The carmaker has yet to confirm how closely this will resemble the production car, but hinting at a pair of full-size rear doors answers criticism of the controversial Club Door offered on the outgoing Clubman.

When the Clubman launched in 2008, the small Club Door was criticised in right-hand drive markets for opening on the road side of the vehicle. If MINI stays true to this concept car, it will mark the first time the carmaker has offered the more typical rear-door setup outside the Countryman range.

Otherwise, the concept features many of its predecessor’s trademark design cues. The longer wheelbase split rear doors have been carried forward, now featuring horizontal rear lights instead of the more typical upright units used by MINI. It measures 402mm longer in the body than the new hatchback and is slightly wider too.

Engines are likely to include BMW’s new 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol and diesel units built at its Hams Hall plant in England. This should bring the entry-level MINI One Clubman’s CO2 emissions down to around 90g/km.