Mainstream Convertibles Are Disappearing—But Mini Still Has Plenty

• Every major automaker has convertibles, retractable hardtops, or high-end European cabriolets, but can any brand match Mini for its commitment to droptops?

• The convertible Mini Cooper, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works combined accounted for at least 12% of all sales in the US so far this year for the British brand.

• All weighing under 3,200 pounds, the Mini droptops are agile, fun, and reasonably quick. Time behind the wheel is most rewarding.

Your receding hairline doesn’t mind being buffeted by the wind once you drop the top on your beloved convertible and hit the highway. The noise doesn’t bother you, nor the inability to carry on a conversation, nor the exposure of your pasty white forehead to excessive ultraviolet rays when a gust of wind takes your ball cap.

Isn’t life always better behind the wheel and below nothing but blue sky?

Sure, every major automaker has convertibles, retractable hardtops, or high-end European cabriolets, but can any brand match Mini for its commitment to droptops?

Distilled to its essence, Mini’s portfolio in the US today has only two model lines—the Cooper and the larger Countryman crossover—so the droptop Coopers are quite important, accounting for at least 12% of all sales in the US so far this year.

Of all the battery-electric vehicles launched in the US from established brands and startups, exactly none of them are dedicated convertibles, not even the Fiat 500e, and you can’t even get a VW Beetle or Chevy Camaro ragtop anymore, for crying out loud.

Is the convertible ultimately headed for the same exit ramp as manual transmissions, station wagons, carburetors, CD players, and Corinthian leather? It wasn’t only Thelma and Louise who perished driving off that cliff, you know.

Fully Re-Engineered for 2025

Perhaps it’s time to ponder what a fun, sporty, British droptop with a rich legacy can do for you, while the market is giving you the chance to try out an all-new generation of Mini convertibles.

Every vehicle in Mini’s portfolio is fully re-engineered for the 2025 model year, including the convertibles, so there’s never been a better time to throw your money to the wind.

The new F67 convertibles replace the previous F57 models, and they all channel BMW power to the front wheels, via a quick-shifting seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. All weighing under 3,200 pounds, the Mini convertibles are agile, fun, and reasonably quick. Time behind the wheel is most rewarding.

(Remember, the modern Minis debuted in 2001 after BMW acquired the brand, so there’s German engineering onboard.)

For these new models, the power soft top opens fully in 18 seconds, and you can do it rolling along at up to 19 mph. And if your sensitive skin needs protecting, the top can also open like a sunroof, with the front section slid back up to 16 inches, at any speed.

A convertible Mini will generally cost you an extra $5,000 over an equivalent two-door Cooper hardtop.

Here Are Your Options:

1. The entry model is the Mini Cooper convertible, using a 161-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 184 lb-ft of torque. Sprinting to 60 mph takes a leisurely 7.9 seconds. But this base Cooper convertible is the most affordable, starting at $34,945 (with destination charges) in Signature trim or $37,345 for Signature Plus. For context, a four-cylinder Mustang convertible starts at $40k.

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3. Stepping up to the Cooper S convertible gets you a 201-hp version of the BMW B48 2.0-liter turbo-four that produces up to 221 lb-ft of torque. You can reach 60 mph in 6.7 seconds, Mini says. The Cooper S convertible starts at $38,195 for Signature trim or $40,595 for Signature Plus.

4. Your final step up is to the range-topping John Cooper Works convertible that will set you back at least $44,695 for Signature trim or $47,095 for Signature Plus. This JCW droptop squeezes 228 hp from the B48 2.0-liter turbo and 280 lb-ft of torque. That’s a big jump from 235 lb-ft previously, enabling a sprint to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds.

If you’re on the fence, this might give you a nudge: The recently installed tariff on cars (like Mini) built in the UK are a mere 10% for the first 100,000 vehicles imported annually. That’s a bargain compared to the 25% or more for other parts of the world.

If you’ve owned at least one convertible, did you want another one? How about a Mini? Please comment below.