2016 Mini Cooper S Clubman Rendered, Detailed: It’s Coming to Haul Your Stuff

What It Is: To say the final Mini Clubman was a compelling oddball would be an understatement. It was half hatchback, half station wagon and nearly completely strange, with a 5-door layout that integrated rear barn doors and a rear-hinged suicide door on one side only. It was as well modest to ever be taken seriously as a load-lugger—despite Mini trying, and failing, to make a case—but it undoubtedly had an abundance of character.

This is our rendered take on what the new version to be launched later this year will look like. We know that it will be larger and much more sensible—indeed, it’s set to be the greatest Mini but in terms of all round dimensions. The big question is whether or not it will be able to match any of the idiosyncratic charm of its predecessor.

2013 Mini Cooper Clubman

The Clubman will, in essence, be a station-wagon version of the 4-door Cooper hatchback, with an extended cargo area. The rear-hinged “clubdoor” has gone, replaced by standard doors (and one particular on every single side!), but it will stick with twin side-hinged doors at the back, with the glass in every getting its own dinky tiny wiper blade. If it sticks to the published dimensions of the apparently production ready Clubman Concept that was shown at the 2014 Geneva auto show, it will be some 10 inches longer than the last Clubman and a half a foot up on the Countryman, which, till now, has been the greatest Mini.

Why It Matters: In the U.S. we fear that it won’t. Promoting station wagons is enough of a challenge here in the ideal of times, let alone a little one particular that carries the price premium that comes with a Mini badge. But in those components of the planet where tourers still reign—like Europe—this is a sensible move to broaden the appeal of the Mini hatchback. Luggage accommodation is unlikely to be overly generous, but it will nonetheless be the most spacious Mini to date for both men and women and stuff. Mini insiders have hinted that we can also count on to see an all-wheel-drive version later on, which will broaden its appeal still additional.

Platform: Like its F56 Mini brethren, the Clubman sits on BMW’s new front-drive UKL1 platform, which also underpins the not too long ago launched (and thankfully not-for-the-U.S.) BMW 2-Series Active Tourer. Mechanically it will share all main elements with the Mini hatchback (and the 2er), including the very same independent rear suspension. BMW has resisted the temptation to match a less costly (and far more space-effective) torsion beam at the back, which need to make certain the Clubman drives as crisply as its hatchback siblings but efficiently precludes offering third-row seating in this model provided the packaging constraints.

2013 Mini Cooper Clubman

Powertrain: All will be familiar, with the same 3- and 4-cylinder gasoline engines as the existing Cooper hatchback, probably running all the way to the 228-hp John Cooper Operates powertrain, and with a decision of automatic or stick-shift transmissions. Europeans will also be in a position to pick diesel versions, although they practically undoubtedly won’t make it to the U.S. And as mentioned above, the platform gives all-wheel drive, which we think will be presented as an choice some time following launch.

Competition: Fiat 500L, Ford Focus ST, Volkswagen Golf SportWagen.

Estimated Arrival and Value: Appear for the new Clubman to arrive in the 4th quarter of 2015, and to command roughly $ 1500 far more than the commensurate 2-door, non-Clubman hatchbacks.

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2016 Mini Cooper S Clubman Rendered, Detailed: It’s Coming to Haul Your Stuff

2016 BMW 7-series Detailed, Driven: A Prototype Drive Shows It is No Turkey

Born in the teeth of the Wonderful Recession, the fat but not so content fifth generation of BMW’s 7-series flagship is ultimately relinquishing its post to a a lot more fit successor.

The 7-series has traditionally been the BMW for those who can barely recall their stick-shift, tail-sliding days. Offered in a option of extended or really lengthy wheelbases, with up to 12 twin-turbocharged cylinders, and with rear- or 4-wheel drive, the 7 is a 4-door limo blessed with comfort, speed, and a suitably aloof demeanor.

But the globe has changed because the current 7 arrived in 2009. Fisker came and went, Tesla emerged as the green-chip luxury brand, Mercedes is as sturdy as ever, and Cadillac is showing signs of intelligent life. The luxury-vehicle business is flourishing so nicely that even the Korean brands are nibbling a thin slice of the pie.

BMW has created decisive moves to safe its future. Last year, the company’s engineering commander announced that electrification will spread beyond the i3 and i8 fashion statements and the present 3, 5, and 7 ActiveHybrids to include a plug-in hybrid selection for every core model. BMW is the uncontested leader amongst automakers in weight-saving composite plastics with its own plant in Washington state creating reasonably priced carbon fiber in partnership with the SGL Group.

5 years ago, fresh out of its shipping container, a 2010 BMW 750Li thumped a Mercedes S550 in a 2-car comparison test, but the big Bimmer rapidly lost steam. A 750i lost to Porsche’s new Panamera S whilst beating a Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S. Then in 2011, a 750Li suffered the indignity of a distant third-spot outcome versus Audi’s A8L and Jaguar’s supercharged XJL. The new 7 arrives late this year to make amends.

Although we can’t announce mission accomplished soon after only 8 paced laps around BMW’s Miramas, France, test tracks in early production automobiles, we’re encouraged by what we’ve discovered about the 7 hence far:

• Project head Walter Schindlbeck acknowledges the want to restore the flagship’s neglected ride and handling strengths.

