MINI's new convertible gets longer, wider

MINI has offered up some images and details on the all-new MINI convertible shortly after the official launch of the car in Tokyo. The new convertible will hit dealerships next March and will come in Cooper and Cooper S versions. Both versions will be built on the BMW front-wheel drive platform and will have three and four cylinder engine options.

The biggest change for the new convertible is more room with the car being 4.5-inches longer than the previous version and 1.7-inches wider and almost an inch taller compared to the previous versions. The wheelbase is 1.1 inches longer and the front and rear track are nearly two inches wider. This gives the car 25% more luggage volume with the top up.

The car retains the fabric roof (death) and roughly the same roofline as the coupe version of the car. The top can be dropped at speeds up to 30km/h and needs 18 seconds to open or close. The car offers a pair of protection bars that pop up if the car rolls over. Eleven colors will be offered along with the Always open timer that tracks how much time the car spends with the top down.

When fitted with the base engine drivers get a 1.5L turbo engine making 134hp and 162 lb-ft of torque giving the car a 0-60 time of 8.2 seconds with an auto. The Cooper S gets a 2.0L turbo four making 189hp and 280 Nm of torque. The coolest part is that you can get a silver Union Jack on the convertible top. Pricing will be announced in March, as it launches

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Papi Mabele

Papi Mabele has a marketing background, he is a digital marketing expert with extensive experience in launching and building global brands in the emerging markets. Papi is also an avid tech writer, enthusiast and all round tech junkie. As a freelance writer and analyst he has been numerously published in Popular Mechanics (SA), GQ South Africa, Premier Magazine, Driven Magazine, Bloem News, Courant, The Weekly, Enthooze Magazine and PiE magazine amongst others.