2016 Mini convertible review, test drive

What's it like to drive?

The Mini may look like a grumpy old British bulldog, and it clearly is heavy set compared to the original much smaller car. But be under no illusion, when you are on it, this car has the heart of a terrier. And what it loves to do, is to get its teeth set in and tear up a set of corners. And that feels special, especially if the conditions are right and the roof is open.

It drives well, because it gets many of the fundamental bits right. The electro-mechanical steering in 'Sport' is well weighted and provides a nice direct feel, giving the driver confidence. The brakes are well up to the task, strong and sharp, and what's special is that they help shave speed with so much accuracy on entry into a corner, you tend to carry loads of speed.

There is a hint of body roll in tighter corners, but it is nicely controlled and never gets uncomfortable. And the fact that it is a convertible, that normally has a less stiff chassis, doesn't seem to affect it too much. Yes, it does feel very different from the regular hardtop Cooper S, especially when you are trying to extract maximum performance and it doesn't feel as tack sharp to drive either. It has a bit less bite in the front end and it is a bit slower to react to a flick of the wheel; but in isolation, with no reference to the hardtop, it's still seriously fun. A bit 'rounder' because the chassis receives its own unique tuning with individual spring and damper settings; but it's still a fun car.

It also plays the happy open-top cruiser well. In comfort, the suspension feels supple enough to take on most bad roads in its stride. Bigger bumps do have the potential to upset it and then there is a bit of a tremor and some scuttle shake over bigger potholes and this is likely to get worse on our poor roads. But comfort for the most part is good, and the solid build of the car with the open top allow you to enjoy a cruise through city streets or mountain roads, whichever you choose.

What makes the experience even nicer is the zinger of an engine under the hood. There's a general sense of urgency at low revs, it feels strong in the mid-range and then the top end is just special. Extend it and it snarls, howls and spins so hard to the redline, you have to ask: Does it really have a turbo? And I just love the blat-blat from the exhausts on the over-run in 'Sport'. Unsurprisingly performance is very strong; 0-100kph takes just of 7.2 seconds and that the Mini can seriously entertain; and it does.

Should I buy one?

Mini has done an excellent job with the new multi-talented convertible. To begin with, it is more spacious and comfortable than the earlier car. The hood is snug and works in a slick manner, the car rides decently and refinement levels are pretty good too. Yes, rear visibility is poor and that makes it difficult to reverse, and the boot is tiny, making a bit impractical for long drives. Still, it is a car that is likely to work well as both, a closed coupe and open top cabriolet.

And then there's the fact that the new Mini convertible is an excellent drive too – it drives like a proper Mini should. Performance is now seriously strong – the new car is almost as sharp as the Cooper S. The only downside, is that the new Cooper S convertible is likely to cost in the region of Rs 38 lakhs; which means it's likely to be one of the most expensive under-four-metre cars there is (not sure you can technically call it a hatch).It's however likely to be one of the cheapest convertibles from a luxury brand available in India. And that could be reason enough to want one.