Mini convertible - with the wind in your hair
Minis are bought, among other things, in order to drive around the city in style, because in this car it looks as good and elegant as in a few. However, if we want to be even more fashionable, instead of buying a One or a Cooper, we can get something more unusual - a convertible.
The fashion for convertible hardtops still continues, but Mini has taken a much more old-fashioned open-body approach and used a padded roof hood. It's true that it's electrically foldable, but that's a sign of the times. What are the benefits of such a solution?
In addition to stylistic values and references to the past of the automotive industry, one can also see purely functional advantages - due to the fact that the roof is not hidden in the trunk, Mini is still shopping. However, there is nothing to deceive - the trunk is very small and in the case of long trips there is nothing left but to pack the suitcases with common sense and stuff them into the two rear seats. Due to the cramped interior, this is a two-seat car, although four seats will be indicated in the data sheet. Adult males will have trouble getting into the backseat, so it's more of a typical emergency spot - giving someone a short ride or transporting kids and smaller people.
When buying a Mini, and especially an open-body model, the focus is on emotion over functionality. The Mini certainly evokes positive emotions, its cheerful design can be liked, and in terms of construction it is impossible to find fault with it. The mini cabriolet is reliable and safe, and at the same time offers a wide range of engines and equipment options. Behind the rear head restraints is an aluminum roll bar that extends in the event of a rollover and saves the lives of passengers. Safety is guaranteed by a solid construction, six airbags, a stability control system and ABS.
As in the closed body version, three equipment packages have been prepared - “Salt”, “Pepper” and “Chili”, which increase the price of the car to 13 zlotys. zloty The most expensive John Cooper Works model comes standard with equipment from the first two sets. Additional equipment includes, among others, a trip computer, automatic air conditioning, CD radio and aluminum wheels.
Air conditioning as standard is only available in the two richest versions (Cooper S and John Cooper Works). When buying models with weaker engines, you have to pay extra for this. The question, however, is, do you really need an air-conditioned option when choosing a convertible?
The open-body version of the Mini is available with five engine options. Basic, costing almost 88 thousand. The standard One model is equipped with a not very powerful 1,6 engine with 98 hp. In order to be able to move a little faster, you need to take out an extra ten thousand from your pocket and buy a Cooper with a 122-horsepower engine. People who think that there might be a diesel engine under the hood of the Mini Convertible can order their car in the Cooper D version (1,6 l, 112 hp), which, however, costs almost 105 thousand. zloty The Cooper S is a little more expensive (less than 118 PLN 1,6), but it pays off with excellent performance thanks to the supercharged 184 engine with 7.3 hp. (225 seconds to hundreds, 211 km/h). The most expensive Mini Convertible in the price list is, of course, the John Cooper Works model with a supercharged engine producing 137,5 hp, which costs 6.9 thousand. PLN and is capable of providing performance at the hothatch level - 235 sec, km/h.
The atmosphere of a retro car is one of the biggest advantages, and at the same time a guarantee of uniqueness in the city car market. It's hard to find a direct competitor to the Mini. Fiat has a 500C model, but it is slightly smaller and the retractable roof rests on a rigid structure of doors and pillars. Model 500 is much cheaper - the price of the basic version (1.2 liter 69 hp) is 55 thousand. zlotys, and in the 100-strong version – 70 thousand. zloty For the 95 hp Multijet diesel engine. you will have to pay 73 thousand. zloty However, only the Abarth 500C (1.4 T-Jet 140 km) can compete with the Cooper and Cooper S, which costs PLN 77. zloty You can also buy a Volkswagen EOS cheaper than a Mini (from PLN 99 for the 790 PS version to PLN 120 for the 124 FSI 690 PS automatic model), but this has little to do with the retro style. The Audi A2.0 (from PLN 210) and Mazda MX- (from PLN) are slightly more expensive, but these cars also do not belong to the same group as the Mini Cabrio. A high purchase price is a characteristic feature of the Mini brand, which does not offer cheap cars, and yet convertibles are among the most expensive cars in the offer of each manufacturer.
