- New rumors suggest the Clubman will cease production in 2024, and our automotive magic 8 ball says all signs point to yes.
- Clubman sales dropped from 12,204 units in 2016 to just 2469 last year, becoming the best-selling model in Mini’s lineup.
- The electric Aceman concept is expected to go into production, with the Countryman heading to its next generation to fill the void left by the Clubman.
A new generation of Mini Cooper is just around the corner, set to make its debut this year with both electric and gas powertrains, but the iconic hatchback likely won’t give up a new version of the Clubman wagon. A mini enthusiast website called MotoringFile claims that production of the Clubman will end in the first quarter of 2024, and while there is no official confirmation of this rumor, there is plenty of evidence pointing to its veracity.
car and driver contacted a A Mini spokesman would not comment on “highly speculative” reports in other media, but stopped short of denying that “the company has not confirmed anything at this point.”
What we do know for sure is that the Cooper hatchback will receive a major update for 2025—in late 2021, Mini teased a camouflaged two-door Cooper and a fully cleaned two-door prototype was revealed in China. Seen clearly. But there’s been no indication of a revised Clubman model in the form of spy shots, and while Mini made a splash by bringing a manual transmission back to the Cooper lineup, the Clubman was left out of the fun.
Clubman sales have declined since the model’s peak in 2016, when the second generation was introduced and brought home 12,204 units, making it the second most popular Mini that year behind only the Countryman. Mini sales have slumped since then, but the Clubman has suffered worse than the four-door hatch. Last year, 2469 Clubmans were sold versus 4115 of the four-door Cooper hatch. The Clubman was the brand’s best-selling vehicle even behind the Cooper convertible. While a four-door prototype of the next-generation Cooper hasn’t been spied yet, that model will probably live on and partially succeed the Clubman.
Mini Aisman concept.
Mini is expected to bring its Aceman concept into production, which will serve as a more direct Clubman replacement. The electric crossover will slot below the Countryman, which is rumored to grow in size for its next generation. While the Aceman is rumored to be shorter than the Clubman, the longer body and benefits of the EV skateboard platform could provide the same amount of interior room. The wagon shape of the Clubman will also be dropped for more rugged and SUV-like styling, and looks to be a well-advised move by Mini, given current market trends.
Even if Clubman production moves beyond the first quarter of 2024, this will be the last model year for the mini wagon. The first generation Clubman was truly bizarre, with suicide rear doors and barn doors instead of the traditional hatch. But the second generation became more conventional, and the rise of crossovers saw the Clubman replaced by the Countryman as a viable model in the lineup, spelling the end for one of the few wagons left in the United States.
associate news editor
Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at the age of 13, and he pursued his dream of writing for Car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and attending. car and driver Team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like the Nissan S-Cargo, and he is an avid fan of motorsports.