MINI Cooper S Cabrio | Test Drive
MINI COOPER S CABRIO
With a 100% electric future coming by 2030, it’s time to enjoy the unmistakable MINI driving experience. The new Cabrio Cooper S looks fantastic and asks for nothing more than to be driven.
Words Andrea Balti / Photos Richard Montagner
Raise your hand if you know what it takes for a magic summer. On a broader level, the duo comprising iced drinks and the right company is unparalleled, but as far as automotive concerns there is only one answer on which everyone agrees on: a convertible. And if it is one of the most loved cars by young people of different generations, the new MINI Cabrio promises to be once again the ideal car to make coexistence in everyday commute more pleasant, but above all to make the most out of those moments in which – perhaps by folding the canvas top – you will exploit the power of the engine of the Cooper S version.
Indeed, if it has recently been declared that the entire MINI brand will solely focus on the production of 100% electric models by 2030, it is time to fully enjoy – as long as we have time – the roaring driving experience guaranteed by one of the most interesting and effective piece of kit at the moment in the catalogue. Without calling into question the most powerful 231 horsepower JCW, we took the new Cooper S cabrio and, with the roof strictly open, we enjoyed the extraordinary beauty of driving an (ever larger) go-kart capable of messing with your hairstyle as soon as you decide to take advantage of one of its best sides, the performance one. Over the years the go-kart feeling has faded, the nervous feedback of the R53 seems like a distant memory, essentially due to a considerable increase in size and weight, but also of that technology and that softness that make life on board up with the times and above all capable of making the latest generation MINIs the ideal alternative to even more “mature” models.
Going back to the restyling introduced in recent months, the look of the MINI obviously remains unmistakable. Good to hear this. However, there are a series of aesthetic tricks that make it more aggressive, even without going fishing in the JCW kit, must-have extra money prior to this, especially for those customers who did not want to give up flaunting their warlike intentions. We therefore have a wider front grille which, thanks to a horizontal element in the same color as the body, is divided and made even more impressive. On the side, the fog lights disappear, leaving room for a clean surface and which is marked by two vertical slits, useful for cooling purposes, but also for giving even more character than before. The same fog lights are now integrated into the circular headlights with LED technology, an authentic trademark of the brand.
For the rest, with the exception of a few other small bits such as the integration of the side indicators together with the badge on the wheel arch, everything remains rightly and unmistakably MINI. The version of our test is a Cooper S and is therefore equipped with a 2-liter inline 4-cylinder with 178 horsepower. Many will turn up their noses discovering that the overall power continues not to increase and indeed remains lower than that of a few years ago, but the entire list of the Anglo-German maker should not be taken lightly for this, in fact the delivery is full-bodied and the turbo pushes well starting from 1,350 rpm, when the 280 Nm of torque at your disposal come into play. Available with both manual and 7-speed automatic transmissions, the Cooper S Cabrio is not so much focused on tearing the asphalt, but rather on making you one with the road and enjoying a driving experience impossible to be found elsewhere, especially in this specific segment.
In the passenger compartment we have other interesting situations, starting with the redesigned and modernized steering wheel thanks to well-integrated buttons on the side spokes. The semi-digital instrument panel display (seen on the GP) is optional, but gives that contemporary bonus that the hypothetical customer cannot and must not give up. At the center, on the other hand, remains the “pizza”, with an updated and improved system, something to be envied even by models with double the price. The seats, despite the growth that the MINI has embraced over the years, remain comfortable for 2 + 2, with those at the back however having to sacrifice because of the reduced space for legs and feet. Nevertheless a not excessively long section can be tackled without major problems. The same applies to the load compartment, which in the Cabrio can be opened in two different ways, depending on whether you need to accommodate more bulky luggage.
The Zesty Yellow color is undoubtedly an original choice, but it represents an added value for a young car, not exclusively intended for those who still have all their hair on their heads. Roof open, Sport mode on and gearbox in sequential mode via the steering wheel paddles. All I need is a curvy road to enjoy a hot summer day and find out how good a Cooper S still feels between bends. The 2-liter is never too loud and despite the dual chrome exhaust in the center of the rear bumper, the pops are filtered out pretty heavily. What is certain is that the 178 horses are all there and that once you get in tune with the rev curve, pinching 5,000 will be the ideal way to take full advantage of a multifaceted car capable of playing the role of a soft city car the moment before and a little bomb hungry for curves the following one.
The driving experience becomes more frenetic depending on how I attack the tight section ahead, how I throw the gas to the floor on the straights and how I lunge on the brakes when I realize that the weight increase and the reduced stiffness compared to years ago-MINIs absolutely did not lose that adrenaline rate that is expected when you read the “S” next to “Cooper”. It is certain that to bring out Dr. Jekyll you have to push more than before, but this is for the simple fact that the latest generation MINI is primarily a car destined for a wider use (compared to the legendary R53 or R56) and that thanks to every single part that have undergone improvements – engine and chassis above all – it knows how to be at ease on fun roads, as well as on boring motorway sections. This is why we speak of a complete car.
The MINI Cabrio has a price list that starts at € 25,850, with the One equipped with a 102 hp 3-cylinder, it goes up to € 28,450 of the 136 hp Cooper. For the Cooper S you need at least € 32,850, but we move on to a 2.0 cc, 178 horsepower 4-cylinder which, especially when you intend to take advantage of the sportier nature, are perfectly able to satisfy. The last step is dedicated to the 231 horsepower John Cooper Works, with prices starting from € 41,300. As it is easy to guess, it is a really wide range of prices – there is more than 15,000 euro of difference between the entry level and the top of the range – but we are talking about completely different cars, not only as far as destination of use, but as perception itself, once behind the wheel. Once again the magical letter “S” is the one that represents the perfect meeting point between the usability of a compact-sized model and the sportiness of a little bomb. And if it is also a convertible and whistles the summer air at every ride you want to dedicate yourself in your free time, the wow factor has remained as intact as we hoped.
MINI COOPER S CABRIO
Engine 4 cylinder Turbo, 1.998 cc Power 178 hp @ 5.000 rpm Torque 280 Nm @ 1.350 rpm
Traction Front-Wheel-Drive Transmission 7-Speed Automatic Gearbox Weight 1.380 kg
0-100 kph 6,9 sec Top Speed 230 kph Price from €32.850