Wednesday 11th February 2004

New Mini Convertible

The roof comes off don't you know?

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The new Mini (sorry, MINI) convertible is here and is sure to become as much as a style icon as the current tin top.

It's three years since the new Mini hit the streets and it's proved quite a success for BMW, providing a fun element to the otherwise somble BMW range.

The drop top Mini retains four seats and gets a fully automatic roof which takes 15 seconds to erect. Roll hoops have been added behind the rear seats to provide protection in the event of a non standard road-to-car interfacing scenario.

In place of the rear hatch is a drop down boot lid. The boot capacity is 165 litres with the roof up and is reduced to 80 litres when the roof is down. The rear seats fold flat though and the roof raised a bit allowing bulkier items to be crammed in.

The car is based on the MINI One with its 90bhp engine and top speed of 109mph.

Various trim variations, colour coordination and colour schemes will be introduced but the roof will always be black. 17 inch alloys will be introduced too.

Prices have yet to be confirmed.

[chris_crossley]

Nice, all they need to do now is make it a cooper S convertable and i'll buy one

[Plotloss]

Its confirmed!

Prices they are cagey about but its looking like £2000 over base.

So thats £17,500 for a Cooper S Cab with Chilli.

I quite fancy one but the Mrs put her foot down saying that its most definately NOT a blokes car...

[Arizona]

Let her know that (because you love her) you've put one on order for her as an extravagant Valentines gift....
Then drive around in it yourself - lol

[britten_mark]

External boot hinges??????????? Retro, or just crap???

[Plotloss]

britten_mark said:

External boot hinges??????????? Retro, or just crap???

Well if they were as nicely designed as the original boot hinges then I would say retro.

I do see your point though

[eein]

Fat MINI convertible advertising slogan - "Now you can hear people call you a tw*t".

The hinge design is a clear attempt at looking like the real mini. But it appears that their interpretation, just like the rest of the car, shows how much they 'just dont get it'.

>> Edited by eein on Wednesday 11th February 12:55

[Plotloss]

It'll sell by the boat load though...

[miniman]

Never have liked "pram style" hoods that hang over the back of the car when down - e.g. Golf, Beetle cabrio etc.

Seeing as they have already lost 50% of the boot space when the hood's down, it would have been nice if the whole thing disappeared out of sight IMHO.

[wedgepilot]

If it's based on the Mini One, why does it say 'Cooper' on the boot?
Those hinges look cr@p, btw....but it'll still sell by the boatload.

[Podie]

Plotloss said:

britten_mark said: External boot hinges??????????? Retro, or just crap??? Well if they were as nicely designed as the original boot hinges then I would say retro. I do see your point though

They are AWFUL. Looks like they nipped down to B&Q at the last minute!

..and jeez... talk about "pram syndrome"...!

[Plotloss]

Yeah the more I look at them hinges the more its a failed styling cue.

Different rear light lenses as well.

[rich-uk]

[quote=eein]Fat MINI convertible advertising slogan - "Now you can hear people call you a tw*t".

The hinge design is a clear attempt at looking like the real mini. But it appears that their interpretation, just like the rest of the car, shows how much they 'just dont get it'.
quote]

'old' Mini driver per chance?

[Plotloss]

Oi Rich, dont you go generalising.

Some of us like both Mini's and MINI's

Took me a while to come around to the latter I have to say. Cant wait for it to get fixed...

[vrooom]

I think the new mini look awful, should renamed to 'BINI' instead of MINI as in BMW-Mini.

Jay

[britten_mark]

A lot of cabrios seem to be adopting the "pram" look by slavishly copying the stick-on chrome trim-idea at the hood/body waistline.

Incidentally, have you noticed how certain other design cues seem to passed around all styling houses like the pox; think of the lower bootlid edges indented into big bumpers as per the Golf Mk4/vectra/ etc etc etc

[xxplod]

I think some people are being a little unfair. How many have actually driven a new Mini Cooper? I drove a Cooper Works (130BHP) from John Cooper Garages. They were still working omn the Cooper S Works which has circa 200hhp. It is a superb drive. Retains the feel of the original in the way it drives, and is without doubt one of the best handling "Superminis" on the market.
Personally, I think they should have binned the rear seats, and made a decent roof which folded out of sight. There is little room in the back seats anyway.

[Plotloss]

Mini Cooper S Works is now in full swing with a number of cars on the road.

Its hideously overpriced compared to the other conversions though...

[chris_crossley]

Is it me, or do the boot hindges look like there giving the two handed, one finger salute? Maybe to the old mini drivers who just can't seem to appreciate the new MINI

[britten_mark]

xxplod said:

Personally, I think they should have binned the rear seats, and made a decent roof which folded out of sight.

Ditto, like a speedster style, fairings, roll hoops etc.

[rich-uk]

Plotloss said:

Oi Rich, dont you go generalising.

All Mini drivers except Plotloss