By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(February 5, 2016) The original Mini Clubman was a tiny but spacious station wagon with all of the personality of the two-door, but enough room to make it practical enough for a small family. When BMW introduced a wagon version of its Mini in 2007, the personality remained, but was overpowered by styling and features that lacked needed restraint. However, like the original, the R55 Clubman was only available with front-wheel drive.

We have covered the new R54 Mini, and did not come away impressed. The materials were better, the build quality improved, but the styling continues to be overwrought and the interior styling has, as we said, “descended into parody.” In many ways it’s shortcomings did not bode well for the Clubman.



Though significantly larger than the R55 version — it’s longer, wider and rides on a longer wheelbase than the four-door hatchback — the R54 Clubman is a breath of fresh air stylistically. The bulbous nose fits the scale of the wagon, there are two real back doors for the back seat passengers, and the twin side-opening rear doors are no longer framed by contrasting plastic trim. But rather than trod familiar ground, it’s time to concentrate on the newest member of the family, the Clubman ALL4.

Pat yourself on the back if you guessed that this stretched wheelbase version will be used under the coming Countryman. This sharing gave Mini the opportunity to expand the reach of the wagon by adding all-wheel drive, and appeal to those families that would like the security of four driven wheels in a package that does not sacrifice usability for style.

The powertrains are carried over from the two-wheel drive Clubman and encompass a 1.5-liter three-cylinder and 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Both are turbocharged, and offer the choice of a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic gearbox. The smaller engine produces 134 hp and 162 lb.-ft. of torque, and is capable of propelling the ALL4 from 0-60 mph in a respectable 9.2 seconds. Step up to the 2.0-liter, however, and output rises to 189 hp and 207 lb.-ft. of torque, while 0-60 times drop to an impressive 6.6 seconds. Top speed with this engine is a surprising 140 mph.

Under normal circumstances, the ALL4 sends its power through the front wheels. This reduces parasitic losses, and improves fuel economy compared to a full-time system. When wheel slip is detected, a single-stage power takeoff integrated into the front differential sends power through a two-piece driveshaft and hang-on clutch pack to the rear wheels. An electro-hydraulic oil pump provides clamping force to the clutch that corresponds to the amount of torque transferred to the rear wheels, giving the all-wheel drive unit a continuously variable function.

The all-wheel drive system is integrated with the stability control’s black box to determine the ideal front:rear torque split  based on wheel rotation speeds, longitudinal and lateral acceleration rates, road speed, accelerator position, engine torque and steering angle. Engine torque is fed equally to each rear wheel.

The Clubman ALL4 is available in Cooper and Cooper S models, and will go on sale in April at Mini dealers across the U.S. Prices will be set closer to launch

The Virtual Driver