By Jens Meiners
It was the simplest of derivatives, yet it was not without charm. The Mini Clubvan has been terminated from Mini’s U.S. lineup after just 50 units sold since the wagon was introduced last summer, as first reported by Green Car Reports. The panel wagon was differentiated from the Clubman by the removal of the rear seats, and the addition of a partition and a carpeted load floor. Instead of replacing the rear windows with body panels, they were simply foiled. It came in three colors—Pepper White, Ice Blue, and Midnight Black—and with a single powerplant: the standard Mini’s 121-hp four-cylinder.
Apparently, BMW had forgotten about or underestimated the effect of President Johnson’s “Chicken Tax,” which slaps a whopping 25 percent onto imported commercial vehicles. Such an oversight makes us wonder why Mini didn’t simply convert Clubmans into Clubvans after the vehicles were imported into the U.S., which is what Ford does with its Turkish-built Transit Connect. Perhaps the company should prepare a conversion kit for Clubman buyers who find themselves in need of a delivery vehicle, or further differentiation. How about a homemade John Cooper Works Clubvan?
- Comparison Test: 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Turbo Convertible vs. 2013 Mini Cooper S Convertible
- Instrumented Test: 2013 Mini John Cooper Works GP
- Feature Test: 2010 Ford Transit Connect
The Clubvan remains on sale in other parts of the world, where Mini says that sales are strong. As things stand stateside, however, the “premium compact delivery van” segment, as BMW calls it, has just been delivered a fatal blow.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Car & Driver
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