MY 89-year-old father took one look at the meaty Mini Clubman that filled the driveway of his home and said: "That is not a Mini."
As his first proper family car was one of the first classic Minis off the line in 1959 – a rather posh chrome-grilled Austin Seven – I know what he meant.
But though this six-door, five-seater Clubman looks like it has eaten all the pies, this is a thoroughly modern Mini. 
Longer and heavier than the three- and five-door Minis, this particular model also happens to be Oxford’s first four-wheel-drive Mini and the most comfortable yet built.
With its sizeable cabin and decent luggage space, it is also the Mini most suited to relaxed, long-distance family motoring.
And while the Clubman ALL4 might lack the precision and precise kart-like roadholding of its smaller, lighter siblings, in turbocharged Cooper S specification the ALL4 delivers a thumping amount of grippy Mini-driving fun.
With new power units taking the Clubman engine choice to eight models, the ALL4 is packed to the gunwales with technology, with no fewer than five electronic systems controlling the drive system alone. In short, they work together to make sure the 192 horsepower car stays safely on the road, whatever the weather or road conditions.
Like the other models, a twist of a switch by the gearshift allows you to move into sport mode, which delivers a little more weight to the steering and makes the accelerator more responsive. A flick in the opposite direction engages a more economical ‘eco’ driving mode.
Standard specification ranges from satellite navigation and air conditioning, to radio with USB interface and AUX-IN socket, and Bluetooth phone connection. You also get automatic wipers, automatic dipping headlights and an electric parking brake.
In the middle of the dashboard sits a tea plate-sized screen housing the standard-fit satellite navigation system. The rest of the dashboard exhibits all the retro charm which has helped make the hatchback such a success, so you get circular air vents and plenty of illuminated chrome toggle switches.
The Clubman is not being sold in basic One specification in the UK, so the starting price for the range appears high and you need to keep a careful eye on the wide range of options which can add a serious amount of money to the final bill.
Take the test car whose basic price, without options, is £23,550. Add in Midnight Black paintwork and burgundy leather seats and it hops up to £25,365.
But it doesn't end there and the test car packed in a further 14 extras from a huge tempting list, ranging in price from £55 for a first aid kit and triangle, to £810 for the Mini 'driving assistant' which combines everything from a colour head-up driver's display and active cruise control, to collision and pedestrian warning systems, taking the final bill to a mighty £30,740.
An absolute must for all modern Mini drivers is the £399 tlc package that covers servicing for five years or 50,000 miles, and the cost of parts needed to get your car through an MoT in that time – not an option available back in 1959.


Auto facts
Model: Mini Clubman ALL4 Cooper S
Price: £23,550 (without options)
Insurance group: 23
Fuel consumption (Combined): 40.9mpg
Top speed: 142mph
Length: 425.3cm/167.4in
Width: 180cm/71in
Luggage capacity: 12.7 cu ft
Fuel tank capacity: 10.5 gallons/48 litres
CO2 emissions: 159g/km
Warranty: Three years/100,000 miles