The 2016 MINI Clubman has just been announced for the Frankfurt Motor Show and along with its presence at the most prestigious venue of its kind, the new model was also unveiled with three new power plants.
We told you all about them earlier but we’re not here to discuss performance or looks, we’re here right now to see how regular people react to the new MINI model that wants to step with one foot into the future.
In case you didn’t know, the MINI Clubman is the first car from the British manufacturer that steps into the premium compact segment. That’s a bold move from the Oxford-based car maker and BMW is behind it all the way.
Unsurprisingly though, it’s also using the UKL platform and with it came the new B family of engines. They range from 1.2-liter 3-cylinder units to 2-liter 4-cylinder ones, the most attractive choice being the Cooper SD so far, if you’re to ask us, with 190 HP and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque coming out of a diesel mill.
When it came to what the people think of it, the opinions were split. Most liked the rear end of the car and the fact that the barn-style doors were kept intact. However, some expressed disconcert towards the fact that the front end was changed a bit compared to the hardtop.
On the other hand, the move to a more traditional body style and using two full doors on each side of the car was regarded as a significant advantage by all viewers. Truth be told, the extra side door on the right side of the previous model was indeed a bit of a weird choice, to put it mildly.
As far as downsides go, one complaint was that the windows seem a bit small, leaving the little sun and air coming in while the visibility in the back is limited with the headrests up. But then it was time to say goodbye, maybe admit to actually wanting to buy one and we were surprised how many people decided it was worth the investment.
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