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Austin and Morris merged under the umbrella of the British Motor Company in 1952 and produced the original Mini Cooper, known as both the Austin Mini Cooper and Morris Mini Cooper, starting in 1961. A car called the Mini Clubman followed in 1969.

BMW acquired the rights to the Mini brand in 1994, and introduced a new Mini Cooper in the United States for the 2002 model year. The new Mini Cooper Clubman is very similar in design to the current Mini Cooper, but it features a pair of split rear doors inspired by the Austin Countryman and Mini Traveler of the 1960s.

The Clubman is identical to its little brother from the front bumper to the back of the doors. Of the 9.4 inches of added length, 3.1 inches are located behind the doors and in front or the rear wheels, thus lengthening the wheelbase by an equal amount. Another 6.3 inches are found behind the rear wheels, but the Clubman still manages to keep a wheels-pushed-to-the-corners look.

The two biggest changes from the regular Mini Cooper are the addition of a rear access door on the passenger side and the use of split rear "barn" doors at the back. The right-side access door, what Mini calls the "Clubdoor," is a small door that doesn't open independently of the front passenger door and is meant to provide easier access to the third row. At the back, the handles for the split rear doors are placed together where the doors come together. The rear glass does not open.

Like its little brother, the Clubman comes with two-tone paint. The accent color found on the roof is carried over to the rear C-pillars, and it also extends down through the taillights and onto the rear bumper. Accent hood stripes can also be ordered.

Like the standard Mini, the base and S Clubman models have their differences. The base model has a three-bar chrome grille, while the S's is black mesh. The S also has a larger lower air intake, also with a black mesh insert, a forward-mounted front hood scoop, larger wheels and tires, a chrome gas cap, and dual exhaust versus a single exhaust. The Clubman S also has two rear air intakes, while the base Clubman has none.

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Hop in the driver's seat and the first thing you notice is that the Clubman has the same avant-garde interior as the Mini Cooper. The tachometer is placed on the steering column in front of the driver and a large round speedometer is located in the center of the dash. The tach also displays a digital speed readout as well as trip computer information. The radio readout bisects the speedo face and the audio controls are located below it, still within the large round face. Unfortunately, the volume knob is located about eight inches lower than the rest of the radio controls, just above the climate controls. The available navigation system, which comes with real-time traffic, is also located within the large round speedometer housing. It has a 6.5-inch screen. The design works, but it looks out of place.

The climate controls are uniquely designed, but like the radio, they sacrifice form for function as the fan and temperature wheels are awkward to use. The window switches are also located on the center stack, as are door lock button, fog light switches, and seat heater switches. The whole layout takes some getting used to.

Below the center stack are two cupholders that are tight even for 12-ounce soda cans. There is no center console, but a center armrest is available. The glovebox is of average size, but the Clubman also has a top bin hidden away behind the dash panel. Overall, the Clubman doesn't have many convenient ways to hold small items.

The Clubman's interior materials are well chosen. Though there are many plastics, they have a quality look and feel. The same goes for the base upholstery, which is leatherette instead of cloth. Three leather seating options are available, a cloth and leather combination, a fully leather option, and higher end English leather. Mini allows customers to choose from numerous interior trims to give each car an individual character.

Front seat occupants will find plenty of room. The high roofline offers lots of headroom and the seats move back far enough to allow tall guys to fit. We spent about six hours in the Clubman on the launch event in California, and found our backs were no worse for wear after the trip. The seats are nicely bolstered to keep you in place when you inevitably hustle through the turns. The available sport seats are even better. Visibility from the front seat is good as well, though the line where the rear doors comes together is a bit of a distraction in the rearview mirror. Buyers in warmer climates might want to avoid the optional sunroof, as the shade is mesh and might not block out enough sun during the hot summer months.

The rear seat is much easier to access from the passenger side through the Clubdoor than it is from the driver's side. Occupants sit down and into the seats, leaving plenty of room for two and creating more legroom than might otherwise be available. Rear occupants will only have a problem if the front seat occupants are really tall.

The second row seat is split 60/40 and the seatbacks fold to create a flat load floor and 32.8 cubic feet of cargo volume, 37 percent more than the standard Mini Cooper's 24 cubic feet. There is even 9.18 cubic feet of available space behind the third-row seat, a 61 percent increase over the regular Mini hardtop. The Clubman's split rear doors provide easy access to the cargo area. Note that the right side door must be opened for the left side door to open as well. Both doors swing out and open 90 degrees so as not to block cargo access, and the liftover height is quite low. Smaller items can be loaded by opening just the right side door. The extra rear seat room and cargo space are compelling reasons to choose the Clubman over its little brother.