• Weight-saving technologies have been applied in earnest. BMW engineers have produced an astute mix of high-strength steel, aluminum, magnesium, plastic, and carbon fiber supplies to trim a claimed 285 pounds in base weight—a third of that from the body—while lowering the 7’s center of gravity and improving both bending and torsional stiffness. Numerous suspension and brake elements have been switched from iron and steel to aluminum and sound deadening is employed more sparingly. Unsprung weight drops by 15 %.

• BMW is so proud of its innovative ‘carbon core’ unibody building that a badge touting that technology is discretely affixed to each of the 7’s B-pillars. Although stamped steel remains as the key constituent, there’s less of it thanks to the use of 15 molded carbon-fiber (CF) reinforcements added at strategic locations. The largest molding is a lengthy CF tube that sweeps majestically from the base of each A-pillar, along the top of the door openings, and down to the base of the C-pillars. The upper half of every B-pillar is reinforced with a CF layer that’s pressed and cured in place with a single-sided die. A huge patch is also secured with rivets and adhesives at the base of every C-pillar. The windshield header and 2 bows reinforce the roof structure. The 7’s center tunnel has a CF doubler to augment the body’s bending stiffness and to assist manage forward collision loads. Add to that 2 CF door-sill inserts per side and a horizontal shelf beneath the backlight produced of the black magic material. How exactly the CF and steel parts are joined with adhesives and fasteners and painting approaches are proprietary details, as BMW naturally prefers to keep its learnings away from competitors as lengthy as achievable.

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2016 BMW 7-series Detailed, Driven: A Prototype Drive Shows It is No Turkey

2016 BMW 7-series Detailed, Driven: A Prototype Drive Shows It is No Turkey

Born in the teeth of the Wonderful Recession, the fat but not so satisfied fifth generation of BMW’s 7-series flagship is ultimately relinquishing its post to a far more fit successor.

The 7-series has traditionally been the BMW for these who can barely recall their stick-shift, tail-sliding days. Available in a option of lengthy or genuinely lengthy wheelbases, with up to 12 twin-turbocharged cylinders, and with rear- or 4-wheel drive, the 7 is a 4-door limo blessed with comfort, speed, and a suitably aloof demeanor.

But the world has changed because the existing 7 arrived in 2009. Fisker came and went, Tesla emerged as the green-chip luxury brand, Mercedes is as strong as ever, and Cadillac is showing indicators of intelligent life. The luxury-auto company is flourishing so nicely that even the Korean brands are nibbling a thin slice of the pie.

BMW has made decisive moves to secure its future. Last year, the company’s engineering commander announced that electrification will spread beyond the i3 and i8 fashion statements and the present 3, 5, and 7 ActiveHybrids to consist of a plug-in hybrid selection for each and every core model. BMW is the uncontested leader among automakers in weight-saving composite plastics with its own plant in Washington state generating affordable carbon fiber in partnership with the SGL Group.

5 years ago, fresh out of its shipping container, a 2010 BMW 750Li thumped a Mercedes S550 in a 2-vehicle comparison test, but the large Bimmer rapidly lost steam. A 750i lost to Porsche’s new Panamera S whilst beating a Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S. Then in 2011, a 750Li suffered the indignity of a distant third-spot outcome versus Audi’s A8L and Jaguar’s supercharged XJL. The new 7 arrives late this year to make amends.

Although we cannot announce mission accomplished following only 8 paced laps about BMW’s Miramas, France, test tracks in early production vehicles, we’re encouraged by what we’ve discovered about the 7 thus far:

• Project head Walter Schindlbeck acknowledges the require to restore the flagship’s neglected ride and handling strengths.

• Weight-saving technologies have been applied in earnest. BMW engineers have produced an astute mix of high-strength steel, aluminum, magnesium, plastic, and carbon fiber supplies to trim a claimed 285 pounds in base weight—a third of that from the body—while lowering the 7’s center of gravity and enhancing each bending and torsional stiffness. Several suspension and brake components have been switched from iron and steel to aluminum and sound deadening is used far more sparingly. Unsprung weight drops by 15 percent.

• BMW is so proud of its revolutionary ‘carbon core’ unibody construction that a badge touting that technologies is discretely affixed to every single of the 7’s B-pillars. Although stamped steel remains as the main constituent, there’s much less of it thanks to the use of 15 molded carbon-fiber (CF) reinforcements added at strategic areas. The biggest molding is a extended CF tube that sweeps majestically from the base of each A-pillar, along the prime of the door openings, and down to the base of the C-pillars. The upper half of every B-pillar is reinforced with a CF layer that is pressed and cured in spot with a single-sided die. A big patch is also secured with rivets and adhesives at the base of each C-pillar. The windshield header and 2 bows reinforce the roof structure. The 7’s center tunnel has a CF doubler to augment the body’s bending stiffness and to help manage forward collision loads. Add to that 2 CF door-sill inserts per side and a horizontal shelf beneath the backlight created of the black magic material. How exactly the CF and steel components are joined with adhesives and fasteners and painting approaches are proprietary information, as BMW naturally prefers to preserve its learnings away from competitors as extended as feasible.

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2016 BMW 7-series Detailed, Driven: A Prototype Drive Shows It is No Turkey