A quintessential part of the Mini range, the Convertible version of the Cooper and Cooper S serves up plenty of charisma and charm with all the fresh air and sunlight you can handle.
For 2016, the Convertible migrates over to the latest Mini platform dubbed UKL, which is shared with various Euro-market BMW products. Additional bracing should make for a more rigid structure than the previous generation car, while added sound insulation aims to enhance refinement by reducing wind noise. Also gone are the rollover hoops; they’ve now been integrated under the rear deck for a cleaner appearance.
Current Convertible owners looking to upgrade should find the new model familiar. Its cloth top continues to offer a built-in sliding sunroof, and can be raised and lowered at speeds of up to 30 km/h. The rear trunk lid swings down, just like a tailgate. As for the cheeky Openometer gauge, which measures the time the roof is down, well, continues on, too.
Other novel additions for 2016 include a rain warning notification app, quilted leather upholstery, and a roof with a contrast Union Jack flag sewn right in. Two unique colours join the range: Melting Silver, as well as Caribbean Aqua, which is exclusive to the drop-top. As with the hard-topped hatchback, the Convertible can also be equipped with adaptive dampers, radar cruise control, head-up display, and selectable drive modes.
For now, the Convertible is offered in Cooper form with a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder or a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder for the Cooper S. The former makes 134 hp, the latter just shy of 190. Both can be had with either a six-speed manual with rev-matched downshifts, or, a six-speed automatic with manual shift control. Incidentally, the Cooper Convertible is the most frugal drop-top on the market with a fuel economy figure of 8.2 L/100 km city and 6.0 highway when equipped with the six-speed manual.
The Mini Cooper Convertible starts at $27,990, while the zesty Cooper S starts at $32,240. The high-performance John Cooper Works will arrive for model year 2017.
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