It’s been a bit of a wait but BMW has finally released images and a video of the new MINI Cabrio. The car retains a folding soft-top which sits exposed at the back of the car when open.
The roof will fold back fully automatically in a complete process in just 15 seconds, even up to speeds of 30km/h. The MINI Cabrio comes with a single-piece roll bar behind the rear seats extending across the entire interior width of the car.
It will move up automatically in just 150 milliseconds if the car starts to roll. Automatic air conditioning with Cabrio mode is available for the first time that creates a consistent set temperature even in windy conditions when the roof is opened. The car will be available in Cooper and Cooper S guise, with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder with a Twin-Scroll turbocharger and direct fuel injection.
From the start the MINI Cooper S Cabrio and the MINI Cooper Cabrio are available with a six-speed manual gearbox featured as standard or optional six-speed automatic transmission. 0-60mph in the manual Cooper S takes 7.4 seconds and top speed is 138mph.
We reckon the new hood gives it a kind of hotrod look, with its flat roofline and thick C-pillar area. Mini will also offer a new 'fun' accessory to encourage owners to take that roof down. The 'openometer' will record how much the car has been driven topless, presumably to encourage owners to get competitive about it. Soft-top guilt, eh - we're not sure this will catch on...
Two new colours will be available on the new convertible, 'Horizon blue', and the 'Interchange yellow' seen in these photos. These will be mated to new contrasting roof colours and accessory options to help give the cars a more customised look.
Prices will range from £15,995 for the standard Cooper, to £18,995 for the hot Cooper S.