2015 Mini Clubman spied, rendered

Though once again a stretched version of the hatch like the previous Mini Clubman — albeit one on a modified version of the new Mini hatchback’s ‘UKL’ architecture — the new car has symmetrical and conventional side doors. 

Mini has also had to work this design around its recent introduction of the 5 Door hatch variant by making this new Clubman a more practical proposition, though hotted up Cooper S and John Cooper Works versions seem a formality. 

The test vehicle captured here wears lighter camouflage than we’ve seen in the past, revealing its decidedly wagon-esque proportions. We also get a glimpse at the car’s unique elongated horizontal tail-lights for the first time, embedded in each of those signature split rear barn doors. 

The supplied rendering of the car’s likely design looks largely convincing to us, though the scallop behind the front wheel arch might stray towards flight of fantasy. 

The production version is set to debut at September’s Frankfurt motor show, though an earlier appearance in Geneva this March appears possible. It appears likely to closely resemble the Clubman concept that first appeared at last year’s Geneva motor show.

This points to an Australian launch either late this year or early in 2016. It will replace the previous niche version with the aim of offering a comparatively more mainstream alternative to small wagons such as the Volkswagen Golf Wagon and Peugeot 308 Touring. 

That concept was 262 millimetres longer, 161mm wider and 18mm taller than the outgoing model, and the production version is expected to closely mirror those measurements (4223mm long, 1844mm wide and 1450mm tall).

As previous rounds of spy images have shown, expect the Clubman to offer a rather different instrument fascia to the regular three- and five-door Mini hatch models, with a more conventional appearance. 

What do you think of the Clubman, based on these spy images and renderings? Is this one Mini spinoff you can get behind?