MINI Roadster details

Two-seater on sale next year from £18,015, three petrols, one diesel with JCW to top range

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Sam Hardy

31st October 2011

The MINI range continues to grow, and here’s one of the most desirable additions yet – the Roadster. Aimed at the Mazda MX-5, it’s a sporty two-seater that goes on sale next spring priced from £18,015.

It’s essentially a drop-top version of the already launched Coupe, and looks identical to the concept car that previewed it at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.

It has a lower body than the four-seater MINI Convertible, more heavily raked windscreen pillars and a stepped rear end.

These touches are mixed with instantly recognisable MINI styling cues such as large circular lights and short front and rear overhangs.

Unlike European versions, which get a manual fabric roof, UK cars feature a semi-automatic fabric hood – just twist the overhead lever and it folds away by itself, behind the seats.

The outer skin of the hood faces upwards, too, so there’s no need foran additional tonneau cover, while 10 seconds is all it takes to raise or lower the roof entirely.

The cabin will be familiar to MINI owners, but sports seats are available on certain models. Boot space is decent for a small convertible at 240 litres – 90 litres more than an MX-5 – and there’s a ski hatch that can be opened from the driver or passenger seat.

Stiffened chassis components, electric power-steering and a lower centre of gravity – the Roadster is 20mm lower – should ensure it is great fun to drive. The engine line-up, meanwhile, will consist of three petrols and a diesel.

The range kicks off in £18,015 Cooper trim, with a 120bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine, while the Cooper S costs £20,900 and has a 181bhp version of the same engine. The 141bhp 2.0-litre Cooper SD is the only diesel, priced at £21,630.

Sitting at the top of the range is the £24,850 John Cooper Works, which has a 208bhp 1.6-litre turbo petrol and is the fastest model, with a 0-62mph time of 6.5 seconds and a 147mph top speed. All Roadsters get stop-start.

The newcomer will be available in two non-metallic and six metallic paint colours, but the roof is only offered in black. Sporty stripes for the bonnet, bootlid and rear bumper – available in three colours – are optional, as is a selection of different alloy wheels.

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6 Comments

Mini-mum effort

Lord help us!
Another B*****Y mini.
Talk about flogging a brand to death.
This car is becoming a joke.BMW thinks it could stick a Mini badge on a wheelie bin and it would sell.
Sadly, their probaby right.

By toycollector on 1 November, 2011, 8:19am

Stale smell

Yet another cynic example of how to squeeze the maximum out of the Issigonis legacy. Let ridicule descend upon all who think this Mini and the one that's christened Mini Toupet are cute cars. I know BMW is successful in bringing all sorts of models and crossovers just to cover each market niche, but with Mini the company has stretched it way too far. Mini started out fresh 10 years ago. But IMO it has lost all of that appeal.

By voyager on 1 November, 2011, 9:42am

What??!!

I agree with toycollector, the Mini range is getting to be laughable. There used to be a handful to choose from now BMW think they can launch as many different variants and people will buy them. As has been said before they probably will.

Shouldn't they be made to change the name from Mini to preserve what status it still has? Or is it too late?

By dastardly01 on 1 November, 2011, 2:51pm

Calm down!

Why do people get so aggressive on these posts? I love the original Mini and all it stood for - but I'm not naive enough to think that the BMW models are a replacement for it.

That doesn't make the car any less desirable though - I think anything that drives this well and was designed with 'fun' being at the top of the list can't be all bad. And many of it's parts are bespoke or taken from more expensive machinery - the Audi A1 shares bits with the VW Polo and Skoda Fabia whilst the Fiat 500 is basically a Fiat Panda - the Mini isn't as cynical a machine as those.

Moving onto this particular model, I didn't like the look of the Coupe at all until I saw it in the metal - but I'm still not 100% taken on the roof design. But this Roadster solves that problem by not having that roof! I think it looks much better than the standard convertible, and the running costs / performance combination of the SD is interesting.

At last there's another alternative out there to the Mazda MX5 - I had one of those and it was the worst car ownership experience I've ever had, despite what some people write about them.

By gavsmit on 1 November, 2011, 8:35pm

Mini Mayhem...

Although I too am getting heartily of the Stock, Aitken and Waterman'esque profligacy of Mini model launches I actually like this one. Stylistically it works where the silly coupe doesn't, which is odd seeing as they are almost the same car barring the roof. Ah, that'll be it then, the Roadster doesn't have to contend with a stupid hat :)

The proportions of the Roadster are nigh on perfect and the detailing is pretty good too. The loss of the coupe's roofline has worked wonders and the Roadster has taken on an air of sophistication as a result.

By sgtgrash on 2 November, 2011, 8:28am

+ 1 @toycollector

Yes, just what we all needed, another MINI, and that coupe is vomit-inducing, luckily though this doesn't have the roof, and with only two seats people can be sure you don't work for Foxtons, even so, can you imagine if Issigonis came back from the dead and saw this? Better off six feet under mister.

By JFalck on 2 November, 2011, 8:34pm

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