Friday 28th November 2008

Video: New MINI Cabrio

Latest drop-top MINI unveiled...

---

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.

 

 

[martaay]

looks err.. really different... from current cabrio..

[macca5050]

Snap! I win!

[Fetchez la vache]

That looks good. My main beef with the cab was those bloody great hoola-hoops at the back, but this has god rid.

I um... quite um.... like it...


Edit: Just read the 'openometer' bit... what are they on? Who decided that was a good idea?

Edited by Fetchez la vache on Friday 28th November 11:43

[PhantomPH]

Ashamed as I am to admit it, I like that. Smart looking car. I agree with the 'hot rod' appearance.

[stinkysteve]

I agree with the hot rod comments but how bad is that blind spot going to be?

So many modern cars seem to have visibility as an afterthought. It should be of primary concern!

[Beefmeister]

That looks much better with the lower profile rollover hoops:




edit: And people say Porsche have no new design ideas!!!

Edited by Beefmeister on Friday 28th November 11:59

[dpbird90]

Erm, can anyone see anything they have actually bothered to change that isn't the roll bar/hoops?

[JBTT]

Still looks like a skip

[S3_Graham]

Beefmeister said:

That looks much better with the lower profile rollover hoops:




edit: And people say Porsche have no new design ideas!!!

Edited by Beefmeister on Friday 28th November 11:59

until you use your head as a roll over hoop!

[Beefmeister]

The lower profile hoops pop up in a crash, like the one in the old Merc SLs...

[zimmerman]

I saw about 6 of these on the M5 recently. They were all in that awful yellow colour & disguised. I couldn't work out why they were disguised, just looks like the old one.

[Gsink]

martaay said:

looks err.. really different... from current cabrio..

The whole point of the mini is despite its growth is to maintain its shape, almost like the 911 its a car with heritage, therefore you shouldnt be expecting wild changes in the appearnce of the car, what were you expecting?

[Spunagain]

dpbird90 said:

Erm, can anyone see anything they have actually bothered to change that isn't the roll bar/hoops?

Probably not much visible, but the new Cabriolets have the latest engines so you don't wind up with a Mini copper S that's more thirsty than my 4 litre TVR Chimaera was!

I for one am seriously considering it as a replacement for my Elise and ZT260 for the combined school run work commute! As I can't drop 2 kids with the Elise and get to work on time!

[moetmoet]

Spunagain said:

dpbird90 said:

Erm, can anyone see anything they have actually bothered to change that isn't the roll bar/hoops?

Probably not much visible, but the new Cabriolets have the latest engines so you don't wind up with a Mini copper S that's more thirsty than my 4 litre TVR Chimaera was!

I for one am seriously considering it as a replacement for my Elise and ZT260 for the combined school run work commute! As I can't drop 2 kids with the Elise and get to work on time!

NOooooooo dont replace your elise with one of those!!!! Send your kids to boarding school!!!! Theyre supposed to be fashionable these minis, but check out the guy in the video, isnt it screech of saved by the bell!?!

[BlueCello]

I think that looks fab, I'd love a Cooper S manual in yellow, like that one.

[varsas]

Not bad for £16k TBH, what else is there? MX-5 (more expensive, only two seats), astra TT/focus CC/ Megane CC...etc probably not as good to drive and more expensive. Nissan Micra CC?

I would quite like it if my girl friend had one.

[A Scotsman]

Girl's car... They'll love it and fortunately they'll probably never drive it fast enough to show up the chassis twist...

[JCW]

A Scotsman said:

Girl's car... They'll love it and fortunately they'll probably never drive it fast enough to show up the chassis twist...

So, how bad was the 'chassis twist' when you drove it?

[mister.t]

Not a fan of Interchange Yellow, but the car itself looks alright!

[White-Noise]

On a more interesting point - whats a twin scroll turbo and how does it work?