Utility, comfort and performance for the WorldTour team wagon
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Team Sunweb's Mini Cooper Clubman SD team car(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The car is equipped with two-way radios for the team and the race radio(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Team cars offer plenty of real estate for advertisers and partners(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Team Sunweb opt for 19.5 inch/495mm ten-spoke alloy wheels(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The roof rack has enough room for nine team bikes(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The car goes through plenty of bumps and scrapes throughout the season(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Team Sunweb have one of the more unique team cars in the WorldTour peloton(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Windscreen wipers can cause havoc with the race convoy identification stickers, sticking them low can keep them out of the wind and avoid peeling off mid-race(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The Mini Cooper Clubman SD has a maximum output of 190hp/139,745 watts(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The car's design has a distinctive split rear door access(Image credit: Josh Evans)
A closer look at the roof rack(Image credit: Josh Evans)
A monitor in the rear of the car enables the mechanic to see what it is going on in the race and potentially what spares need preparing(Image credit: Josh Evans)
An automatic gear box enables easier control when communicating with riders close by(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Team Sunweb opt for plenty of extras, including heated seats (Image credit: Josh Evans)
A monitor in the front and rear of the car enables video footage of the race(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Energy drinks on hand to pass out the team car to riders(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The German team opt for the John Cooper Works level of trim(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Leather bucket seats ensure the DS and soigneurs are secure when cornering fast(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Kenwood speakers provide audio for the race radio(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The Paris-Tours race book still sits in the car from the previous week's racing(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The radio sits on a stretch-cord for the DS or driver's ease of access in contacting the team(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Gels, bars, food and the all important race accreditation(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Plenty of Team Sunweb cycling caps are on hand for any fans of the team(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Battle wounds from the 2017 season(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Team Sunweb has used the MINI Clubman as a team car for two seasons now, and the iconic car brand is one of the more unique vehicles in the WorldTour race convoy.
A professional cycling team's car needs to offer the capability to carry the full complement of spare bikes and components, have performance over terrain that varies from rough cobbles to alpine switchbacks, and provide the comfort for transcontinental journeys and long race transfers.
The MINI Cooper SD Clubman offers the German-registered team all of this as well as an instantly recognisable brand that stands out among the more traditional family estates employed by much of the WorldTour peloton.
Photographed a few days after Paris-Tours, the car was still equipped with the race convoy vehicle identification stickers, a race book, and energy gels and food was stockpiled in the door pockets.
The car measures in at 1,800mm wide (excluding door mirrors) and 4,253mm long, which is just 30mm narrower than a Volkswagen Passat (Bahrain-Merida's chosen team car). While the car widths may be similar, the MINI loses out on nearly 500mm of length to the Passat and this is noticeable in the rear seat legroom and boot space.
Despite the smaller-than-usual dimensions, the car comfortably accommodates a nine-bike roof rack, allowing for a spare bike for each team member during a Grand Tour.
As well as the roof rack, other customisations include brackets on the front wing panels for aerials, which service both the team and race radios located in the passenger footwell of the car. Screens on the dash and attached to the rear of the front passenger seat offer live footage of the race, so the mechanics and team staff can prepare for any wheel changes or tactical decisions from the car.
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The MINI Cooper SD Clubman has a 1,995cc engine, with an output of 190 horsepower, equal to around 140,000 watts.
The four-cylinder diesel engine accelerates the car from 0–100km/h (0–62mph) in 7.4 seconds and onto a maximum speed of 224km/h (139mph), with 400nm (295 ft/lb) of torque transferred via its Pirelli Sottozero front tyres. Official figures suggest it'll also return a combined economy figure of 62.8mpg or 4.5l/100km.
Click or swipe through the gallery above for a detailed look at Team Sunweb's car.
