Good news, realtors and sorority sisters: MINI has an all-new Convertible. It's called, well, the "Convertible" and although it's bigger than the last one, it is nonetheless cheerful and charming. But what else would you expect from the plucky British brand?
Based upon the new Cooper Hardtop, the Convertible is larger than the last, growing 4.5 inches in length, 1.7 inches in width and 0.8 inches in height. This lends itself to a much more livable compact convertible. Luggage space has increased by a whopping 25% while space for the rear passengers has increased by 1.6 inches.
Letting plenty of sun and fun into the cabin is a high-quality textile roof that can open in just 18 seconds -- up to speeds of 18 mph. And, yes, you can get the roof fitted with a Union Jack, if you want. Worried about diminished rollover safety by losing the roof? Don't. MINI engineers have installed a rollover protection system that deploys in the unlikely event of a rollover.
Power for the Convertible comes in two forms. The first is a base 1.5-liter turbo three-cylinder that creates 134 horsepower and 162 foot-pounds of torque. Mated to either a 6-speed manual transmission or 6-speed automatic, it can do 0 to 60 mph in 8.2 seconds. The sportier S model comes fitted with a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder that pushes out 189 hp and 207 foot-pounds of torque. It, too, can be optioned with the manual or the auto. The S, however, will leap to 60 mph from a standstill in 6.7 seconds.
All things considered, the Convertible is much as we expected, given the looks and features of the Cooper Hardtop. That said, the Convertible should be a relatively inexpensive premium little drop-top with lots of spunk and loads of personality. For 2016, though, it'll take that established recipe and mix in extra room for your friends and things as well as a bit more tech. To that we say: Jolly-good show, MINI.
