Mini convertible - Maxi pleasure
In this car, eighteen seconds is enough to find yourself in a completely different world. Sunny, pleasantly relaxing and exceptionally stylish. You should have such a car at least once in your life!
Before I leave the house, I look at the weather again. This is the basic information you need to have a great time behind the wheel of your new Mini. The reason is the canvas roof, which can be quickly folded up and you can enjoy the sun. Fortunately, the latter will not be missing. Rain, or even cool air laced with mist, is the last thing I count on. On the other hand, in Britain there is less sun than rain, and convertibles love life more. They also make one of the most British convertibles there, the Mini Cabrio, a car that will be in my hands in a moment.
With your head in the clouds
The weather services are compatible, so the sunglasses sit on my head, and I'm looking forward to taking my place in the new model. This is the third generation, although the English brand had to wait two and a half years since the debut of the hatchback for the convertible roof version. It was a long time ago, but it paid off. Especially if the predecessor seemed too small for you. The body was lengthened, the axles were moved away from each other, thanks to which the interior received space mainly behind the front seats. From now on, friends who have seats in the second row do not have to complain that their legs could unscrew because they do not know what to do with their knees.
Critics reproach the stylists of the new incarnation of the Mini for the fact that the front end turned out to be not quite neat. Well, taste is a matter of taste, and the impression, even if it was bad, evaporates like camphor when we are faced with the 192-horsepower version of the Cooper S. Black hardware, chrome strips and accessory large wheels with low-profile rubber work. seems to be with an ugly duckling, suddenly we see a beautiful swan. If you are still not satisfied with the appearance of the baby, you can always choose the top version of JCW (John Cooper Works). Not only does it have a stunningly powerful 231 hp engine, but it also has an aggressive style that sets it apart from the rest. I even get the impression that the lower air intake is stylized as a buzzing English football fan with an “intelligently” protruding lower lip. But no one requires a high IQ from the appearance of the car, so this suits the scoundrel. The look of the Cooper S can also be tweaked by ordering a styling package based on the JCW.
The adventure begins in Kashubia, because it was here that the first rides were organized. The place was not chosen by chance, as the local roads perfectly match the character of the car. Or vice versa - but this is less important in view of the fact that I have the Mini key and I am exactly where I need to be. Hilly terrain is something that is not very common in lowland Poland. And this gives these few lands not only a picturesque character, but also makes the road builders form more turns. And this is great news, because I am driving a kart among real cars.
I know, I know, convertibles are not able to guarantee body rigidity at the same level as hatchbacks. On your daily commute or shopping, it doesn't matter much, lazily strolling in a line of cars, it's hard to see all the features of a car, especially when it comes to driving precision. But on an empty winding road, things are different.
What catches the eye, and indeed the whole body, is unexpected comfort. Although a lot of water has passed in the Vistula since I rode the second generation of the small convertible, I have the overwhelming impression that the latest Mini Convertible still offers more comfort than its predecessor. Whether you choose the Cooper S or the JCW, your kidneys and spine are safe and you won't get a concussion - even on Category XNUMX roads.
This even rises to the level of a problem, especially at John Cooper Works. After all, paying almost 150 thousand. PLN for an extremely sporty version of a road kart, we expect the car to insult us, shake us up and convince us that for everyday driving we should buy, for example, a comfortable Counrtyman. But none of that. A provocation in the form of a slow ride on a cobblestone or a deliberate detour of bumps does not help. JCW always behaves decently and kind of says "take me every day". For driving, of course.
If there's a convertible on the market comparable to the Mazda MX-5, it's the Mini. The small steering wheel fits perfectly in the hand, accurately tells the driver everything the driver needs to know about the road ahead, and the steering response is better than many hot dogs. For Mini kart drivers, handling is not just a slogan, but an everyday reality. The manual transmission is great too. With its mechanism it was possible to carry out open heart surgery.
How's the roof open? I don't know, the sun is shining through my thinning hair, but I don't want to deprive myself of the fun of driving a convertible. One condition. To be able to travel outside the city, it is necessary to install wind protection. This makes it impossible to carry additional passengers, i.e. attractive hitchhikers, but improves usability and effectively reduces air turbulence around the head. Profits are significant, but there are no losses, because attractive hitchhikers are less common in nature than unicorns. And since we are at the folded roof, I must admit that visibility to the rear with it is terrible.
common sense choice
No matter how much I praise the top versions of the engine, a strict countdown must be carried out before a possible purchase. Not everyone needs 192 horses under the hood, although they are a lot of fun when overclocked. Sometimes fuel consumption numbers start to scare, which is why some buyers turn their eyes to cars marked with a meaningful letter "D". Does it make sense?
For reference, it should be noted that the base Mini Convertible, as well as the three-door hatchback, is equipped with a “castrated”, since it is literally a single-cylinder unit with a volume of 1,5 liters without a single cylinder. The petrol Cooper puts out 136 hp, and aside from the generated siren singing, it's hard to argue against it. It is dynamic (0-100 km/h in 8,8 seconds) and economical – not only on paper. It really makes a good impression. Diesel Cooper D (116 hp) did not go, so I will not praise. Anyway, diesel is not suitable for a convertible, especially for a weak one, so if anything, it is better to choose Cooper SD (170 hp). Under the hood, it has four cylinders and performance worthy of a sports chassis (0-100 km/h in 7,7 seconds).
The choice of accessories that allow you to customize the Miniak to your liking is much less meaningful, but increases the pleasure of owning it. The canvas roof with the anti-Brexit British flag motif is an oversight for some, and support for the unity of the kingdom for others. Fortunately, this is not required. There are stripes that adorn the hood, without which the Mini looks ordinary, and mirror housings, which can be painted in body color - black, white and even chrome. If we combine this with 14 body colors, 11 wheel designs, 8 upholstery, 7 trim colors, including illuminated ones, then most likely we will be able to build a car that will be unique not only in our immediate environment. And having them, we can go to Kashubia, because there are not only beautiful roads.
You're probably starting to wonder if the Mini Convertible has any downsides. It is difficult to attribute it to competitors, because it does not exist, therefore there is no assertion that it is less or more than something. Apart from the mentioned rear visibility, for 95% of the population, including me, it is simply too expensive. But is this a disadvantage? At least it's not as popular as the Fabia and gives the owner the feeling of owning something (relatively) original.
Should I buy a mini convertible?
The basic version of the Cooper costs PLN 99, the Cooper S that I recommend costs PLN 800, and the desired and successful JCW costs a minimum of PLN 121. Of course, you need to keep in mind that choosing a few unreasonable accessories that increase aesthetic, and not necessarily functional value, will cost an additional approximately 800 thousand. zloty. But it's worth it - the Mini is still a great car, guaranteeing high quality workmanship, a great chassis and sporty versions of the engine. And all this in a package known and appreciated for years, which is still a pleasure to look at.
