Mini shows off Clubvan concept

The original Mini was an extremely versatile car. Starting out in life as the humble Morris Mini-Minor in 1959, the diminutive car shot up to epic proportions of popularity through the years. Apart from the great driving experience and practicality it offered, it soon spawned a culture of modifying its dinky body into a variety of different body styles like pick-up trucks, station wagons and what have you not; so much so that even the company started offering a plethora of bodystyles of their own, such as the Traveller, the Moke and even a van.

So just as the 2012 edition of the Geneva Motor Show is about to kick off, BMW, which owns the Mini brand now, has showed off a new version of van based on the Mini. Called the Clubvan Concept, this Mini is a compact van designed for small businesses and recreation, and has become the first premium model in this small car based van segment. This is a brand new segment for the distinctive marque in the modern era, though we’re still struggling to fathom exactly what kind of car buyer would like to own such a vehicle.

That being said, there is no denying that this is one stylish panel van. The basic structure has been taken from the Mini Clubman. But gone are the rear doors and the tailgate, the latter of which is replaced by two side hinged doors that open up into a flat load area which reaches up to a partition grille behind the two seats up front. The fixed partition grille, made from solid aluminium in the lower part and a stainless steel honeycombe grating, ensures items stowed in the rear won’t fall into the front cabin. The side walls, floor and roof lining of the load area in the Concept are trimmed in high-quality anthracite-coloured cloth. And as a twist, to allow owners to load small items into the car with ease, the car features a rear hinged Clubdoor just behind the driver side door.

This concept Clubvan has been painted in classic Mini style British Racing Green which extends to the roof, C-pillars and exterior mirror caps. The rear side windows are opaque with polycarbonate sections and are painted in the car’s body colour. The rear doors feature heavily tinted glass making it difficult to see into the load compartment.

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The Clubvan seems to be a part of Mini’s efforts to branch out into new markets where till now the brand hasn’t ventured into much, such as Australia say, where Utes and panel vans have always been very popular. This gorgeous cargo carrier will be on display for the whole world to see at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March.