Mini Launches Latest Cooper Convertible With More Power

Mini is slowly rolling out its full redesigned lineup. The electric Cooper models were the first to make an appearance last year, followed by the gas-powered Hardtopin early 2024. Now, the Mini Cooper Convertible is finally here, and like we’ve come to expect, it takes what’s great about the Cooper Hardtop, and pairs it with a soft roof, a strange rear hatch, and a dial to tell you how long you’ve had the roof down.

More Power, New Body, But Largely The Same As Before

Just like with the Hardtop, the Mini Cooper Convertible will come with two gas engines in the US. The lineup starts with the Mini Cooper C convertible, powered by a 2.0-liter turbo-four producing 161 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. That’s a major increase from the 134 horses of last year’s car, thanks to the extra cylinder. The Cooper S Convertible gets more power from the same engine, delivering 201 horses (up from 189 hp) and a more sporting 221 lb-ft of torque.

The Cooper C does 0-60- mph in 7.9-seconds, while the quicker Cooper S does the same in 6.7. If you need the wind in your hair more quickly, a Mini John Cooper Works Convertible is coming. Mini will reveal the details of that extra-quick model in a few weeks in Paris.

As before, the top takes 18 seconds to open, and it will do so at speeds up to 18 miles per hour. It can close three seconds more quickly. It still gets Mini’s clever partial-open front section that works like a large sunroof and Mini will continue to offer a Union Jack flag sewn onto the roof if you want it, making sure that soft top buyers aren’t left out of the company’s over-enthusiastic embrace of its British heritage.

Unmistakably Mini Inside And Out

We’ve seen Mini’s new yet familiar styling already. The body is the same as the Hardtop, at least from the door sills down. From that belt line up, everything is fabric or glass. At the back, it has the usual Mini downward-folding hatch that lets you get into the small trunk for storage.

Exterior dimensions are the same as the Hardtop at 157.2-inches long, and 68.6-inches wide. Even the height is virtually the same at 56.3-inches tall vs 56.4 with a metal roof.

Mini will offer the Cooper Convertible in Classic Style and Favoured Style—that’s the company’s use of the letter u—in the US. We’ll get 11 of the 12 globally available paint colors and a wide range of customization options. JCW models will get the usual more aggressive gloss black fascias front and rear and larger wheels.

A more simplified dash design mirrors the Cooper Hardtop and electric models. The gearshift is now in a redesigned toggle bar instead of the center console, and Mini has put a wireless charge pad where the shifter used to live.

Part of that redesign includes moving the climate control system into the 9.4-inch OLED display. It runs the latest BMW Group operating system, which at least means the “Hey, Mini!” voice activation system (which also runs the Intelligent Personal Assistant called Spike) can control most of those features. Mini “Experience Modes” help add some visual flair to the system using changes to the screen’s graphics and sound effects.

Adding a head-up display projects all the info Mini thinks you need onto the windshield. That means the car doesn’t need a second cluster in front of the driver, so you should have a better view out the front of the car.

Pricing for the US-spec 2025 Mini Cooper Convertible starts from $33,950, with the Cooper S from $37,200. Both are expected to arrive at dealers in early January 2025 and have a destination charge of $995. Pricing for the Mini JCW Convertible will be released shortly.

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