Or maybe the Clubman. Either way, BMW will be showcasing a station wagon version of the new MINI and retro-labeling it after the popular Traveller and Clubman wagons of the 60’s. This version will be 200 mm longer than the current MINI and is only one of a broader range of body styles derived from the second-generation MINI Cooper, which will likely include a 3-door hatchback and a new version of the convertible.
Hey, why not? When you’ve got a good thing going, versionize it!
Apparently, Italian coachbuilder Castagna has already built – and sold – a small series of stations wagon models based on the current MINI, which has met with the approval of MINI execs in Germany (however unofficially!) The new, official, versions will boast more than just new body styles, however. The next-generation MINI Cooper’s will be more advanced, with completely new powertrains supplied in cooperation with PSA/Peugeot-Citroen, and will grow at least 30 mm to better accommodate both passengers and the new European pedestrian safety regulations.
Look for the new versions to hit the streets, or at least the cobblestones of Europe, in the last quarter of 2006, and the wagon sometime in early 2007.
UPDATE - From Automotive News, January 4, 2006:
Reports from the upcoming Detroit Auto Show indicate that a revised version of the Traveller concept that was displayed at the Frankfurt and Tokyo shows will debut. The focus of the press conference likely will center on the car's future, and production plans are expected to be announced.
While the press is calling the Traveller a wagon, MINI executives are avoiding usage of that term.
"Whatever this is, it is definitely not a wagon. It is something else," Kay Segler, vice president of MINI brand management, said during a November interview.
