Mini is ending 2016 on a BIG note! The Clubman made its India debut today. What does the big boy from the Mini stable have to offer? Let's take a quick look:
The Price
The Clubman is priced at Rs 37.90 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi). It will be available in a single Cooper S variant at the moment. For reference, the Cooper hatchback range starts Rs 28.50 lakh, whereas the Cooper Convertible is priced at Rs 34.90 lakh. Interestingly, the Clubman is just Rs 1.40 lakh dearer compared to the Countryman, that retails for Rs 36.50 lakh.
The Looks
The Clubman looks quintessentially Mini. Not dimensionally, but definitely by design. The crossover overtones are made amply apparent by the matte black cladding, whereas signature Mini design traits such as circular headlamps, the clamshell hood, and the large grille find their place on the Clubman as well. The party piece, of course, is the split tailgate, that can be opened individually too.
The Cabin
A typical Mini cabin welcomes you as you step inside the Clubman. The funky retro theme is likeable, and it gets a host of goodies too, that include leather upholstery, ambient lighting, electrically adjustable seats and a 6.5/8.8-inch screen for the infotainment. Considering the Clubman has one of the longest wheelbases among its clan, it can actually seat four people in relative comfort. It should have no qualms carrying their luggage either; bootspace is rated at 360 litres.
The Powerhouse
The Clubman is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which we've seen under the hood of the Cooper S and the Cooper S Convertible. The hoot of an engine makes 192PS of power and 280Nm, and comes paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Unlike other markets that get an 'All4' all-wheel-drive system, our market will have to make do with just the front-wheel-drive version.
The Rivals
The Mini positions itself as a lifestyle offering, sitting half a rung above the usual German crossovers such as the BMW X1, the Audi Q3 and the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class.
Source: CarDekho.com
