However, I'm sure that you'll be reading one or two digs from my colleagues about the clam shell door being awkward, or the twin rear doors obstructing rearward vision. All I can say is, yes it is, and yes they are, but if I offered you a free year's rental of a wild pink Audi R8, would you turn it down?

Of course you wouldn't. You'd learn to live with it because it's such a cool car, and with the Clubman, those funky looking doors help make it that!

The Clubman is such a cool car and those funky looking doors help make it that!

I honestly love the new Clubman, and I firmly believe that it is going to set the MINI brand off in a whole new direction. Especially, as it is to be offered in all current versions, including the famous John Cooper Works edition.

Now some of you may feel that a high performance wagon version is unnecessary and will only appeal to a limited market. I, however, tend to think the opposite. I believe that many current MINI owners will move over to the new Clubman, simply because it feels like their old car, yet offers a fair bit more carrying capacity, and that includes the owners of performance models.

I can also see a few current wagon owners wandering from other manufacturers and starting to look towards the MINI brand. After all, there are not many vehicles which can truly compete with the MINI, especially in the looks department, and ok, it may be a tad smaller than they're accustomed to, but think about the fuel economy! Because, trust me, the MINI range offers exceptional mileage figures considering the performance you get.

So there you have it. You can turn the Elgar CD off now, and I'll throw my Union Jack underwear in the washing machine ready for another outing at a later date.

But come on now, be fair, that "Saskatchewan Screamer" was a great idea of mine for a car name, eh!

So, who in Canada is going to build it, because I have a maple leaf thong that I'm just dying to wear!!


Photo Credit : Kevin Corrigan, BMW