Mini bills its new John Cooper Works convertible as its fastest, most-powerful convertible ever.
Mini was noticeably absent at this year’s North American International Auto Show, but that doesn’t mean the British brand doesn’t have some news to make.
Following up on the recent reveal of its next-generation convertible, it’s rolling out what it bills as “the fastest, most powerful convertible it has ever built,” the new Mini John Cooper Works Convertible.
“The new Convertible has all of the legendary driving performance you expect in a Mini yet with interior materials and finishes which set a new benchmark for the segment,” boasts Patrick McKenna, department head, Product Planning, Mini USA.
The British maker is also revealing pricing for the new ragtop line, the base Mini Cooler Convertible starting at $25,950, and the Cooper S at $29,600. The John Cooper Works variant will set you back $35,600, all prices before factoring in $850 in delivery charges.
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The John Cooper Works convertible will set you back $35,600, before factoring in $850 in delivery charges.
And if you’ve still got some cash in your pocket, Mini has its usual catalogue of options to let you customize the convertible, from the 11 exterior colors to the Union Jack and other roof decals to various interior and exterior trim pieces, a step-up 8.8-inch navigation system and more.
The base infotainment system is 6.5 inches, incidentally. But one of the more intriguing touches added to the upgrade is an app that will alert drivers when they’re heading for inclement weather and it’s time, so to speak, to batten down the hatches.
The base Mini Cooper Convertible delivers 134 horsepower, the Cooper S bumping that up to 189. The John Cooper Works model takes things to another level with the new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine developed in cooperation with the British brand’s parent, BMW. It shares the German marque’s TwinPower Turbo Technology to get the numbers up to 228 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque.
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Mini has its usual catalogue of options to let you customize the convertible, including an 8.8-inch navigation system
With the stick, you’ll launch from 0 to 60 in 6.1 seconds. The six-speed automatic trims that to 5.9 seconds.
The JCW edition adds more standard features, including a sports exhaust, upgraded sports suspension, and exterior trim designed to enhance its aerodynamics.
As with the other variants, the Mini Convertible JCW features a fully automatic top with a glass rear window. One of the more appealing touches is the ability to roll it back only part way, what Mini bills as a sunroof mode.
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The new Mini Coper Convertible will go on sale in the U.S. in March, just when folks are beginning to long for warmer weather. The JCW edition will follow a month later.