Mini Roadster, first look and road test in Almería

The Mini family keeps growing with another new model that retains the essence of the Mini: an exclusive vehicle with the retro styling that so many people love, and at the same time it carries one adjective that defines it in capital letters: fun.

There are powerful cars, usually with a sporty exterior look and powerful engines under the bonnet, that are great fun to drive. But without a doubt this sixth body style of the Mini manages to combine under one roof: sportiness, exclusivity, retro design and convertible. All of this for a starting price of 23,700 euros.

To find out what the Mini Roadster had in store, we headed to Almería, specifically starting from Mojácar, on a beautiful sunny day (more like spring than winter) and we tested it over more than 100 km of secondary roads full of bends, changes in gradient and through small villages painted in the white so typical of the area.

Exterior and interior design for only two occupants

Externally the Mini Roadster is the convertible version of the well-known Mini Coupé, with a design characterised by a three-box body and a lower roof than conventional Mini models. In the case of the Roadster its exterior signature features are the fabric soft top and the electric spoiler (which is already present on the Coupé).

Fabric soft top that can only be chosen in black and has manual operation. According to the brand’s managers, the Roadster was meant to have a purist touch of the classic pure-bred convertibles, opting for fabric and that manual operation. A semi-automatic system is available for around 700 euros, but it is not worth it given how simple the manual operation is.

Simply by unlocking the roof and folding it back towards the boot, it automatically stacks behind the seats, and we only need to lock it in place so it doesn’t move. The same system works in reverse to lower the roof: unlock, stretch it out and anchor it to the windscreen frame.

We are not convinced by the interior lining of the roof, which leaves the various bars and mechanical elements of the system uncovered and unconcealed. At the very least the inside could have been lined, given that this is a premium model.

Then there is the electric spoiler, which deploys automatically above 80 km/h and can generate an aerodynamic downforce of around 40 kg on the rear axle at 130-140 km/h. We can also activate it whenever we want using the button inside the car.

If we review the interior design, everything remains as in the other Mini models: the large central speedometer is still the star, the retro-style buttons remain, and the mini rev counter now has an auxiliary dial showing how long we have been driving with the roof down. The most novel aspect of the interior is the two seats and the space behind them, where we can leave small items and the boot.

It now has a capacity of 240 litres, a larger figure than the conventional Mini, which lets us get more out of the car. The boot is connected to the interior thanks to a small compartment, which serves both to access the boot from inside without leaving the car and to store larger items such as a snowboard.

That said, although the quality of the upper part of the dashboard is adequate, there are still many hard plastics that do not live up to the model or its position in the premium segment.

Road test: Mini Roadster SD 143 CV

Now that we know a little more about the Mini Roadster, it was time to get behind the wheel. We had three petrol engines and one diesel available. The range consists of the Cooper with 122 CV, the Cooper S with 184 CV and the JCW with 211 CV. The diesel is the 143 CV SD.

We took the wheel of the Mini Roadster SD with 143 CV, an engine that is of BMW origin and has a displacement of two litres, standing out above all for its strong performance. As soon as we picked up our car we lowered the roof, since the day was fine, and we set off.

The route we had been given included more than 100 km of roads near the coast of Almería: bends, straights, constant changes in gradient and camber, and in short a very enjoyable route.

The first thing we noticed as soon as we set off is the power of the engine: above 2,000 rpm it feels lively, with force and zest. It was a real pleasure overtaking the occasional van that appeared on our route. At around 3,000 rpm the Roadster’s response is emphatic, we barely had to downshift to overtake, and there was always a firm, decisive response when we pressed the accelerator.

Complementing this is a sporty, firm and stable chassis. Its rigidity is the predominant trait and the most notable thing on the road; it has been reinforced compared with the Mini Coupé, as this is the convertible version. All of this translates into an effective and agile response on the road: it was very hard to take it off the route we had set with the steering wheel, and the response was always an agile and stable passage through corners.

To finish, there is the steering typically BMW, direct and precise, together with a braking system that, besides being effective, held up properly to fatigue, as we were able to verify over our route. On top of all this, driving sportily and without any worries, we managed to get an average consumption of 7.8 litres per 100 km out of the diesel.

Overall assessment and prices

In short, it is a fun car. For whom? Without doubt, for people who have no children and who want a car that is fun to drive, powerful, and different from the other Mini models, and in this particular case, a convertible. On the road it follows in the footsteps of the family and we could even say it improves on them, while at the same time being comfortable for travelling and offering extra boot space that the other models from the brand do not have.

The price range starts at 23,700 euros for the Roadster Cooper with 122 CV, followed by 28,750 euros for the Cooper S and the SD diesel. Finally, the powerful 211 CV JCW costs 35,265 euros. On top of all this there is an extensive list of accessories to make your Mini Roadster different from the rest and tailored to you.

Powerful, fun, different, and it lets you enjoy driving with the top down. This not very rational convertible left us with a good impression after our first contact, despite some materials and interior finishes inherited from the rest of the range. We hope to be able to test it thoroughly before long and tell you everything in detail about the Roadster.

Video

Photos | Diego G. Moreira, Press BMW
Video | Press BMW