First Look: 2005 MINI Convertible: The MINI Gets Mini-er

摘要

When MINI invited european carlo drive the new convertible MINI Cooper—in Marseille, France—I jumped up and down and waved my arms. Being a fan of the MINI as well as an eternal Francophile, I exclaimed, "Mais pui" and packed my Louis Vuitton duffels. I wasn't disappointed. The coastline along the French Mediterranean shimmered in beautiful aqua and green, and the new MINI convertible performed just as I'd expected. Although the convertible is currently available only in a base model Cooper, it was both quick and nimble over the fast and windy roads of southern France. Like its hardtop sister, the MINI convertible is powered by a 1.6-liter, 16-valve inline four that doles out 115 bhp at 6000 rpm and 110 lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm. MINI stated it pulls the rag-top from 0 to 62 mph in 9,8 sec., fast enough to mess up your hair, but those who crave speed will want to wait for the 2005 Cooper S and Cooper S convertible, which will both enjoy an increase of power by 7 ponies and 7 lb-ft of torque, for a total of 170 bhp and 162 lb-ft.