MINI is bringing back the Mini Van.
Not the minivan, but the Mini Van, a cargo carrying version of the original Mini, first built in 1960. Only this time around it’s called the Clubvan.
Set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, the Clubvan Concept is a panel side version of the MINI Clubman, which is a stretched version of the MINI Hatchback that first went on sale in 2008.
With polycarbonate panels replacing the rear side windows, deleted rear seats, a lowered cargo floor and a partition to protect the front passengers, the Clubvan is envisioned as a stylish urban cargo carrier for businesses that have small cargoes to carry.
Rear barn doors feature heavily tinted windows to protect against prying eyes, while the Clubvan retains the Clubman’s signature Clubdoor, a rear-hinged half-door that offers easier access to the back of the car from the right hand side.
MINI (now spelled with all-caps) is calling it the Clubvan the first premium entry into the small car-based van segment, which is somewhat popular in Europe and has existed recently in the United States in the form of the Chevrolet HHR Panel.
Interestingly, while the Clubman that the Clubvan is based on was inspired by the Mini Traveller of 1961, the Traveller was a passenger version of the Mini Van.
MINI has not revealed production plans, but rumor has it that the Clubvan will join the company’s growing lineup later this year.