Mini John Cooper Works Convertible review: Flawed, but fun
But at the very least, owning the latest Mini Convertible is bound to mark you out as someone other people love to hang out with.
It's essentially a heavy facelift of the model that came out in 2012, with freshened up looks and a redesigned dashboard that has a big OLED screen in the middle, all of which are intended to keep it feeling contemporary without losing the car's adorably sunny expression or cheeky proportions. It's still such an icon that Anna Wintour herself would approve, especially since the seemingly endless colour choices mean you could easily pair your Mini with your favourite pair of pumps.
While the Mini practically supplies its own sunshine, convertibles do ask more of you when you use them as intended (which is something you can actually measure in this car, thanks to a quirky timer that keeps count of how much you drive it with the roof down).
For obvious reasons, you're in for a sweaty time in one. You also give Aura, Greek goddess of the breeze, carte blanche to wreak havoc on your hairstyle. And sooner or later, a passing bird will score a bullseye on your scalp (ask me how I know).
But really, what kind of grinch focuses on those instead of the many upsides? Between the wind in your hair, the sun on your face and all the smells and sounds swirling around you, driving a car with the roof down gives you the sense that the world isn't just something you're passing through, but something you're part of.
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The latest Mini Convertible is essentially a heavy facelift of the model that came out in 2012, with freshened up looks and a redesigned dashboard that has a big OLED screen in the middle. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING
Everything feels faster in an open-top car, too, simply because you're more exposed. Not that this particular Mini needs help feeling quick. The John Cooper Works, with 231 horsepower, bounds to 100 kmh in 6.4 seconds. The way the tailpipes pop and crackle, the car sounds like it's enjoying itself alongside you when you're giving it the beans.
The handling is just as eager, but it isn't sharp or precise. Chopping the roof off a car always introduces compromises, and you can feel the chassis flex enough to subtract a degree of steering accuracy. That makes the less-powerful Cooper S version the better buy, if you ask me. It's only marginally slower, so you might as well save yourself S$20,000.
Driving experience aside, there are packaging issues, too. The boot starts out small and gets tiny when the roof is stowed, shrinking from 215 litres to 160. The back seats are upright enough to be considered cruel and unusual punishment. And with the fabric top raised, rearward visibility is dire, so the 360-degree parking camera is less gimmick than necessity.
Still, convertibles are inherently flawed creatures, so it's partly about whether Mini makes those flaws easy to live with, and partly about knowing what you're letting yourself in for – expecting an open-top car to be practical and sharp is like buying a fridge to heat up your food.
Whatever the case, a convertible Mini is not something you buy because you need one, but because you want to live a little. Maybe you're young, carefree and can afford to drop S$312,888 on a tiny car, and you want the world to know it.
Or maybe the kids have finally left the house for good, and you want them to know you didn't retire just to become the grandkids' chauffeur, so you're eyeing a fun toy to ride off into the sunset in. The setting sun looks way better when you have the roof down, after all.
Mini John Cooper Works Convertible
Engine 1,998 cc, in-line four turbocharged
Power 231 hp from 5,000 to 6,000 rpm
Torque 380 Nm from 1,500 to 4,000 rpm
Gearbox 7-speed automatic
0-100 kmh 6.4 seconds
Top speed 245 kmh
Fuel efficiency 7.2 L/100 km
Agent Eurokars Habitat
Price S$312,888 with Certificate of Entitlement
Available Now
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