MINI Cooper S Review

MINI Cooper

According to MINI the British are a nation obssessed by convertibles and despite our unpredictable weather we are one of the most significant convertible markets in Europe.

Since its launch in 2001, the MINI adventure shows no sign of slowing down and with the introduction of the Convertible model in July 2004 you can now enjoy the MINI experience 'topless'.

The MINI Convertible is available in three variants, MINI One Convertible, MINI Cooper Convertible and MINI Cooper S Convertible. All three models are built at the Oxford based plant alongside the five existing models that have already proved to be big hits worldwide the MINI One, MINI One D, MINI Cooper, MINI Cooper S and MINI Clubman.

In the spring of 2007, the one millionth MINI rolled off the production line.

MINI state that the added power and stunning looks of the Cooper S place it on the wanted list alongside many supercars.

Join me on my MINI Cooper S Convertible adventure to find out if it can live up to BMW's bold promises.

How It Drove - Performance

The MINI Cooper S Convertible is fitted with a four cylinder, 1.6 litre engine that is shared by its siblings in the MINI range. Supercharger technology pushes the engine output to an impressive 170 bhp @ 6000 rpm and it delivers 220 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm. This enables the MINI Cooper S to reach a top speed of 134 mph and propels it from 0 to 62mph in 7.4 seconds.

The convertible model weighs in at an extra 100 kg's than the hatchback, which takes into account the chassis reinforcements and the electrically operated roof.

The MINI Cooper S's engine is relatively quiet and refined at low speeds and power delivery is smooth and precise. It is controlled by 'throttle-by-wire' technology which replaces the traditional mechanical link between the accelerator and engine. The powertrain controller determines the ideal amount of fuel to supply to the engine resulting in maximum performance and minimum emissions.