| First Drive | Madrid, Spain | MINI Clubman |

Before the second-generation New MINI arrived on the scene, rumours concerning further body styles were already circulating. Then MINI itself previewed a new stretched estate version at various motorshows billed as a concept. Finally, the day has come to launch the next MINI derivative and it's been christened the Clubman.

Though few buyers under thirty will have heard the name before, it graced the original Mini estates from 1969 onwards and yet has a modern ring to it that is in keeping with the hip and trendy MINI brand. Part of that brand's appeal is its link to the cheeky original though and MINI has gone to great pains to ensure that the Clubman actually follows the remit of the original Mini Estate, in that it's a little bit more practical while still remaining fun to drive and perhaps just as importantly, just as cool to be seen in.

Approach the Clubman from the front and only the keen-eyed will spot the higher roofline. We were shown pictures of early design clay models and they illustrated the designers' desire to incorporate roof bars, but they've been dropped for the final version and the new roof helps to disguise the car's extra length when viewed from the side. There's a not insignificant extra 240mm, though 160mm of that is in the rear overhang. The Clubman manages to look in proportion, although it'll be worth waiting to see what effect smaller wheels have before ordering one of the lesser models.

Proportions aren't the Clubman's problem; detailing might be. Part of the new car's appeal is an extra door squeezed into the side. MINI calls it the 'Clubdoor' (with its tongue firmly in cheek) and it is intended to make it easier to get in and out of the rear and perhaps also help with getting a child seat in. It opens backwards and for safety reasons only does so when the front door is also open (the driver's in the case of UK cars). There's no doubting the usefulness of the door, though the side without is far more pleasing to the eye.

The rear end features the biggest departure from the MINI hatch's styling. Two vertically split doors mimic the original Mini Estate and the Cooper S model now boasts twin exhaust pipes. More unusual than all that, however, are the new lights and their surrounds. On first acquaintance, I didn't like them, but they're certainly different and no doubt the designers wanted to ensure that the Clubman could not be mistaken for a regular MINI.

Thanks to a wide opening, the boot is actually very easy to access and significantly larger than the hatch's. Usefully, the Clubman can also be specified with a tow bar - in non-Cooper S models anyway. While on practicalities, rear passengers do benefit from the extra 80mm in the wheelbase, but don't expect a large family to be very comfortable, although buyers can choose between a two- and three-seat arrangement for the rear depending on their needs.

Naturally, the best seat is still behind the steering wheel. A quick glance around confirms that there are no noticeable differences between the Clubman and the hatchback in there, though MINI has come up with a few new colour and trim options, such as Hot Chocolate leather, which is plain lovely.

Chassis changes are relatively few, with the same targets for the Clubman as the hatchback, but we found the Cooper S version a very different car. Normally, we'd focus on the extra wheelbase and the resultant change in weight distribution. MINI's engineers have counteracted that to a certain extent by changes to the anti-roll bars and the rear springs and dampers. On tortuously twisting Spanish roads the initial impression was that the rear end featured some form of passive steering, though we eventually surmised that it was an effect caused by torque steer that is not present in the hatchback.

A reduction of mass over the driven wheels could of course have this effect, but later on we were told that actually all the cars at the international launch were fitted with mechanical limited slip differentials. This is a peculiar decision, not only because the diff will only be an option, but only a tiny minority of buyers will choose it. Thankfully it won't be too long before we drive the Clubman in the UK in more representative specification.

In the meantime, prices have been announced, with the Clubman Cooper costing £14,235, its diesel alternative £15,400 and the Cooper S we tested coming in at £17,210. That represents a premium of £1,210 over the hatchback models. There's no point trying to pick out likely rivals, as we suspect that many Clubman buyers will trade up from a MINI or perhaps out of the odd sports coupé. BMW is very cautious on sales figures, with just 50,000 Clubmans produced a year for the global market. Demand is very likely to outstrip supply for the initial sales period, so don't hold your breath for another derivative just yet.