2018 Mini Cooper S Convertible facelift first drive review
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2018 Mini Cooper S Convertible facelift first drive review

When it comes to open-air thrills and a series of challenging roads to drive on, Mini's updated drop-top ought to be a fun choice.

2018 Mini Cooper S Convertible facelift first drive review

The Mini Convertible is a great car to drive anywhere in the Mediterranean area thanks to its compact size, roof-down ability and fabled driving manners. In other words, it’s all about wearing a big smile on your face.

And we were quite lucky this time because a perfect sunshine doesn’t happen so readily especially when a trip to Europe for a car event is usually as short as 2-3 days.

Which is why we immediately settled for open-top driving at the start of a recent driving trial of the updated Mini family. With the weather forecast spelling out sunshine throughout the day, the selected model could be no other than the Convertible.

Like in the Hatch counterpart tested recently, Mini’s only soft-top car has received some subtle improvements on and under the skin. The most instant alterations on the exterior include black-coloured surrounds for the lights and the Union Jack motif reflected on the tail lamps. 

Combine that with new wheel designs, the overall visual effect the revised Convertible wishes to glow over the pre-facelift model is quite positive. In fact, the relatively small but significant alterations have been noted by some Mini owners driving around the Spanish island of Mallorca. Yes, you’d probably need to be fan of this German-owned British marque to instantly spot this Convertible MY2018.

Speaking of visual aesthetics, the Convertible is good to look at in either of its moods. Roof-up and there’s that nice two-tone colour combination and, again, the British’s flag graphic painted on the canvas. Neat touches, you could say, for the die-hard Mini fan.

2018 Mini Cooper S Convertible facelift first drive review

And when you opt to for open-top motoring (via an electric button), the Convertible sports that classy stance by keeping the folded rag-top partially jutting out at the rear end rather than disappearing completely into the boot like how most other cabrios on the market would do.

Europeans (and Americans alike) like to have the air blown into their faces when the weather becomes warm and sunny. It’d probably be the opposite in Thailand whereby users would only do so when the mercury drops to a cooler level. But whichever option you settle for, expect some compromises in the usual convertible fashion when it comes to the driving bit.

With a ceiling over your head, external noise suppression is naturally no match for the Hatch sibling; the same goes for the inferior levels of handling rigidity when negotiating more demanding roads. And when you want to enjoy the Convertible for what it is, rear vision for the driver is hampered by that layered piece of cloth.

But just like how a Mini should be, the Convertibles handles remarkably well even on some really narrow mountain roads. The steering might initially feel a touch heavy at low speeds but pays dividends elsewhere by being crisp and direct. The chassis also feels wonderfully neutral in corners and amply planted to the road.

Some merit goes to the stiffer suspension the Convertible gets to cope with a tweaked and slightly heavier 2.0-litre petrol-turbo engine in Cooper S guise. There’s a new blower and direct-injection system, although power remains at 192hp and torque at 280Nm. Even so, this Cooper S Convertible still feels rapid.

2018 Mini Cooper S Convertible facelift first drive review

But we had to be careful about our pace due to numerous cyclists in the high altitudes of Mallorca preparing for a full-on race event the next day. Like pedestrians, cyclists know their rights on the road so drivers need to give way. Once again, it’s perhaps the other way around in Thailand where most motorists think they reign and leave others on the road rather nervous about their next move.

Despite the familiar performance, Mini has introduced a new automatic transmission for the Convertible (and Hatch) in Cooper S form. Replacing the outgoing six-speed torque-convertor unit is a seven-speed dual-clutch variation, which also plays a part in helping reduce fuel consumption by a claimed 5%. As a result, gear-shifting in this particular engine spec is quicker than before.

It’s a pity that there are no paddle-shifters behind the steering wheel in the test cars made available for the international media. Of course, you can still change cogs up or down via the gear lever in the joystick fashion. Despite its functional benefits, that knob looks like a popsicle making it a quirky sight in an otherwise funky-looking cabin.

2018 Mini Cooper S Convertible facelift first drive review

As Minis have always been about fun, the brand has introduced a new personalisation scheme in which buyers can customise some bits around the car like those on the passenger-side fascia and exterior side gills via 3D printing technology, something that should give the parts-making industry a little shakeup.

This gimmick appears to be useful in helping boost the buying proposition of the Convertible, which already has a hard job of luring Thais into showrooms at some three million baht in Cooper S form. Expect the updated model in the second half of this year costing basically the same.

It’s understandable that driving conditions play an important role in deciding which particular model to go for, which is why the Hatch would obviously be the more natural choice in this part of the world. 

But we did exactly the opposite on another place of the atlas because some cars, like this Mini Convertible, have a good reason for their existence.

2018 Mini Cooper S Convertible facelift first drive review

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