MINI

Driving a MINI Convertible is a treat in more ways than one. Not only is it great fun, but it can get you discounts at trendy restaurants! I got 20 per cent off a three-course meal at Quad near Piccadilly Circus in London, thanks to the latest addition to the Auto Express long-term fleet...
All I had to do was log on to www.mini.co.uk, print off a special voucher and present it to the waitress. The offer was part of a manufacturer-run scheme called MINI Treats, which gives owners exclusive deals at a range of posh restaurants, bars and hotels across the country.
However, the coupons are only available via the top-secret Ministry of Ownership section of the website. Once you've bought a MINI, you get a log on for this, plus a special passport for the car so you can record all the events and places you drive it to.
Little touches such as this add to the MINI ownership experience, which in my opinion is best sampled in the form of the Cooper S Convertible. To some purists, a drop-top MINI is sacrilege. But while chopping the roof off the car has reduced rigidity, you only notice it on badly surfaced roads. The Convertible still has the same driving appeal as its tin-top brother, but you get the added bonus of being able to take the roof down.
In fact, I go topless pretty much whenever it's not raining, even for short hops across the city. Thank goodness for the MINI-branded sun cream, otherwise I'd have been burned to a crisp during the recent heatwave! The top is easy to operate as there are no clips; it's simply a case of pressing a button above the windscreen and seeing the sky open up.
There's even a sunroof facility, which allows you to partially retract the hood while on the move. The Convertible does have its downsides, though. With the top up, it's quite dark in the back, which isn't helped by the rear windows, which are about half the size of those on the hatchback MINI. Combine this with the large rollover hoops, and rearward vision isn't very good. Thankfully, parking sensors come as standard on all Convertible models.
Another disadvantage is the tiny boot, and I'm not a huge fan of the drop-down rear opening. I recently needed to transport a widescreen TV, and the MINI wasn't up to the job - I had to borrow a friend's car instead. That said, the split-fold rear seats are a handy feature.
Another gripe is that the drainage lip around the roof isn't very effective, and water can drip in when opening a door in the rain. But in the same way you forgive a puppy for wetting the carpet, I'm finding it difficult to stay mad at the MINI, simply because it's so much fun. A MINI-owning friend summed it up perfectly when she told me: "My MINI makes me smile."
Although the Cooper S's price isn't too out-rageous, it becomes expensive if you add options such as the multi-function steering wheel (£160) or alloys (£950) fitted to ours. But very few cars, whatever the cost, make you feel this special. And besides, it's good to treat yourself once in a while... Mat Watson
Second Opinion
The Cooper S is so good that I was worried the Convertible version would be a letdown, but the engineers have done a top job. It's hard not to feel a bit self-conscious with the roof down, but the MINI is a good looking and capable cabrio. The only problem is that Mat loves it so much the rest of us aren't going to get a look in! Chris Thorp, dep. motoring editor