Mini Clubman: six-door wagon spied

The new-generation Mini Clubman will feature a unique six-door layout designed to enhance the practicality of the quirky wagon-style hatchback.

Images of a second-gen Clubman prototype captured by CarAdvice’s spy photographers confirm the new model will gain conventional front-hinged rear passenger doors like the recently spied Mini five-door, abandoning the right-side rear-hinged half door of the current model.

The signature rear barn doors of its predecessor are retained, however, ensuring the new Clubman remains easily distinguishable from the rest of the iconic British car maker’s new-generation small-car family.

The front-end styling of this standard Cooper Clubman model is shared with the entry-level version of the new hatch, while the rear is again set to feature unique tail-lights that work around the barn doors.

The new Mini Clubman is said to be much larger than the current model, with some comparing its proportions to those of the mid-sized BMW 3 Series wagon.

The Clubman will ride on a stretched version of the BMW Group’s new front-wheel-drive ‘UKL’ platform, which make its production car debut beneath the all-new Mini Cooper hatch at last week’s Los Angeles auto show.

The new Clubman will inherit its turbocharged engines and six-speed transmissions from the hatch, which will launch early next year with 100kW/220Nm 1.5-litre three-cylinder and 141kW/280Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engines and an 85kW/270Nm 1.5-litre three-cylinder diesel.

The Clubman will also benefit from the advanced tech features debuted in the new-generation hatch, including adaptive cruise control, road sign detection, auto reverse parking and a head-up display.

The Mini Clubman is expected to reach international showrooms in 2015, following the launch of the hatch and anticipated introductions of the five-door and Cabrio body styles.