Mini Cooper S Clubman Memphis TN

We have here a philosophical issue rooted in semantics. Webster’s New World tells us that “mini” refers to “something that is very small in size . . . especially as compared to others of the same kind.” The Clubman is the largest car ever to wear Mini logos, and it raises questions, such as: When does a Mini cease to be a Mini and become something else—a Midi, maybe? And what limits, if any, does a brand name impose on its products?

Mini faithful might argue that “compared to others of the same kind” is not possible because Minis are a breed apart, and in any case, the Clubman still ranks near the bottom of the dimension charts of cars for sale in the U.S.—only the Smart Fortwo is distinctly smaller. Still, there are many excellent subcompact hatchbacks that are similar in size and offer more room, some with a surprisingly high fun-to-drive index, all with much lower price tags (the Honda Fit, for one).

To this, the faithful might respond, “Yeah, but the Clubman will blow their doors off.” No argument there. At 2856 pounds, the Clubman S is 234 pounds heavier than the last Cooper S we tested, but it’s still capable of scooting to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds. That’s 0.6 second slower than the standard Cooper S, but a Honda Fit requires almost nine seconds to achieve mile-a-minute velocity. We anticipate that the naturally aspirated Cooper Clubman would deliver similar results: not quite as quick as the three-door Cooper, but quicker than the Fit or other subcompacts.

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