First Drive Review
Two years ago, the Mini Cooper was as cute and fun as a basket of beagle pups. Even after the passage of a few years, the little car can still turn heads, but the increasingly ubiquitous Mini no longer has the awe factor it once had, nor does it have the adorable "awww" impact it once did. Sales have not suffered; worldwide, Mini has sold almost 400,000 of the cutie built in Oxford, England. But to make sure that interest doesn't wane, Mini is taking off the top to restore some of that new-puppy excitement.
On sale this September, the convertible will be available in regular-strength 115-hp Cooper guise and, for those in a hurry, the extra-strength, supercharged Cooper S, now up five horsepower to 168. Our preview drive in the south of France was limited to the naturally aspirated 115-hp convertibles; the more powerful S version was not quite ready. With only 115 horses tugging the reinforced and therefore heavier droptop, acceleration was less than fierce.
The extra weight is due to fortified B-pillars, door sills, and rear-seat flooring. Tying the open structure together are a high-strength-steel tube hidden behind the A-pillars and a double-U-shaped roll bar that adds rear-occupant rollover protection as well as headrests. These modifications and the electric top add about 220 pounds. Expect the Cooper convertible to weigh about 2800 pounds and the topless Cooper S to hit 3000.
The strengthening is successful in keeping the Mini from shuddering and quivering like the Ford Thunderbird, the Katharine Hepburn of convertibles. In the Mini, bad roads can be taken with gusto, with only slight shudders moving the dashboard and windshield in concert. The movement is minute and quickly damped, but this is not the most solid convertible out there. The feeling of rigidity is remarkable in light of the jarringly stiff sidewalls of the standard run-flat tires and the al dente suspension tuning.
Mini engineers worked hard to maintain the deft handling of the hardtop. The extra weight has not hurt the balance and predictable nature of the coupe. Steering is fast with 2.4 turns lock-to-lock but remains a bit uncommunicative, and the reduced rigidity results in a steering wheel that trembles in your hands over midcorner imperfections. On the plus side is a new, optional three-spoke steering wheel.
Styling changes on the convertible are minor and will find their way onto all 2005 Minis. Freshened taillights and headlights are capped off by new front and rear bumpers that incorporate fog lights at both ends. Chrome is applied liberally, giving the new parts a lustrous appearance. Whether the top is up or down, the Mini looks good. When raised, the top's high-quality fabric—available in black, green, or blue—is taut and wrinkle-free. But this is no ordinary top. The first 15.8 inches of fabric can be rolled back at speeds up to 75 mph to create a sunroof that is perfect for staving off seasonal affective disorder on those rare sunny winter days. The idea is so simple and effective that other manufacturers are sure to copy it in the near future.
Top operation is fully automated and of the one-touch variety, requiring only 15 seconds to roll back into its nacelle. What's unusual in this class of car is that there are no latches or headers to deal with; all it takes to lower and raise the top is a single button. What you see in the rearview mirror with the top down is limited by the Beetle cabriolet-like bustle or, with the top up, by the smallish glass backlight. Mini seems to recognize this deficiency and has made park-distance-control sensors at the rear—they beep when you're about to kiss a telephone pole—standard equipment on all convertibles.
With the top down, its folded bulk may block some of the view, but it also keeps out the breeze. The tall windshield blocks further wind intrusion, making conversations at 90 mph possible without having to resort to semaphore. Like convertibles of yore, the upright windshield gives the Mini a true open-air feel as opposed to the swept-back windshields that allow wind to buffet one's forehead.
With the top up, the Mini is as quiet and isolated as any softtop convertible on the market. Passengers unfortunate enough to be assigned to the rear will find bolt-upright seats and a reduction in shoulder room over the hardtop model. With the front seats adjusted to accommodate someone five foot ten, there is no legroom in back. Luggage space is limited, but the convertible still offers fold-down rear seats, and the trunk has an ingenious loading system that allows one to prop the rearmost section of the convertible top up and out of the way. This increases the trunk opening, making it possible to load large suitcases.
Mini expects the convertible to cut a 20-percent slice of the Mini sales pie. Pricing had not been announced at press time, but a $5000 premium over hardtop variants was considered to be realistic. So expect the convertible to begin at about $22,000 and climb to nearly $30,000 for a well-equipped Cooper S model. The choptop is a well-executed, well-packaged design that gives up little utility to the coupe and adds some new style to the increasingly familiar Cooper. With a cloth top and plenty of innovation, the Cooper convertible is fresh and endearing enough to make you want to take one home.
