2015 Mini Cooper Cabrio | new car review

Looks

Identical to its tin top sibling, the MINI Cooper Cabrio flaunts protruding wheel arches, a chrome ring around the headlamps and 15 inch alloys. Of course, all of this is before you enter MINI Cooper S territory, which springs up a honeycomb grille, a hood scoop and a beefier engine below it.

Feels

Sticking to the tried and tested path, the interior of the 2015 MINI Cooper Cabrio is a delight for anyone who cannot get enough of circles. In addition to the steering wheel, the A/C vents, door handles, speakers and the infotainment system are all housed into rings. Being a MINI, there’s nothing quite safe about the styling and surprisingly, it all seems to work.

Engineering

One of the biggest fears of convertible owners, is the fear of flipping over in an unfortunate accident. Thankfully, the MINI Cooper Cabrio is equipped with an active roll-over bar that is made from ultra-sturdy aluminium and is normally tucked away behind the head rests. However, should the Cabrio sense a roll-over, the concealed bar springs into action in a matter of just 150 milliseconds!

What’s on offer?

Packing in slightly weaker engines than its hard-top sibling, the standard Cabrio is good for 121 horsepower and 160 Nm of torque. However, if you’re looking for something punchier, then it’s probably the Cabrio S that will appeal to you with 181 horsepower, 240 Nm of torque, and a 0 – 100 km/h time of 7.2 seconds.

Summing it…

There are as many differences between the Mini Cooper Cabrio and the Mini Cooper 3-Door as there are between standard HB pencils from different pencil manufacturers. Sure, its got a weaker engine and a roof that folds back, but the styling, equipment and even the price are nearly identical! At the end of the day, keeping the Cabrio a completely separate model is in the nicest of words, ridiculous.

Specifications