MINI admits Clubman door flaw

[Paul]

Mini has admitted for the first time that the unusual, and somewhat controversial door layout of the new Mini Clubman may turn off some buyers. That's according a report published Today on the <a hr...Read full report

[I love MINI, Laura]

Glad its not just us that thinks its a bit silly with only one suicide door on the drivers side for our market then.

[Paul]

Far from it. When we're talking to people about the Clubman and I explain (usually correct) them that the rear door is on the drivers side, they look kind of puzzled and express how silly that seems to them.

[TFA]

Seems to me I would want to get to the back seat from the side of the car I am always on - uh - let's see - that would nbe the DRIVER'S side!! And here stateside, that is on the left-hand side.

I don't want to run to the other side every time I have big packages to get in and out. Seems silly to not put the doors on both sides.

But, I probably will never buy one, alas, because I don't think they are interested in building my particular config...

4WD Diesel !!!

Would buy one tomorrow, and sell my diesel VW and my Mazda MPV SUV!

[I love MINI, Laura]

If I wanted to let people I was dropping off say to the train station etc. I wouldn't want to get out of my seat to let the people in the back out - therefore would be much better to have the extra door on the passenger side. Then they could all get out that way and I wouldn't have to move.

The clubman has a bigger boot anyway (supposedly) so really you would only be using the back seats for extra people? Parking on the road in the direction of traffic it would be safer to access the back from the passenger side as it would be to the pavement not opening into the road. Therefore the back door how it is now for us English people is not the nicest additional extra.

[rec]

i HATE it when people adjust my seat or dont return it to the correct position when getting into the car from the drivers side, so i only let people into the back from the passenger side.

plus yeah, i dont want to have to get out of the car when i'm giving people a lift..

i dont know why they didn't just put a door on each side.

[Japper]

MINI admits Clubman door flaw

[Paul]

Quote: Originally Posted by rec (original)

i dont know why they didn't just put a door on each side.

The reason given by most people has been the cost to move the filler etc.

But they moved the fuel filler for the mechanism on the first generation MINI Convertible, it seems like a lack of foresight that they should build the coupe/hatch model without thinking about the adapting it to both Clubman and Convertible models this time around.

[Paul]

Quote: Originally Posted by Japper (original)

MINI admits Clubman door flaw

Doh!

[Shaun]

"We accept the design of the Clubman might turn off some people, but we also believe that there are others who will like its unusual design.."

I wonder if the designers of the AMC Pacer used that line?

In the TopGear article I mentioned about elsewere thay just said "You cant get out of the rear without opening the front door anyway so theres no safety issue".
Just a silly issue that given the choice we would throw our rear passengers out through the passenger side not get out open the door and let them out even four up I just slide my seat forward and the drivers side rear passneger crawls accross the seat.
I woud find the door more convenient for fastening James into a car seat though regardless of wich side its on and the increased legroom might mean he can sit behind me and mum can look over the shoulder to see him?

[TimCS]

That's quite a valid point actually for parents of young kids. As a parent myself you want your child to a)be able to see you and b) for you to be able to see them. In the UK this means the optimum place (almost standard) for childseats is back nearside position. The Clubdoor being behind the driver will help a bit with fastening our little ones in but it certainly would have been better on that side for access. Still a cool looking car though and a welcome addition to the range. Now for the pick-up.

[MartinSSZ]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett (original)

The reason given by most people has been the cost to move the filler etc.

But they moved the fuel filler for the mechanism on the first generation MINI Convertible, it seems like a lack of foresight that they should build the coupe/hatch model without thinking about the adapting it to both Clubman and Convertible models this time around.

I agree Paul - I would like to know from BMW/MINI why they haven't given the Clubman two "club doors", to me it seems like another way to cut costs, and that they don't really care about the impact to sales in RHD markets...

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

I'm pretty certain that MINI are convinced that whatever they make, we will buy it; I guess whoever came up with the suggestion that we would still accept a premium priced estate car, even with just one rear door (on the wrong side for the home market), will probably be proven right

If they get away with this one, what next?.....

[TimCS]

A pillarless coupe with welded doors that you can only enter/exit General Lee stylee. Plus it'll run beaut on Moonshine! Yee haaaaaa! Mine'll be called Dipstick. No doubt someone else will call theirs Flash.

[s_and_m]

I saw a red cooper Clubman trundling around Oxford a couple of weekends back - it ooks pretty odd when you look at one flank and then the other. Luckily this is a pretty strange way to look at cars, but for my money the drivers side looks better than the unbroken passenger side.

I'm going to wait till I've driven one before deciding if it makes more sense (oh alright) has more appeal than say a used 3 series touring or a Skoda Roomster (eeek!)

S