Best Price Deals On 2012 MINI Cooper Base Convertible’s
MSRP: $24,950
The MINI Cooper Base Convertible, also known as the MINI Convertible, is the first of three trim levels. MINI has scratched out a very nice niche in the US. MINI, as many people know, is owned by BMW. They put as much BMW as they can into a very small package for a reasonable price. Their upscale styling and small size, combined with a very reasonable price, makes this car particularly popular with the female demographic.
They are descended from the original Mini made by British Motor Corporation in 1959. Through a long series of deals that would require a scorecard and a lot of patience to understand, BMW finally took ownership of the MINI marque in 2000. The first model year under BMW ownership was 2001.
The 2012 MINI Convertible has a 1.6 liter, inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 121 horsepower. It has 16-inch alloy wheels, front-wheel drive, and a 6-speed manual transmission. It is rated at 28 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. The estimated zero to sixty time is 8.4 seconds.
The 2012 MINI Convertible comes with a leather-covered steering wheel that houses the audio and cruise controls, front bucket seats with height adjustment, an alleged rear split-folding seat, leatherette upholstery, full-power accessories, 12-volt outlets in the front and cargo areas, air conditioning, simulated alloy trim on the doors, dash, and console, a chrome grille, a power convertible roof, a rear defogger, and a trip computer. The audio system has 6 speakers, AM/FM/satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player, and an audio jack. 12 months of satellite radio service are included.
The 2012 MINI Convertible also comes with side front airbags that are extended to make up for the fact that a convertible doesn’t have a side curtain, a popup rollover bar, antilock brakes, hill-assist, stability control, and traction control. There are no tests as of yet, but the 2011 models tend to be in the 4 and 5 stars out of 5 range in government tests.
Conclusions and driver feedback:
The MINI is made by BMW. In some ways, the BMW MINI is a mini-BMW. In others, it is not. The interior is made of very nice materials, but the understated luxury of a BMW is replaced by a busy look that manages to be uber-modern and retro at the same time.
The front seat is surprisingly spacious; even with the top up, it has an astonishing combined head and legroom of 80.2 inches, or approximately 6 feet, 8 inches. The “rear seat,” though, has only 67.5 inches of combined legroom and headroom, or 5 feet, 7 and a half inches. This is the basic “2 + 2” design where the back seat is more of an ornament than an actual seat, and is for short hops or short people only. With the top down, the trunk only holds 5.7 cubic feet of cargo. There are, however, 18.3 cubic feet of cargo space in the rear seat if you fold it down.
The base trim is not really tweaked for sport or comfort; it is in between. However, the car is so small that it provides sport-like performance even with an middle-tuned suspension. The steering and suspension are very responsive, and the MINI has a very small turning radius. This is a very easy car to park. The one downside is that anyone expecting a BMW ride is going to literally have that belief shaken to the core. Even in the more gentle base trim, the MINI has a very stiff ride that is more like a golf cart than a BMW.
All in all, the MINI Convertible is an entertaining car. It is great for people who like to “let their hair down” and feel the breeze on their faces. Our only concern is the safety of a car so small. Even though every MINI performs well on safety tests, we don’t like the idea of a car that weighs 2,535 pounds colliding with cars that routinely weigh over 3,500 pounds and trucks that weigh between 6,000 and 8,000 pounds.
The verdict: drive one and see what you think. Just be careful.
Other trims, options, and miscellaneous caveats.
There are two other trim levels: the S and the John Cooper Works. They have more power and more features.
The MINI Cooper S Convertible, starting at $27,950, turbocharges the base engine and boosts it to 181 horsepower. It goes from zero to sixty in 6.8 seconds, and gets 27 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. You also get alloy pedals, foglights, a stiffer sport suspension, and sport seats. It rides even stiffer than the base trim, and is an acquired taste for many.
The John Cooper Works, starting at $35,100, turbo boosts the same base engine even more until it gets 208 horsepower. It gets 25 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway, and goes from zero to sixty in 6.6 seconds. It also gives you upgraded Brembo brakes, an exterior aerodynamics kit, and cloth upholstery.
There are plenty of options available. These include a 10-speaker Harman-Kardon surround-sound audio system, Bluetooth, a navigation system, leather upholstery, parking sensors, a limited-slip differential, and an even more firm suspension.
The convertible also has a function where you can only partially lower the roof. This produces a sunroof of sorts. We think it sounds terrible for fuel mileage because of negative aerodynamics, but we don’t have access to any tests that would either prove or disprove the theory.
All in all, you can have a very nice little car for $25,000 or spend an extra $10,000 for “the works.” Just make sure that anyone who is going to ride in it on a regular basis can handle the ride quality, especially if you plan to take any long trips in it.
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