MINI Clubman ALL4 – another MINI mini-niche?

Another MINI mini-niche

With the introduction of the MINI Clubman ALL4, has MINI created yet another new niche – the compact estate car with 4-wheel-drive?  That is debatable – the Volvo V40 Cross Country comes in AWD, but it is a raised-height wannabe cross-over estate with blacked-out bumpers and a pair of roof rails… where the Clubman is a standard estate, with drive to all 4 wheels.  So, yes, the Clubman creates another MINI mini-niche.

All-new ALL4

The ALL4 system debuted in the MINI Countryman and also became available in the MINI Paceman, creating MINI’s first 4-wheel cars.

Now with the new MINI Clubman, an all-new ALL4 system is introduced.  The newly-developed ALL4 uses electro-hydraulic actuation, for optimised weight and efficiency.

1st ALL4 at MINI Plant Oxford

The MINI Countryman and MINI Paceman be products of the British-German MINI brand, but these are not built in MINI Plant Oxford (the name of the MINI factory in Oxford, England) nor in Germany… but in Austria.  Therefore the premiere of the Clubman ALL4 makes it the first ALL4 drivetrain to be built at MINI Plant Oxford.

Available as Cooper S Clubman ALL4 and Cooper SD Clubman ALL4

The 2 models available will be the MINI Clubman Cooper S ALL4 and Clubman Cooper SD ALL4, using, respectively, the 2.0 turbo now familiar from the new MINI Cooper S, and the 2.0 diesel SD – diesel MINI is available for other markets, but D or SD MINIs have never been available in South Africa.

Both Cooper S and Cooper SD Clubman models will be offered with a 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic (MINI’s 1st 8-speed debuted in new Clubman Cooper S) as choice.

Snow driving in your MINI

ALL4 models are getting the navigation system as standard – this is sensibly specced, as the Clubman ALL4 clearly encourages on to go navigating, or you buy the ALL4 because the places you go would require 4-wheel-drive, as demonstrated by the MINI Cooper S Clubman ALL4 seen driving in the snow at a ski resort.  Snow driving in your MINI… sounds like fun!

A no for SA?

For the South African market, the ALL4 will likely not make a viable business case, as Cooper S ALL4 Countryman and Cooper S ALL4 Paceman models were dropped from the local line-up (due to slow sales?) leaving the SA market with only the John Cooper Works ALL4 Countryman and the coupé-cross-over/sports car John Cooper Works ALL4 Paceman as the MINI 4x4 reps.

SA new MINI Clubman prices range from R 343 000 for the Cooper manual to the Cooper S Clubman with either 8-speed Steptronic auto at R 436 347 or R 446 347 with the 8-speed Sport-Steptronic.