Room At The Back

Want more practicality from your MINI? What you need is a Clubman estate.

- Martyn Collins

The second-generation R56 hatch might have been 60mm longer, creating a welcome 10 extra litres in the load area, but rear and boot space was still tight, so any added practicality to the MINI’s combination of retro-looks and keen drive would surely be welcomed. And MINI’s response was the R55 Clubman estate, launched roughly a year after the hatch in November 2007.

Like the R56 hatchback, the R55 was powered by more efficient and sophisticated Citroen/Peugeot petrol and diesel engines, mated with a choice of six speed manual and automatic transmissions. The first models available at launch were Cooper, Cooper D and Cooper S versions. The Cooper boasted 118bhp and 0-60mph acceleration in 8.9 seconds, the Cooper D diesel with 108bhp and the 181bhp Cooper S.

Initially sales were slow but, with the second-generation F54 Clubman five-door firmly established, the R55 attracts new buyers who like this MINI’s quirky looks, along with the expected fun drive.

Exterior

As you’d expect from MINI, it’s not just a conventional estate version of the R56 hatch. The first-generation Clubman had retro-styled twin rear barn doors, with distinctive contrasting silver or black panelling which fitted around the rear light clusters. These were a nod to the original Classic Mini, with which it shares its name.

Controversially it had an extra third side door, called the ‘Clubdoor’. Why controversial? Well for UK right-hand drive models, this door was fitted on the right, which hindered its usefulness, although the quality and fit of these extra doors was impressive.