Motoring.com.au discusses the new Clubman and is adamant:
MINI says the new MINI Clubman and BMW 2 Series Active Tourer are two entirely different cars even though they share the same UKL chassis architecture and wheelbase.
In fact, MINI Clubman 'project expert' and mechanical engineer Faris Gerum – who was responsible for all aspects of the MKIII Clubman barring its powertrain – wants to ensure the phrase ‘shared platform’ is struck from any record.
Speaking with assembled Australian and New Zealand media at the MINI Clubman range’s international media launch in Stockholm, Gerum conceded the “architecture” is similar but insists there’s no interchangeability between the MINI and BMW wagons.
“For it to be a shared platform, you would have to be able to remove one body and add another… this is not the case here.”
Further, certain engines and transmission options that are now shared between the brands (including the new eight-speed automatic we will see in the Cooper S Clubman, along with its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine) receive specific ECU tuning to suit the application, meaning the finished products deliver a specific driving experience based on the model’s targeted market. . . .
