PressClub Global · Article.
MINI Convertible and MINI Roadster – two models that mean the sky's the limit when it comes to open-top driving fun.
Tue Jul 09 00:00:00 CEST 2013 Press Release
Unique in the premium small car segment: open air fun with four or two seats.
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BMW Group
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Munich. Soft top season is here and with both the
MINI Convertible and the MINI Roadster to choose from, it's a tough
decision - but the search for wind-in-your-hair driving fun ends here.
Both models combine the irresistible charm of the premium British
brand and thrilling go-kart feeling with made-to-measure open-top enjoyment.
The classic Mini didn't officially get its first open top until
it was 34 years old. The convertible version of the revolutionary car
joined the model range exactly 20 years ago, with a limited run of
just 1,000. In 2004 open top enthusiasts welcomed arrival of the MINI
Convertible with its hallmark proportions and design features, and an
electro-hydraulically powered roof mechanism. The MINI Convertible
swiftly established itself as a market leader and retains pole postion
in its segment. Hot on its wheels is the sixth unique model in the
MINI line-up, the Roadster.
With the Roadster MINI continues to rewrite the rulebook; this
is the first open-topped two-seater in the company’s history. The
cutting-edge design is typically MINI – an authentic re-interpretation
of a classic motoring concept. This latest model offers the fun of
driving a taut-handling roadster, with all the character of MINI. And
being built at Plant Oxford means it can justifiably claim to be a
spiritual successor to the traditional British roadsters of old.
Which of the two sun-seekers offers the more appealing open-top
driving experience is entirely a matter for the individual to decide.
The driver of a MINI Convertible can share the joys of summer travel
with up to three passengers while in the MINI Roadster, the suntan and
windswept hair are strictly for two. In terms of speedy access to the
open fresh air the MINI Convertible can be partially opened - up to 40
centimetres - at the press of a button and fully opened in just 15
seconds. Only the MINI Roadster has the faster alternative here,
activated manually. The soft top is unfolded and locked into place
behind the seats in a single operation. There is also an optional
semi-automatic open and close mechanism which simply requires the roof
to be released and secured at the windscreen frame.
There are no compromises in either model when it comes to
safety. Two rollover bars made of polished stainless steel behind the
seats along with an extremely rigid windscreen frame form a stable
passenger cell in the MINI Roadster. Accident protection is based on
the same principle in the MINI Convertible, too, though here the
single-section rollover bar springs up automatically behind the
headrests at the rear from idle position.
This also enables the use of a large through-load opening
between the luggage and passenger section, giving the MINI Convertible
additional versatility. With all seats in use, it has a storage
volume of 125 litres with the top open and 170 litres when it is
closed. Here the MINI Roadster wins hands-down with a transport
capacity of 240 litres - impressively generous for this category of
vehicle. However, things are a little different when the split rear
seatback in the MINI Convertible is folded down. This increases its
maximum load volume to 660 litres.
In both models, a light soft top and additional body
reinforcements ensure a high degree of torsional stiffness and a low
centre of gravity, making for increased agility when cornering at
speed. The MINI Roadster is a tad more radical when it comes to
combating the airstream. Its A-columns have a greater tilt angle, and
from a speed of 80 km/h the active rear spoiler automatically extends
to optimise aerodynamic balance.
Meanwhile the 4-seater has more variety to offer in terms of its
engine portfolio. The spectrum ranges from the MINI One Convertible
with 72 kW/98 bhp to the MINI Cooper D Convertible with 82 kW/112 bhp,
the MINI Cooper Convertible with 90 kW/122 bhp and the MINI Cooper SD
Convertible with 105 kW/143 bhp through to the MINI Cooper S
Convertible with 135 kW/184 bhp. All MINI Roadster versions bear the
name of the legendary sports car designer John Cooper in their model
designation. Here the program comprises the MINI Cooper Roadster, the
MINI Cooper D Roadster, the MINI Cooper SD Roadster and the MINI
Cooper S Roadster. All engines are combined as standard with a
six-speed manual transmission, with a six-speed automatic transmission
available as an optional extra.
What is more, both body types also come in an extremely sporty
version. In both the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible and the MINI
John Cooper Works Roadster a 155 kW/211 bhp turbo engine will help
whip up a storm of enthusiasm on any open-top trip.