Warning: Some of the worst “spy” photos you’ve ever seen are in the following report!

Anyway, on the 5th July 2007 we drove to the coast in our MINI Cooper S to celebrate our Son’s 4th Birthday. We drive through Oxford on the way and our boy wanted to see the factory where all the “MINI cars” are built. He is also a fan of low-loaders (what four year old isn’t?!) so we took a short diversion to BMW Plant Oxford to show him the factory, and the huge car park(s) full of shiny new MINIs out the back, awaiting delivery to customers all over the World.

As we drove down a slip lane next to the factory, what should appear alongside us on the other side of the fence but a Lightning Blue and Silver MINI Clubman in Cooper S trim! We had the camera, so we grabbed a few (terrible) photographs. It was a strange sensation driving alongside the Clubman, slightly above it and at the same speed. Eventually our traffic queue ground to a halt and off they went…

Later, at the rear of the Oxford plant, we are eventually advised “no photos please” by some Oxford employees as we get out of the car to take a look at all the “MINI Cars”. We took our Son out of the car and showed him all the MINIs. To cap off the short excursion, as we were there a low-loader MINIs in all sorts of colours and trim came out of the gates. Perhaps worryingly we actually seemed more impressed than him at the time.

While gazing through the fence we saw a total of four MINI Clubman, all Cooper S models, and all either Lightning Blue and Dark Silver with contrasting Silver roof and wing mirror caps.

We’ve had our reservations about the Clubman, but seeing it close up (were were literally a few feet away at closest) we have to admit to being won over by the finished product. The one-sided “Club Door” is odd, but the fitment on these cars was tight and neatly aligned, so it didn’t look a mess as some spy photos have suggested it could.

In fact, the car looked very “tidy” and we’re taking a “glass half full” approach to the Clubman from now on. It looks cracking, the balance with the longer wheel base and new roof line and rear seem to suit the larger plastic trim and higher waste of the second generation MINI very well indeed. It has been suggested previously that the design of the second generation MINI had the Clubman in mind from the start (which, of course, it would do), but the design looks very balanced, and somehow appears very small and low, especially “in motion”.

So there you have it, and here’s some of the worst Clubman “spy” shots you’re ever likely to see.

Keep tuned to MINI2 this weekend for much more on the MINI Clubman, and take a browse of our MINI Clubman news archive and our MINI Clubman forum to keep you busy until then!