Major car brand discontinues another iconic model as sales struggle

A major car brand is discontinuing another cult model due to sales difficulties.

The legendary manufacturer is pivoting to an electric future, leaving behind some of its most popular cars.

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Mini boss Stefanie Wurst confirmed this week that the Mini Clubman will not be returning in the future.

The Clubman, which first appeared in its current form in 2007, is Mini’s luxury version of its classic original model.

The current generation was introduced in 2015, but is not being renewed now.

To say goodbye to the model, the company released a Final Edition version in March this year.

Wurst told Top Gear Magazine: “I wouldn’t say the place is full, but we won’t have a Clubman.”

“The Aceman is a smaller concept, but I think the five-door (if not six-door) space will be well filled by the Countryman and Aceman.”

“I love the Clubman, I’m driving a Clubman at the moment. But as a big car concept we decided on the new Countryman.”

She pointed to the fact that the Countryman, a crossover SUV, outsells the Clubman by two to one worldwide.

Nonetheless, it is a sad end to the tradition of the Clubman nameplate, which traces its origins back to the British Leyland version in 1969.

And the news follows Mini’s decision to retire another of its most famous models.

Wurst previously confirmed that the popular Cooper will no longer be available with a manual transmission in the future.

The Cooper, named after motorsport legend John Cooper who developed the original MINI, dates back to 1961 but will now only be available as an automatic or electric car.

This comes after a major car brand was completely discontinued – but a popular model remains available.

Meanwhile, a major car dealership with hundreds of employees has permanently closed some of its largest locations.