Photography: Shrenith Bhandary
As a form of the automobile, convertibles perhaps have the most universal appeal. I mean, who does not like the idea of getting the wind in the hair, coasting down a smooth road on a balmy day? And when the said convertible is a ‘Mini’ the affability certainly shoots up by a few notches, doesn’t it? And BMW India chose perhaps the best time of the year and one of the best possible locations to have us drive and experience the latest generation Mini Cooper S Convertible – the month of December and the smooth, arrow straight roads of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan! For that matter, it’s just about a year and half since the new generation Mini Cooper S was launched in the country, and BMW India has been quick to follow it up with the launch of the new Cooper S Convertible.
It’s easy to notice that the design of the Convertible is identical to the Cooper S hatchback, and that means this car retains that classic Mini silhouette. But, at the same time, the car looks very modern thanks to the headlamp design and its circular DRLs, and also the grille. The biggest visual change of course is the soft convertible roof which adds loads of appeal to the car’s presence, and has it turn heads instantly. Interestingly, the Convertible also lets you use its fabric roof as a sunroof, because should you wish to, you can open only a part of the roof, as is the case with conventional sunroofs, though of course, there is no glass panel here. What I also like about the new generation Mini Cooper is that while its wheelbase is identical to its predecessor, the car is slightly shorter in length, but wider and taller, which helps while driving.
Overall, the new Convertible has the typical cheerful appearance we’ve always associated with a Mini Cooper. More importantly, I’d like to tip my hat to Mini’s designers for retaining that classic Mini essence in terms of the car’s appeal, while also having it look very modern to ensure it appeals to new-age buyers. The Convertible’s rear end looks slightly different from the hatchback’s, as this one gets the more traditional Union Jack-incorporating tail lamps, unlike the new-gen hatch, which has a set of triangular tail lamps. There’s a small usable space in the name of the boot given that the fabric roof folds itself in, but then, anyone buying this car isn’t really buying it for boot space, no? That said, one element that’s missing and I would have liked to have are the centrally mounted twin exhaust tips – they’ve been a trademark feature and the rear end seems to be missing something visually without them.
The fabric roof can fold itself down in just 18 seconds, which is pretty quick, and can be done on the go as well, at up to 30kmph. The cabin looks and feels identical to the hatchback’s, with similar elements, surface finishes and treatments, and of course the round, 9.4-inch OLED display that takes centre stage on the dashboard. The display also impresses with its bright colours, crisp resolution and the various themes you can choose from. There’s a lot of recycled materials all round, in keeping with Mini’s focus on sustainability. While I do like the display, admittedly, it gets slightly irritating to have to refer to the screen for a lot of functions instead of having physical switches and rotors. Only the most basic of functions get physical switches, just like the hatchback, for ignition, drive selector and more, while even air-conditioning controls have to be accessed through the touchscreen.
You also get a head-up display, which helps matters at least for viewing the speed, which is otherwise displayed only on the central display. Expectedly, the cabin is quite compact meaning seating space is tight, and you could possibly seat two adults in the back, but only for short runs. Needless to mention though, Mini hasn’t quite tried to portray this one as a roomy car, given its more ‘lifestyle’ positioning. The list of features on offer includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 12-speaker Harman music system that offers good acoustics and is pretty audible even with the top down, a massage function for the driver interestingly and even a heated steering. Ventilated seats would have been a good addition though.
Powering the Convertible is the same 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine as the hatchback, putting out 204PS and 300Nm, and mated to a 7-speed dual clutch automatic. It’s worth noting that claimed 0-100kmph time is a scant 6.9 seconds, while claimed top speed is a very impressive 237kmph! Having tested this powertrain in the hatchback I knew what to expect, and was impressed by the sprightly performance yet again. Give it the beans and the car leaps ahead like an eager puppy and is quick to help you get across open stretches of tarmac, as I discovered on the deserted and excellent roads just outside Jaisalmer city. But while there are some theatrics from the engine in terms of mild whooshes and hisses courtesy of it being force fed, the exhaust note is a bit of a letdown, as it feels too muted for this car.
What’s also missing are a pair of paddle shifters – they would have done a lot to add to what is already a fun to drive car. Heck, for the matter, I also wish this one was a rear-wheel drive car, with a mechanical parking brake to let you lock and slide the rear at will! If only… But with that said, the Convertible is a lot of fun to drive and impresses with its playful character too. Putting pedal to metal on the empty stretches of tarmac was gratifying, as was cutting through traffic and chucking the car into corners without a care. The steering responds very well to inputs and offers good feedback, while the chassis, suspension and tyres work together to offer a very confident feel, be it at highway speeds in a straight line or around bends.
The highlight of my day out with the Mini Cooper S Convertible was driving it with the top down, in the perfect conditions that Jaisalmer had to offer. It’s a feeling not many things in the automotive sphere can match – a reasonable clip on an empty road with the wind in your hair is a feeling petrolheads cherish after all! And the Mini Cooper S Convertible is one of your only options in India if you want that feeling. But a spanner in the works, in case you’re wanting to get one, is that the car is sold out. It was launched at ₹ 58.50 lakh ex-showroom, but all units got lapped up within 24 hours of bookings opening – that should give you an idea of how much Indians love convertibles!
