The Versatility of the Clubman’s Barn-Style Doors Showcased by MINI

Ever since the first Clubman arrived in the automotive world, it had a trademark feature that no other car has, except, of course, for commercial vehicles. We’re referring to the barn-style doors at the back, something that has been regarded as rather controversial.

Using the doors allows you to be more creative and solves some headaches for some while creating problems for others. It’s an interesting approach, nonetheless.

Opening and closing them can be done in a couple of different ways, as the new Clubman is well suited for today’s needs, now coming even with a sensor in the rear bumper that allows you to open them using your foot.

All you need to do if your car has this optional feature installed is kick your foot under the rear bumper and the doors will automatically open after you have been warned, to avoid any accidents. To do so, you also have to have the key in your pocket or your hand, somewhere in the vicinity of the car’s rear end.

Opening them traditionally is still possible, but you’ll have to open the right side door first, and then the left side one. It’s kind of the same system as on the BMW i3, and it's designed so that road noise is kept away from the cabin. The reverse order must be followed when closing the doors, with the left one needing to be shut before the right one can join it.

The doors also have pistons on them, which allow you to open them from a distance using the key fob. All you need to do is press the trunk release button for about one second. Of course, you should make sure nobody will get hit while doing so. This is a two-step procedure, meaning that if you press the button once, only the right door will open. Pressing it again will do the same thing for the left side one. We attached a video below that explains all these ways of opening the trunk of your new Clubman.