The last Mini Clubman wagon has rolled off the production line in England, and the split doors have closed forever. This nostalgic occasion occurs 55 years after the model’s 1969 first release and nearly two decades after the Clubman was “reborn” in 2007. Over 1.1 million units have been produced in all, more than 550,000 of which date back to the BMW era.
Crossovers have gained popularity, as times have changed. The Aceman and Countryman will essentially replace the Clubman when the world transitions to an electric era. Nevertheless, Mini went down memory lane and concluded that the back doors of the vehicle were actually a little annoying. As Guy Elliott explained:
“We needed to ensure that both doors would always open fully without obscuring the rear lights, which was a legal requirement. Achieving this required fine tuning and developing the gas strut system to ensure the doors functioned correctly in all climatic conditions.”
The split doors weren’t the only unusual feature; the first modern Clubman included a “Clubdoor” to enhance access to the back seats. The suicide-style quarter door was unique to one side, with a pillarless design and some unusual characteristics. While a chapter is closing on the Mini history books, the company is looking forward to the future.
“We are incredibly proud to have built the Mini Clubman at Plants Oxford and Swindon over the last 18 years for customers all over the world. With its departure, we look ahead to welcoming members of the new Mini family to our Oxford and Swindon lines, including a new convertible model which we will start to produce at the end of this year.”
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