When MINI invited european car to drive the new convertible MINI Cooper-in Marseille, France-I jumped up and down and waved my arms. Being a fan of the MINI as well as an eternal Francophile, I exclaimed, "Mais oui" and packed my Louis Vuitton duffels.
I wasn't disappointed. The coastline along the French Mediterranean shimmered in beautiful aqua and green, and the new MINI convertible performed just as I'd expected. Although the convertible is currently available only in a base model Cooper, it was both quick and nimble over the fast and windy roads of southern France.
Like its hardtop sister, the MINI convertible is powered by a 1.6-liter, 16-valve inline four that doles out 115 bhp at 6000 rpm and 110 lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm. MINI stated it pulls the ragtop from 0 to 62 mph in 9.8 sec., fast enough to mess up your hair, but those who crave speed will want to wait for the 2005 Cooper S and Cooper S convertible, which will both enjoy an increase of power by 7 ponies and 7 lb-ft of torque, for a total of 170 bhp and 162 lb-ft.
MINI naturally focused on the convertible's exterior and fashioned a softtop which folds down electro-hydraulically via a button placed on the scuttle above the rearview mirror. Available colors will be black, blue and green. It takes about 15 sec. for the roof columns to retract, the windows to roll down, and the last bit to fold over in a neat, and neato, three-fold Z formation, first used for the Z4 roadster. The hard leading edge of the top enables that part to act as a tonneau cover when the top is lowered. Also, the addition of rails on the MINI convertible allows the top to be slid back into a sunroof position. It couldn't be much easier to operate than if one just wished the top open and closed.
MINI designers also added some chrome bling across the redesigned front and rear bumpers to go along with the newly reconfigured headlights and taillights, now fitted behind clear glass. Overall the design shouts "go fast" more clearly than the hardtop's previous conservative arrangement. The new look is subtle and tasteful, and it's obvious the carmaker didn't just hack the top off of its coupe but added sportier, convertible-esque elements that suit the Cooper nicely.
For those concerned about storage room, why bother? No one buys a MINI for its ability to transport sofas or, well, anything at all. MINI insists the soft top doesn't steal much more trunk space, party due to a trunk door that not only folds out but also widens, even when the soft-top is down. MINI also states backseat passenger room isn't compromised, either. True; there wasn't any before, and there isn't any now.
It takes some good, long stares-and maybe a few glasses of cabernet sauvignon-to get used to the fact that the MINI, one of the most influential cars of all time and backed by years of race heritage, is missing its top. It's not bad, it's just...different. And different can take some getting used to, especially for longtime enthusiasts. All inevitable comparisons aside, the MINI convertible is, in its own right, a fun, sexy car. No one should be embarrassed to be seen in one.