FIt’s certainly no secret that we’re huge fans of the Mini Cooper. From the first Mini in 1959, to the BMW-honed design of today, the original English enconobox has amassed admirers from all walks of life. And now for 2005 brings the new chapter in this saga, the return of the Mini Cooper Convertible. With its German engineering and John Cooper legacy, is a sun-soaked Mini just the toy that Mini-maniacs have been hoping for?

You bet! And where better to try out the 2005 Mini Cooper Convertible than the long and winding roads along the French Rivera? Sound too good to be true? Well, there’s even more to this Cooper and its carefree appeal. Conceived with the same devotion as the coupe, the Mini Convertible retains the hard-top’s genetic make-up with amazingly few adjustments, and a few cool additions for open-air cruising.

The compact dimensions of the Mini Convertible are a huge part of its appeal and ability. The Mini is 143.1 inches long, and has a 97.1-inch wheelbase to house its standard 15-inch alloy wheels with run-flat tires.

The top system is full featured. Mini’s rear quarter windows and fabric top are power operated. The backlite is glass with a defroster. The top also performs a trick where it slides open 16-inches like a sunroof. For full exposure, top down takes only about 15 seconds with the push of a switch on the windshield header. The roof’s side rails release and the top folds neatly atop the trunk. But losing the roof often means less body rigidity. So Mini swapped the B-pillar for a fixed roll bar that spans the car to add stiffness and provide rollover protection. Added floor pan stiffeners and thicker steel for the side sills also helped tighten the ride, making this taught, petite figure a great fun ride for four.

The Mini Cooper has made driving very small cars in America cool. The new Mini Cooper Convertible takes it to the next level. The body structure is very strong, it’s a great handling car, and the wind blocker makes conversations at highway speeds a breeze.

In France we drove the standard Mini Cooper Convertible with the familiar 1.6 liter, single-cam, 16-valve 4 cylinder. With only 115 horsepower and 111 pound-feet of torque, you really felt the convertible’s added 220 pounds of structure and parts. Back in the states we got to try the supercharged Mini Cooper S Convertible. With 168 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, both up slightly from before, acceleration was much more to our liking. The dealer installed John Cooper Works package can boost things further to 200 horsepower.

Transmissions are also familiar, a five-speed manual or optional CVT Continuously Variable automatic, or a 6-speed manual for this ‘‘S’‘. The chassis and McPherson front and multi-link rear suspension provide a pleasant ride and eases bumps and bangs on rough roads. In three words: stiff, stable and safe.

Inside, changes to the classic Mini layout aren’t drastic, but its sweeping roll bars do add to its unique look. There is a new Cockpit Chrono Pack that moves the center speedometer to the steering wheel, and adds oil pressure and temperature readouts.

Rear passengers have easy access to more leg room than we expected, and full size seats with protective head rests encased in double roll-bar aluminum pipes. Inside the new drop-down trunk lid, the space is tiny, only 4.2 cubic feet with the top down. But it advances to 21 cubic feet with top up and the split rear seats folded flat. But here’s the cool Mini twist: the back of the top can be raised up to easily fit long items from lumber to surfboards.

And no matter where you surf in your Mini Convertible, beach or business, you’ll go a long way. EPA mileage estimates for the Mini Cooper manual are 28 City and 37 Highway, 25 and 32 for the CVT automatic, with the S at 25 and 34 miles per gallon.

For all this flash, flare and fun, just $21,500 will get you seated in a Mini Cooper Convertible. Pitch in $24,950 for the Supercharged Cooper S convertible.

So, the return of a legend adds another new chapter. The 2005 Mini Cooper Convertible is a dream come true for cult-followers and car lovers all over the globe. And though fall is well upon us here in the East, it’s with a lot of praise, and a little envy, that we encourage all you West Coast and year-round sun seekers to dive in and enjoy every last drop of the Mini Cooper Convertible.

Specifications

  • Engine: 1.6 Liter, Single-cam, 16-valve 4 Cylinder
  • Horsepower: 115
  • Torque: 111 Lb Feet
  • EPA Mileage: 28 MPG City 37 MPG Highway