[daro911]

Oh dear JC has just trashed the Clubman "S" in his latest test rant. What a banker

Jeremy Clarkson Mini Cooper S Clubman review | Driving - Times Online

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

I'd just read through the typical, endless, JC preamble and got to the bit when he actually starts talking about the car he's reviewing (in this case, over half way through!) when I've been told I've got to go shopping

I'll get back to it later....

Tigger.

[Mess]

Can the clubman owners confirm what he has said as truthfull? With out any bias?

Hes well and truely slated it.

[My MINI me and me]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mess (original)

Can the clubman owners confirm what he has said as truthfull? With out any bias?

Hes well and truely slated it.

Let's consider:

The boot is smaller than a Honda Jazz :
I best get down to Honda!

Single pasenger rear door on the drivers side:
A pet hate of mine, but MINI are not going to change it for me or JC.

All you can see out of the rear is a pillars where the doors meet:
So I don't need to worry about poor visibility from the rear window tinting option I declined... never mind that I have not been able to see out of my MC convertible for about 4 weeks now with the winter weather.

Natural Cruising speed is 100:
So now I need to be really worried the diesel automatic has the same gear ratios as the S.. 12 points coming my way despite my London average currently being about 19 mph.

Camber dictates the direction of the car and greesy roundabouts ... woe betide you:
Camber yes, roundabouts, I booted the clubman out of several on the test drive and yet I'm here... am I in the after life on mini2?

Torque Steer:
Probably my MCS does

The MINI Clubman S price is high:
No it's not cheap I couldn't even get a discount (except free TLC) however JC mentions his Lamborgini and Mercedes SL in the article, so it's all relative and what do they cost to to run & service?

So there you have it should I be worried and get a goat instead as JC recommends? How much would one cost to import one from Mozambique where the arcticle started, I'll just assume until I've done a test drive/ride that a goat can carry 500 kilos fully laden and get to the South of France in a day?

Alternatively I could take a minor amount of enjoyment that I will soon be owning a car that JC hates. After all despite JC being "Top Gear" it still seems to be more enjoyable programme when he looses the argument or test to May or Hammond ... which isn't often.

What lose global wildlife connection do you think JC would write about if he was given my Oyster card for a week?

"I tried to get an elephant down the escalator but couldn't and despite the fact that I had prepaid the bendy bus driver would not put out the ramp...therefore Oyster cards are practically no use when traversing London on an elephant and you would be better off with a Clubman"

No no no what am I thinking .... I'm cancelling my order and getting a flight to Mozambique where I should get a good secondhand deal on a Honda Goat with only a handful of careful owners....

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

I've read it now. It's an interesting and brutal review

It's good to see the designers (or is it the accountants?) get their just-deserts over fitting just one rear door Also, whilst the rear blind spot is an problem for anyone not used to driving a Transit, I've never heard of torque steer affecting any MINIs before He said that the hatch didn't torque steer, but the Clubman does Can anyone whose tried one, or owns one, throw any light on this?

Tigger.

[Maurice]

Torque steer:
Torque steering - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tigger, I'd be interested in hearing the experience of Clubman owners as well--we've got our eye on one, since with two kids we're growing out of the Cooper...

[SeldomSeen]

I think JC is saying that the car isn't as practical as he was expecting

Would all the people who bought MINIs with practicality at the top of their requirements list please step forward, as you won't like the Clubman?

[femstar]

wow just sent wifey off to retrive paper from the car, wanna have a read!

[MarkW]

tbh honest it's not that bad
he picks 4 issues with the car
1 Boot Space/practicality
2 Visibility
3 Torque Steer
4 Price

well 1 and 4 and pretty much know facts with any mini, they are pricey and they aren't the most practical, but probably not why most drivers pick them.

Visibility and torque steer are both worth knowing about if your thinking of a Clubman S

[My MINI me and me]

Quote: Originally Posted by femstar (original)

wow just sent wifey off to retrive paper from the car, wanna have a read!

Just in case its sold out:

Jeremy Clarkson Mini Cooper S Clubman review | Driving - Times Online


Looks like its getting busy as the link is not always working.

[jon vital]

Can you spec it with an LSD?

[Gemini4321]

Well JC is a plonker anyway.

We have had a clubman for just over a week and I love it, yes the veiw out the rear is restricted but you can still see out of it, I have darkened glass at the rear as well, so I need to get use to that, not a big deal in my veiw.

Price all Mini's are pricey.

Boot space is bigger that my old S but not enormous but if I wanted an estate I would have bought one, with the back seats down my 2 German Shepherds would fit in there, plus when the seats are down unlike the cooper s the load space is flat in the clubman.

Torque steer not experienced it, have done 300 miles in it so far up and down M4 and M25.
But I haven't hammered it and have kept the revs down as its new.

Gemini

[Adgeman]

My parents pointed this out to me today as part of their argument that I shouldn't buy the Clubman. I read the link; sounds much like standard Clarkson to me. He's rarely sitting on the fence either hating or loving a car. Interested to hear about the torque steer; I guess they'll be able to revise this?

The door thing doesn't annoy me; perfect side of the road for Vancouver

[Aberdeen Al]

The Mini Clubman was just voted most pointless car or worst looking car on Top Gear tonight.........................he obviously doesn't like it but I suppose everyone is entitled to their opinion.

[kmpowell]

Quote: Originally Posted by Aberdeen Al (original)

The Mini Clubman was just voted most pointless car or worst looking car on Top Gear tonight.

... they couldn't have been more right if they'd tried, which they didn't.

As Sniffpetrol wrote:



All spot 100% on. Apologies to Clubman owners but it's an embarrassment to the Marque IMO.

[mella yella fella]

Don't get me wrong,I like Clarkson,but his knowledge of cars is very limited. if it doesn't cost over £100k, or is in any way practical then he will slate it. enuff said

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Though it's worth mentioning that their Car of the Year was the Mondeo, or the Subaru Outback thingy....

[mella yella fella]

although he's never even sat in a new volvo mondeo!!

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Quote: Originally Posted by mella yella fella (original)

new volvo mondeo!!

Not sure what you mean by Volvo Mondeo! I drive a V70 for work (have done for the last 5 years) and looking at the new V70, you could definitely call that a Ford V70 Not sure that Volvo has had much influence in the other direction though...

Tigger.

[jordangpboy]

Yes it does torque steer and the boot aint as big as Mondeo estate...but who cares! if you like it, you like it and if you dont..you dont... it is really that simple.
I had a Clubman S for a day and found the rear view no problem at all, I could see everything I needed to see out the back. The Clubdoor, granted opens on the wrong side...but the other seat folds back letting passengers out, so big deal! I did find the car very quick, having never driven the S before I was impressed how quickly it picked up speed. But also it could handle day to day traffic with ease without driving like a nutter.


I didnt like it when I saw it in the press, but seeing it in the metal(Oxford launch) I think it looks great!

I love it! :-) Mine would be an S in PW/B...if anyone wants to treat me! ;-)