MINI Clubman Production Ending But There’s Still Time to Order

DimON · November 22, 2023

The MINI Clubman production is ending and with it our favorite current MINI made. Dealer stock is quickly dwindling and in some markets orders have already been completely shut down. However if you’re in the US or most of Europe there is still time to get a Clubman. Read on for tips on timing and the risks of waiting even another month.

The beloved for its mix of utility and performance, the Clubman has become a cult favorite for the brand. In JCW form the F54 Clubman isn’t only the fastest current MINI (0-60 in 4.6 seconds) but will likely remain fastest petrol powered MINI of all time. How do we know? The Countryman JCW has more power in its new generation but lost a substantial amount of torque while gaining weight stunting its performance a bit.

Why is MINI killing the Clubman? It’s unfortunately due to sales. In a world that can’t get enough of small crossovers, the wagon-like Clubman is getting squeezed out. However the passion of its owners haven’t been enough to save it as MINI plans to focus on crossovers with its next generation of cars due to customer demand.

MINI Clubman JCW — Winter tires, All4 and a lower center of gravity. The Clubman JCW is a snow monster.

The Clubman in particular has had a hard time finding an audience. In fact the current F54 generation has only hit its sales targets in one major market; Japan. And despite MotoringFile calling the F54 JCW Clubman the best all around MINI ever made, it’s also been a hard sell for dealers. Especially next to the taller more SUV like Countryman – a shape that is clearly a consumer’s preference these days.

F54_Clubman-290.jpg?resize=798%2C532&ssl — The new multi-tone roof looks especially great in white and on a Clubman.

How & When to Buy One of the Last Clubman

First step is immediately getting in touch with your favorite MINI store. The second is to spec your car and get it into the ordering system asap. While production should continue into February, it’s unclear what part shortages might start to appear as production winds down.

If it were us ordering a Clubman we would want to get our order in no later than the end of December. That should ensure that options, colors and models are all still available.

Another pro-tip as well. If you’re curious about things like roof racks and rally lights, even accessories will eventually of out of stock. We’d encourage you to pick those up over the next year if not sooner.

aceman_j02_5.webp?resize=798%2C450&ssl=1 — The Aceman will be a crossover roughly the size of the original R60 Countryman

The Clubman’s Replacement

But there is a replacement MINI is replacing the Clubman with the small electric Aceman crossover. The Aceman will have the same electric drivetrain as the J01 MINI Cooper which means we’ll see range and performance figures a bit lower than that car. So expect a range just one 200 miles in SE trim and 0-60 times in the low 7 second range.

Crucially it will be small compared to the Countryman. In fact it’ll be roughly the same size as the R60 Countryman with more interior volume.

Clubman_R55_F54_1981.jpg?resize=798%2C58 — The current, larger F54 Clubman on the left and the first (new) generation R55 Clubman on the right.

The Modern History of the Clubman

The original Clubman is a bit divisive. With the third door on the wrong side or right-hand drive markets, it was looked at as the “other” MINI even but the brand’s own marketing. While we loved the concept, it never really jelled for us as it felt too close to the R56 and didn’t find the sweet spot that the F54 ultimately did in terms of utility and performance.

mini clubman — The Clubman JCW is surprisingly capable on a track.

The F54 Clubman on the other hand has been our favorite MINI model since it’s introduction in 2015. We’ve run three of them over the years – a manual Cooper S All4, the 228 hp JCW and most recently a 306 hp JCW. While all were great cars, the 306 hp JCW Clubman might just be out favorite new MINI ever made. You can read a collection of reviews of that car below.

Why? Its mix of utility and performance is unmatched in the range. As a wagon (even if MINI won’t call it that) it has can deliver almost all of the utility a crossover offers with none of the performance trade-offs. Having driven a Clubman on everything from the Dragon to the track to snow covers mountain roads we can confidently say there is nothing that comes close to the broad capabilities of the Clubman – especially in JCW form. Saying it will be missed is a massive understatement.

F54_F60_shadow_087-highRes.jpg?resize=79

MotoringFile Take

If you need something a bit larger than the two door MINI Cooper, but still want a MINI, we can’t imagine a scenario where a Clubman doesn’t make sense. Having had three of them over the years we are convinced by their blend of utility, performance and style that feels so unique in the segment. And if you can spring for the JCW version, you will have not just a great everyday performance car, you’ll have the fastest petrol powered MINI ever.

We’ll have more on the Clubman as we review one of the last 2024 Clubman JCWs made in the coming weeks.