Dubbed “The Other Mini”, the new Clubman is going to shake up the premium small car market with its versatility, while retaining the Mini Cooper’s dynamic driving ability.

At the launch of the new station wagon-style Mini Clubman, the manufacturer revealed some of its new advertising campaign, including the incredible Clubman Pinball TV ad. If you haven’t seen this, see what all the fuss is about by logging on to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix_nmibp3Ik

The concept for the new Clubman has been inspired by the original Mini Traveller and Countryman – wagon versions of the Classic Mini that have gained cult status.

The new car apes the square rear end and upright twin doors of the original. However, to increase the Clubman’s practicality, it has a second, half-door behind the passenger door – think Mazda RX8 or Ford F-150. This provides improved access to the rear seats, which now have greater legroom thanks to 3” added to the wheelbase. With an additional 6” added to the rear of the car, the Clubman is over 9” longer than a regular Mini and miles more versatile.

During our time with the car we were able to fully explore the superb handling and 172hp power from the 1.6 liter 16v turbo Cooper S motor. And while the Clubman Cooper S is slightly heavier than its two-door sibling, the trade-offs are minimal. There is a minimal loss of agility and a marginal reduction in acceleration. However, the extra weight does seem to improve stability, particularly at freeway speeds. So unless you plan to use the Clubman for autocross events, the changes will actually benefit you.

As if to emphasize the diminutive proportions of the Clubman, we spotted a colony of elephant seals basking on the beach along the Pacific Coast Highway. While the females are large, the males can reach 16ft long and weigh up to 5000 lb – dwarfing the 13ft, 2700 lb Clubman. The problem is that these lumbering giants often kill their own pups by rolling over and crushing them. Continuing this awkward analogy, we certainly the new Clubman won’t crush the original two-door model. In fact, Mini’s hoping it will attract a new type of customer and will prepare us all for the Mini SUV that’s just around the corner.

For more details about the Clubman, see the June 2008 issue of eurotuner Magazine.