BMW Announces the Stylish New MINI Convertible

BMW has announced the new MINI Convertible that will go on sale in March 2016. It’s the newest addition to the first and only premium convertible line in the small car segment. The new MINI Convertible continues the MINI tradition with classic MINI design. The MINI Convertible is an open-top four-seater that combines sportiness, efficiency, comfort, functionality, safety, connectivity and quality. Here’s what makes the MINI Convertible:

Design

The MINI has a distinct design that makes it noticeable from afar. The new MINI Convertible continues the same design elements, featuring circular headlamps and rear lights with chrome surrounds, hexagonal radiator grille, black peripheral body surround, and side turn indicator elements all scream out classic MINI. It also comes with a large selection of body finishes including a new Caribbean Aqua as shown below.

Of course, at the end of the day the MINI Convertible is all about the ‘convertible’. The roof of the car is of high-quality textile with fully automatic opening and closing mechanisms as well as a sliding roof function. You also get a Union Jack printed textile with the MINI Yours variant. The roof and side windows can open and close even at speeds up to 30 km/h.

On the inside you have a characteristic design with a horizontally structured cockpit, circular or elliptical contours for displays, air vents and door trim elements; display and operating concept including instrument panel on the steering column, central instrument with new functions, optional LED lighting display and a red start/stop button at the centre of the toggle switch bar.

Specs

The MINI Convertible comes in three variants: new engine generation with MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology; 3-cylinder petrol engine with 100 kW/136 hp in the MINI Cooper Convertible, 4-cylinder petrol engine with 141 kW/192 hp in the MINI Cooper S Convertible, and 3-cylinder diesel engine with 85 kW/116 hp in the MINI Cooper D Convertible.

The car comes with power transmission to the front wheels; 6-speed manual transmission as standard, 6-speed Steptronic transmission as an option, and a 6-speed Steptronic sports transmission with shift paddles at the steering wheel is also available for MINI Cooper S Convertible.

Features

The MINI Convertible comes complete with standard safety features that include front airbags, head-thorax airbags integrated in the backrests, 3-point automatic belts on all seats, ISOFIX child seat mountings for the passenger seat and at the rear, tyre pressure display and a partially active engine compartment lid for optimum pedestrian protection.

There are some new, innovative features as well with LED headlamps with LED daytime driving lights and LED rear lights; adaptive light distribution and LED turning light; LED fog lamp; lighting package with LED interiors and ambient lighting; MINI Head-Up Display, Parking Assistant, Driving Assistant with camera-based active cruise control, collision and pedestrian warning with initial brake function, high beam assistant and road sign detection; a rear view camera and Intelligent Emergency Call.

Variants

As mentioned above, the MINI Convertible comes in three engine variants. Here’s what you can find under the hood of all three:

MINI Cooper S Convertible: 4-cylinder petrol engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology
Capacity: 1998 cc, output: 141 kW/192 hp at 5 000 – 6 000 rpm

Torque: 280 Nm at 1 250 – 4 000 rpm
Acceleration: 0–100 km/h in  7.2 seconds
Top speed: 230 km/h
Average fuel consumption: 6.1 – 6.0 litres/100 kilometres

MINI Cooper Convertible: 3-cylinder petrol engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology
Capacity: 1 499 cc, output: 100 kW/136 hp at 4 400 rpm,
Torque: 220 Nm at 1 250 rpm
Acceleration: 0–100 km/h in 8.8 seconds
Top speed: 208 km/h

Average fuel consumption: 5.1 – 4.9 litres (5.3 – 5.1 litres)/100 kilometres

MINI Cooper D   Convertible: 3-cylinder diesel engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology
Capacity: 1 496 cc, output: 85 kW/116 hp at 4 000 rpm,
Torque: 270 Nm at 1 750 – 2 250 rpm
Acceleration: 0–100 km/h in 9.9 seconds
Top speed: 195 km/h (195 km/h)

Average fuel consumption: 4.0 – 3.8 litres (4.1 – 3.9 litres)/100 kilometres