wood increase the premium sensation further, as does the tweed and twill seat coverings.
Engines are likely to be the same at the standard hatch, which might not add to the exclusivity much, especially since a recent Warranty Direct survey gave the Mini a low score for engine reliability. But still, owners shouldn't have to call upon their car breakdown insurance too often.
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