I wonder if Mini considered the possibility of the Clubman's third door being placed on the left side for left drive cars. Don't know how many Clubmans Mini sells here ( I see a lot in Houston) but it makes all the sense in the world to have the third door behind the driver for easy access! I know it's cost prohibitive.:nice:

It is placed where it is with left drive cars in mind... the idea being that you let your passengers out onto the sidewalk/pavement! In the UK, or anywhere else with right drive, sure the door is behind the driver, but you always end up letting your rear passengers out into oncoming traffic!

What if it's you mother-in-law?

I hear the next generation Clubman will have rear side doors on both sides, not done on the current Clubman I believe because of the costs involved in moving the fuel tank filler and passing more type approval tests?

unfortunately they are looking at dropping the clubman altogether..... releasing a four door hatch (same as the new 3 door due to be revealed late sept officially) then planning to release a model rumoured to be called the traveller which is more MPV......which they are testing at present

As has been said, the club door is supposedly for letting your rear passengers out more easily, and the Clubman is constantly slated for it being on 'the wrong side' in the UK. Most Clubman owners use it as an easier way for the driver to get things out of the back, and when you drive around, it seems even people with 4 door cars like getting their passengers out into the traffic....
As for the next generation, I understood that there would be a 5 door Clubman (as well as a 5 door option on the hatch). I don't think BMW can use the 'traveller' name, hence why the Clubman was so named, as they don't have the rights to it.

To be fair i like the clubbie in appearance (especially the works) but what i think lets it down is the one back door. Ideally it needs 2 rear doors, one on each side in my opinion or it needs to be on the passenger side. Plus the seatbelts seem to get in the way, and dont you need to open the front door to enable you to open the rear one so picking people up is a pain. The problem is that if mini release a 4 door hatch (which they say they will prob do late next year) and they have the countryman, would they also need to sell the clubbie. Judging by some comments mini have made they may redesign the clubby into something more like an mpv with sliding rear doors (a bit like a vauxhall meriva,ford B-Max)


i have also found this on top of the revised version 3 cars these are more expected NEW minis
- F54 All new mini hatch (larger) due summer 2013
-A five-door hatchback F54, due in summer 2014, challenging the new A-class and A1 Sportback
- A four-door hatchback F54, due in summer 2015, takes on Audi A3 Sportback, gaining a fourth door, 10 inches in length and therefore more boot space.
- A five-door Sportvan F58, due in spring 2016, sporting a lower roof, longer-wheelbase designed in essence as a people carrier
- A four-door saloon F59, due in autumn 2016, all-new notchback zooms in on A3 Sportb

After doing some research rumour has it that it may be called a Spacebox?, but more likely is the traveller name (as they still own this name, apparently with a list of others ie riley) its being tested right now. The pictures of the countryman show the floorplan/chassis been tested- look at the wider/longer wheelbase....its going to grow even more?

The USA MINI website 'Motoringfile' always has a lot of information, pictures and guesswork on future models and updates:
MotoringFile | MotoringFile | MINI news, reviews and opinion. MINI Cooper, Cooper S, Clubman, Countryman (http://www.motoringfile.com/)