The New Mini Cooper Convertible S Pops Up in Singapore

The new Mini Cooper Convertible S drops the top for those who crave the feeling of the wind in their hair.

Singapore – The latest-generation Mini Cooper has been joined by its convertible cousin. Aimed at adventure seekers who aren’t satisfied with being confined in a climate-controlled cabin, the all-new MINI Convertible seeks to offer an engaging driving experience and go-kart-like thrills on expressways, city streets and countryside roads alike.

Its potent 2-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine makes 204 horsepower and a maximum 300 Nm of torque, allowing it to achieve its century sprint in a rapid 6.9 seconds and accelerate up to 237 km/h. Its suspension and damping system has been engineered for comfort and agile handling, while its precise steering ensures that it can catapult between corners. For drivers looking to push the car’s limits, an integrated rollover protection system, anti-roll bars and stability control help to ensure their safety.

However, the biggest talking point of this new convertible is its clever automatic soft top, which opens and closes in a swift 18 and 15 seconds respectively with the push of a button. Depending on how much sun the driver wants in their eyes, it can be fully retracted at up to 30 km/h or can simply operate as a sunroof at any speed. As a tribute to Mini’s homeland, the woven fabric soft top is also available with a grey Union Jack.

A rather interesting gimmick is the Always Open Timer app, which will calculate the time per trip and the total time the driver has spent driving the car with the roof down. Perhaps it will be a new way for Mini Convertible drivers to boast about how much time they’ve spent driving topless, down to the very minute.

“ ‘Always Open’ – that’s how you’ll want to be driving in the all-new MINI Cooper Convertible,” said Daren Ching, Head of MINI Asia. “We are thrilled to introduce this latest addition to the MINI family, which embodies the iconic spirit of MINI with its timeless design, engaging driving dynamics, and open-air freedom. As the only convertible offering in the premium compact segment in Singapore, the all-new MINI Cooper Convertible promises a new level of excitement for our fun-loving customers, allowing them to experience the thrill of the open road like never before.”

Looks-wise, this new model showcases a neat evolution of the Mini Cooper design language without straying too far from its signature appearance. Its quintessential round LED headlights complement an all-new front grille to differentiate itself from the previous generation. Its round and compact proportions, paired with larger 18-inch wheels, aim to make the car more agile and fun to drive while making it stand out in traffic.

MINI has funnily included a welcome and goodbye animation with its logo projections on the floor of either side of the car, which will uplift your spirits before you’ve even started your day. Step inside, and you’ll be impressed by its plush seats and intrigued by Mini’s newly developed circular OLED infotainment screen. 240 mm in diameter, this responsive touchscreen is powered by the new MINI Operating System 9. Alternatively, if you prefer voice commands, pushing the push-to-talk button on the steering wheel or an exclamation of “Hey MINI!” will awaken Mini’s first fully-fledged voice assistant.

The upper area of the screen features primary driving information like speed and vehicle status. A “toolbelt” can also be accessed by swiping the bottom of the screen upwards or pushing the Star button on the steering wheel. This allows you to save your most commonly-used functions, such as your favourite radio channel or navigation destination. The car’s five most important functions are reserved for the dashboard’s physical toggle switches (parking brake, gear selector, start/stop button, Experience Mode toggle, and volume control).

Moving on to the back, a space-saving folding system allows for a small but respectable 160-litre rear luggage compartment capacity, which expands to 215 litres with the soft top closed. Moreover, the rear storage area can be raised using two locking handles to increase loading height. The downward-opening tailgate also can make loading much more convenient, showing that the ownership experience is still a big part of the MINI DNA.

If you’re interested in purchasing one, you can get one for S$285,888, inclusive of COE, and are just in time for the newly introduced MINI Referral and Loyalty programme. This programme allows MINI customers in Singapore who refer friends and family to receive shopping vouchers, as well as obtain a loyalty discount when they trade in their MINI or decide to purchase another.