Review of the new Mini Convertible Range

It's pretty hard to take exception to MINI's second generation Convertible. It looks sportier (and is), yet it's cheaper to run and more eco friendly. It offers more space and plenty of hi-tech features. But best of all, it's still just as much fun to drive as the original. Some things never change.

The first-generation MINI Convertible experienced remarkable sales success in Britain and was a best seller in the UK in the small convertible segment between 2004 and 2008. Approximately 164,000 MINI Convertibles were delivered to owners around the world during its lifecycle. Demand for its successor, complete with an array of technological and design advances, is sure to be strong.

One of the key aims when designing this Convertible was to offer the fun of top-down motoring without sacrificing too much in terms of space and driving dynamics. Imagine a shoe box with the lid on it. It's quite rigid but if you pop the lid off it suddenly becomes a rather wobbly thing. The same applies to convertible cars when their hard tops are removed and a lot of work goes into remedial reinforcement work to rectify this. If you've ever wondered why soft top cars are often heavier than their tin top equivalents, now you know. MINI claim their Convertible offers the same go-kart style handling as the hatch and this is testament to thorough bracing. On the move, a stronger body reduces 'scuttle shake' over bumps.

As with the fixed top second generation MINI models, the MK2 convertible ditches the old Isuzu engines that used to be expensively sourced from South America and instead adopts the less characterful but more efficient units that BMW developed in partnership with Peugeot and Citroen. That means we loose the glorious supercharged whine of the old Cooper S version, but its 184bhp 1.6-litre twin scroll turbocharged replacement makes up for that with far better fuel economy figures and emissions. Rest to sixty takes 7.3s on the way to 141mph and there's 240Nm of torque. In the tuned John Cooper Works model, power is upped to 211bhp and 0-60mph takes 6.9s. Go for the 122bhp 1.6-litre engine you get in the standard Cooper model and sixty takes 9.8s on the way to 124mph, still quite fast enough for most, even if, with 160Nm of torque, you'll need to rev it a bit more to properly enjoy that performance. There's also a 98bhp MINI One version that makes sixty in 11.3s.

"Just as much fun to drive as the original. Some things never change.."

With a raised shoulder line, highlighted by a chrome strip which extends around the body of the car, the MK2 MINI Convertible has a more purposeful and dynamic stance than its predecessor. The Cooper S Convertible sets itself apart visually through the presence of an enhanced 'powerdome', which sits 20 millimetres higher than the MINI Cooper's bonnet and houses a large air scoop. At the rear end, large twin tailpipes, a large diffuser in the rear bumper and a two-piece rear fog lamp mark it out.

The automatic canvas roof of this car can be fully retracted or closed using a roof-frame mounted toggle switch in just 15 seconds. In the event of a driver being caught unexpectedly by a sudden downpour, this function will fully operate with the car at speeds of up to 20mph. As an alternative to the complete top-down driving experience, the full-width of the electric roof can be retracted by approximately 40cm to create the effect of a sunroof. This function can be operated at speeds of up to 75 mph.

Unlike its predecessor's fixed anti-roll bars, the MK2 model features a single-piece roll bar situated behind the rear seats, ensuring passenger safety in the event of a crash. The roll bar will extend in milliseconds at the point of impact to protect the car's occupants should the car overturn. Clever use of space means the luggage capacity of the MK2 car is considerably improved, at 125 litres roof-up, 170 litres roof-shut and 660 litres roof-up and rear seats folded.

There's a mainstream choice of 98bhp MINI One, 122bhp Cooper and 184bhp Cooper S variants and all are decently equipped. You can expect to find Electromechanical Power Steering (EPS), ABS brakes with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Cornering Brake Control (CBC) and Brake Assist, plus Dynamic Stability Control (DSC). The other option is the 211bhp John Cooper Works Convertible which has a considerably more hardcore focus.

For the first-time in a MINI Convertible, air conditioning is fitted as standard. An added benefit to owners will be that the lockable glovebox will receive cooled air and ensure its contents remain icey, while passengers enjoy the sun. One option of dubious value will be what MINI are calling their 'Openometer'. This records the time spent by the owner driving with the top down. Bike rack preparation is supplied with the car as standard. The mounting points are obscured from view and positioned behind the rear bumper, meaning owners are able to easily affix multi-function carriers as and when required.

The engines feature technologies based on BMW's acclaimed EfficientDynamics systems, so you can expect class-leading fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions. Auto Start Stop (where the engine switches on and off in heavy traffic), Brake Energy Regeneration and a Shift Point Display on the dashboard telling you when to change up all contribute to the impressive cost of ownership figures, with improvements of over 20% based on a model-for-model comparison with this car's predecessor. Emissions are 137g/km for the Cooper and 153g/km of CO2 for the Cooper S, while the respective combined fuel economy figures for the two cars are 49.6mpg and 44.1mpg.

You could perhaps complain about the premium pricing but in truth, there's not really much more than that to put off would-be MINI Cabriolet purchasers. This car has so much more street-cred than obvious rivals and is far-less gender-specific (read female-orientated) which will matter to male buyers nearly as much as the fast that it's huge fun to drive. Expect to see plenty of them.