C ar S cene I nvestigation: Mini Cooper S Roadster

Another of Mini’s new creations, we come to see how this 2 seater roadster brings out the best of Mini’s racing heritage.

· Design & Engineering:

From the front, the Roadster looks the same as any other ‘S’ spec Mini. Thus, one gets the chrome accented grills and headlights, as well as the rectangular air intake on the bonnet. In short, the new ‘kid’ is distinctively Mini—steep A pillars, wheel-at-each-corner stance, as well as a rather squat stance. Only if parked next to a 4 seat Mini roadster, will one notice the Roadster’s lower stance, to be precise, by 20mm. On the rest of the exterior, there is not much to differentiate the Roadster from other Coopers, especially the recent Coupe on which the Roadster is based on. Keep in mind the minor details such as the twin chrome exhausts, retractable spoiler, and ‘S’ badges. With the top down, one can see how aesthetics and ingenuity have merged, to produce safety. As the woven-top is kept behind the anti-roll bars, the top doesn’t impinge much on the rather limited boot space. This also means that the simple structure allows for a more rigid structure to take place—a truly crucial aspect to any drop-top. Regarding exterior design once more, one can pick and choose almost any type of stripes, colours and rims that appeal to one’s personal taste. That’s the great thing about all Mini’s—that special touch of individualism.

· Interior

Some say that the interiors of all Mini’s are the same. Aren’t they right.

With the Roadster, Mini has simply played the same trick card, and has sewn in the same interior as the rest of the Mini lineup. This means a proper leather steering wheel, decked out with oodles of important controls such as voice command, a telephone system, and audio control system. With the speedo, Mini has made it larger than life, and has placed the on board infotainment system in the middle of it. With the infotainment system, Mini has taken the best of BMW’s i-Drive system, and has simplified it, resulting in an easy to use yet functional on board system. Depending on which options one ticks, the option for an audiophile’s Harman/Kardon sound system is available. Unfortunately, a rather plebeian central console still lies in place—with almost no change from Mini’s produced a decade ago. Hard plastic buttons and chrome switches adorn the console’s face, giving it (if I may) a rather ugly and old-fashioned feel. In addition, the latest Mini still lacks the much-needed centre glove box. In its place are still a couple of less-functional cup holders. To add on to the list of old fashion complaints, the Roadster’s fabric folding top is operated by hand! Indeed, this is where the Mini loses out to competition such as the 1-series roadster and the Golf cabriolet. The Roadster packs a decent boot space when pitched against its drop-top competitors, and provides a through-load opening for longer items, as well as the trenched style boot with an equipped cargo net. On the whole, the cabin feels rather well put together, and still manages to feature a certain proportion of functionality and practicality, while resounding a proper German build.

· Ride & Handlings

In its more ‘potent’ ‘S’ trim, the twin-scroll turbocharger fuels the Roadster rather vigorously. The engine of course, is the same 4-cylinder, 1600cc (with a top speed of 222km/h) engine featured in other ‘S’ Coopers. In every bit as it should be, the Roadster has a rather go-kart feel. Imagine a golf cart without a roof. Now add on a twin-scroll turbocharged 4 pot, and voila! You’ve got yourself a Roadster S. This of course means that the Mini has a rather spirited feel, with a proper gearbox (auto or manual upon specification), and a nifty steering wheel.

· Verdict

Remarkably, the Roadster feels just as robust as its hardtop siblings, suffering only from a bit of a rigid suspension. In short, the Roadster is a well-built, proper roadster. Unfortunately, it suffers from a bit of old-age technology, such as its center console and manual-folding top. Nevertheless the spirited engine provides absolute joy at all times. As always with all Mini’s though, the high pricing might turn one off.