on the MINI Clubman - and the new Cooper vs. the old

September 18th, 2008
Up to now, I’d thought there were five basic types of stare. The Truly Gobsmacked (Veyron, Zonda, Koenigsegg), the Knowing Nod (Audi R8, Nissan GT-R, Merc CLK Black), the Cute As Hell Grin (new Fiat 500, old Fiat 500), the Call That A Car Smirk (Vauxhall Tigra, Toyota Prius, Fiat Croma) and There’s Something Nasty on The Sole of My Shoe (BMW X6, SsangYong Rodius, Merc R-Class). But the Clubman has created a sixth category: the Huh? It’s neither approving nor dismissive, just the facial manifestation of a question mark. As in “I wish I could put my finger on it, but why hasn’t this worked?”... [Compare this with the] very tidy previous-generation Cooper S hatch, a car that actually seems to get prettier with age, though I’ve no doubt this has something to do with the comparatively bloated appearance of its larger successor. Inside, too, the earlier car’s leaner, edgier, less clunkingly exaggerated architecture seems far sexier and more inviting. – evo

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