New MINI Cooper Convertible heading to South Africa soon

Fabric soft top opens in 18 seconds at speeds of up to 30km/h.
Fabric soft top opens in 18 seconds at speeds of up to 30km/h.
Image: Supplied

MINI on Wednesday unveiled its stylish new fourth-generation Cooper Convertible. 

Designed for wind-in-your-hair motoring pleasure, it is equipped with an electric folding fabric soft top capable of opening in 18 seconds (15 seconds to close) at speeds of up to 30km/h. Owners can also leave it partially open to a length of 40cm, mimicking a sunroof. Finished in black as standard, it can be adorned with a grey Union Jack as a cost option.

Concealed behind the rear headrests is an integrated rollover protection system that activates automatically as soon as the central safety electronics detect a risk of rollover.

The Cooper Convertible is available in 12 striking exterior colours.
The Cooper Convertible is available in 12 striking exterior colours.
Image: Supplied

With the top stowed you have access to 160l of boot space; 215l when it is closed. Access is provided by a downward opening tailgate, which allows easier loading. To reduce wind noise and buffeting when driving with the roof open, MINI has equipped the Cooper Convertible with a wind deflector that locks into place behind the driver and passenger seats. 

To keep the driving experience as sharp as possible (there's always a penalty to be paid when sacrificing the rigidity of a fixed metal roof), the Cooper Convertible comes fitted with suspension and damping tuned for agile handling. This feature is complemented by preloaded anti-roll bar mounts on the axles, which MINI says boosts steering precision. 

Personalisation options abound, with customers able to specify their Cooper Convertible in Classic, Favoured and JCW trim packages. Twelve exterior paint colours are available (including the exclusive and elegant Copper Grey) and each can be offset by optional mirror caps painted in Jet Black or Glazed White. Alloy wheels range in size from 16" to 18".

As on the Cooper Hatch, the Cooper Convertible gets a minimalist cabin featuring a sporty new steering wheel design, characteristic toggle bar and above it a gigantic circular OLED display offering full access to vehicle and infotainment settings. Driving data such as speed and fuel consumption is displayed at the top of the screen, while the lower portion contains menu shortcuts for navigation, media, telephony and climate control.

It also offers access to MINI Experience Modes: an option which, when fitted, offers a new level of personalisation through dashboard graphics, ambient lighting and interior sounds.

Interior a dead ringer for the one doing duty in the Cooper Hatch.
Interior a dead ringer for the one doing duty in the Cooper Hatch.
Image: Supplied

From launch the Cooper Convertible is available with a choice of two petrol powertrains.

The Cooper C gets a turbocharged 1.5l three-cylinder making 120kW and 250Nm of torque, good for 0-100km/h in a claimed 8.2 seconds and a maximum speed of 222km/h.

The sportier Cooper S comes bolted to a 2.0l four-cylinder turbo mill pushing out 150kW and 300Nm. Expect 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.9 seconds and a top speed of 237km/h. 

The new MINI Cooper Convertible will arrive in South Africa during the first quarter of 2025. Pricing will be confirmed closer to the time, so be sure to watch this space. 


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