Brand new fun machine
Mini Convertible: Is the best seat really in the back?
Convertibles and small cars are dying out, and open-top small cars even more so. BMW is bucking the negative trend and bringing back the Mini Cooper as a convertible. They are focusing even more on driving pleasure than with the closed Mini.
The Mini Convertible is spared the three-cylinder engine of the fixed-roof version; even the basic model called Cooper C has a two-liter four-cylinder engine that accelerates to 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds with 163 hp and 250 Nm. That's 7 hp and one cylinder more than with a fixed roof.
Before the 231 hp John Cooper Works comes onto the market, the Cooper S Mini's convertible tops the range. The drive is the same as that of the saloon (somehow strange to call such a small car that) and, with 204 hp and 300 Nm, is more powerful than ever before in a Cooper S. Despite a short delay when starting off, it sprints to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds. The top speed is 237 km/h (Cooper C: 220 km/h).
The cheeky engine sound of the past has disappeared due to stricter noise regulations. Instead, sound is now fed from the loudspeakers, but without the "exhaust popping" that the BMW 1 Series, for example, has. Perhaps they will add this to the John Cooper Works.
Because driving dynamics are generally particularly important in the small Minis, they all have "highly preloaded stabilizer mounts" on the axles, which are intended to support steering precision. Cooper S and John Cooper Works get additional X-profiles in the underbody to stiffen the body.
We drove the Cooper S in South Carolina, supported by bright sunshine, which made the drive all the more enjoyable. Above all, however, the car was a source of joy. Despite the increase in weight by around 100 kg to a good 1.4 tons, the 3.88-metre short Cooper S is agile, turns in spontaneously, almost nervously and is a pleasure to drive. You can sense the manufacturer's efforts to create a go-kart feeling.
The electric opening of the soft top is also quick. It takes 18 seconds and is possible up to a speed of 30 km/h. Closing is three seconds faster. As before, the front part of the fabric hood can be opened as a sunroof at any speed.
The "always-open timer", i.e. the stopwatch for the open moments in the life of a Mini Cabrio driver, has been refined. It now works like the trip data memory. This means you can call up how long you have been driving with the roof open since the start of the current journey, since refueling or since the last reset. The open time since the vehicle was manufactured is also saved.
The current speed can be read from the head-up plastic screen; there is no classic speedometer behind the steering wheel. What has been the large, round speedometer in the middle since the original Mini is now a large, round OLED touch display with a diameter of 24 centimetres, which reacts extremely quickly to touch. Overall, the controls are quite playful and take some getting used to (see the Mini Cooper S driving report). It is easy to read even when the top is open and the sun is shining.
The OLED screen naturally also functions as a digital speedometer. The speed is displayed in digits. If you tap on it, a round speedometer appears almost in full format. This does justice to the history.
With the roof closed, the trunk holds 215 liters, which is even slightly more than the closed Mini. The rear seat backrests can be remotely unlocked from the trunk, but logically have a smaller maximum trunk space. The loading opening is tiny, but can be enlarged in a few simple steps by lifting the top section. With the roof open, 160 liters of trunk space remain.
The open pleasure must be worth a surcharge of around 4000 euros. The Mini Cooper C Cabrio is available from 34,700 euros, Cooper S from 38,550 euros. Market launch in February 2025.
Driving citation
Over the years and not least because of legislation, the Mini no longer quite has the youthful liveliness of the past, but as a convertible in particular it is still endless fun. As a Cooper S, it has an absolutely suitable engine. But since even the entry-level model is not a three-cylinder, you won't go far wrong.
Why?
Because it's really fun.
Because as a four-seater there is practically no alternative
Why not?
It's not that light.
Or perhaps ...
... Mazda MX-5, if two seats are enough.
This article has been automatically translated,
read the original article here.
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