Review: 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible

Sure we'd all (well most of us anyway) love to be driving around in an Aston Martin DBS Volante, but sometimes you just can't quite manage a $300,000 price tag. That doesn't mean you can't have enjoy the sunshine in a British car seated on lovely leather. For about one-tenth of the price of the Aston, you can get the MINI Cooper. One of the great things about MINIs is that you can spec them out from mild to wild to suit your tastes. Those with a need for speed, can jump right into the high performance 208 hp John Cooper Works edition. While the JCW is certainly quick, its ride can be a bit hardcore for some customers. At other end of the spectrum is the base Cooper with the Cooper S lying in between.



All three variants get a 1.6-liter four cylinder engine, with the S and JCW getting turbochargers. The 118 hp non-turbo Cooper is more than adequate for those looking for fun with less risk of alerting the local constabulary to your activities.



Aside from the VW Beetle, the MINI is one of the most instantly recognizable automotive shapes of the last half century. Even in the modern incarnation that debuted in 2001, clearly shows it lineage. At just over 12 feet long, the only car currently available in the US that is smaller is the Smart ForTwo, and it doesn't have a back seat. Since this is a site devoted to luxury goods, you might wonder how a car like the MINI merits a place here. Certainly the original MINIs were low price, tiny economy cars. However, once BMW took over former MINI parent Rover in the mid-90s, the brand began a transformation. After four decades of building cars based on Alec Issigonis' original design, BMW funded the development of a new car that could meet modern customer and regulatory standards.



With the debut of the new MINI in 2001, BMW demonstrated clearly that there was indeed a market for a premium small car. In spite of its compact dimensions, the MINI contains all of the features 21st century customers expect including power windows, air conditioning, good audio, etc. Our test MINI convertible had an interior swathed in "hot chocolate" brown leather with contrasting white piping along with a matching brown top. The The front seats are extremely comfortable and provide good support. Given the name, it should come as no surprise that the back seat is snug to say the least. As long as the driver and front passenger aren't too tall or are willing to move their seats forward, a shorter passenger or two can fit in the rear. Realistically the MINI convertible will mostly be used as a two seater with an occasional back seat. When temperatures drop, just roll up the windows, turn up the automatic climate control system and switch on the seat heaters and you're good to go in comfort.





Of course what sets this car apart from its siblings is the top. The MINI has a fully powered and fully lined top that retracts quickly at the push of a toggle button. Actually, the top has two modes in addition to fully closed. Tapping the toggle on the windshield header once causes the front part of the top to retract like a sunroof. Continuing to hold the switch brings it all the way back opening the car up to the sunshine. Fortunately the sun was shining during most of our week with the car so the top stayed down at all times except when parked in the driveway over night.



For those who insist on driving a convertible with the top up, this one seals well and makes for a relatively quiet interior. Unfortunately the visibility to the rear with the roof closed is best described as poor. Straight out the back through the glass rear window, the view is clear. However, the wide C-pillars, make over the shoulder view non-existent. No worries though, just open the lid and forget about it until it rains. MINI also provides another reason to drive top down thanks to a new gauge hanging off the left hand side of the steering column mounted tachometer. The openometer tracks the time that the car is motion with the top down. Sure it's gimmicky, but like the rest of the MINI it's meant to put a smile on the drivers face.




Our tester was equipped with the 6-speed automatic transmission along with paddle shifters on the back side of the leather wrapped, thick rimmed steering wheel. For those that like to drive, the modern MINI has always had great steering and this convertible is no exception. Compared to the more rapid John Cooper Works model, the base model has a much more comfortable ride. This new generation convertible has a significantly stiffer structure than the old model, but over some of the nastier pavement that are labeled as roads in Michigan, the MINI does demonstrate a bit of shake in the windshield frame.



Over the past year as most of the auto industry has gone straight in the toilet, one of the few reasonably successful brands has been MINI. By creating cars that are visually appealing and fun to drive the brand has proven that small cars don't have to be cheap, either in terms of finish or price. MINI's are also very fuel efficient. The EPA rates the automatic MINI Cooper convertible at 25 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. During our week with the car, we managed and impressive 30 mpg driving with the top down all the time.


MINI USA spokeswoman Nathalie Bauthers and Product Manager Vincent Kung

At $32,400 our MINI was also not inexpensive, but as nicely equipped as it was, it's not a bad deal. Another of the reasons for MINI's success is that like a certain fast food joint, they invite you to have it your way. Buyers can get MINIs in an array of colors, with different wheels, stripes, interiors and much more. As long as you can fit in a MINI, you can surely build a MINI to suit your style.




Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Max Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.