What attracts me to the Mini is that it is just plain fun to drive. It is nimble, quick, and one of the best handling production cars I ever have driven. I wasn’t sure how the Clubman (a sort of wagon) was going to measure up.

I test drove the Clubman and was able to put it through the same aggressive paces that I put any car that I test drive. Generally, I thought the car performed well. It seemed a little sluggish compared to the Cooper S that I drive every day, but that was to be expected. It handled corners sharply, although I felt a little slippage in a couple tight turns. I was testing the Clubman S, so the horsepower was comparable to my daily Mini experience.

The part that I didn’t get with the entire Clubman is why it exists. I believe the point was to give more cargo room and to make the back seat able to hold someone over the age of six. As I looked in the back seat and checked out the expanded storage area I didn’t really see that much difference. They state that there are two more inches of leg room in the back seat, but I couldn’t notice it. The split-doors of the rear end do offer a little greater access, but I am not sure the slightly enhanced storage space will change who can buy a Mini.

The Clubman left me scratching my head. I think some devoted Mini drivers will pick one up for the novelty, but I am not sure if many American families would want one of these.

Well, on February 14th, BMW North America (the base of HAMANN Thunder) is rolling out the Clubman for its Mini Cooper division. The Clubman is a cross between an SUV, station wagon, and Mini. It is meant to appeal to families that need a little more space and will allow children to sit fully in the back seat. It also more than doubles the cargo space of the standard Cooper model.

The Clubman is really a new remake and remodeling of the traditional European Mini model known as the Traveller. It has two back doors and a half-door on the driver side that allows for greater access for getting in and out.

The styling of the Clubman is similar to the USA Mini predecessors, and the company is hoping it has the same fun driving experience and cult-like following. Gas Pedal Addicts will keep you posted when we test drive in a couple weeks.