Road test: 2010 Mini One Convertible
The UK sales success of the Mini Convertible can comfortably be ascribed to the twin affections of the carbuying public for open-topped cars and the iconic little British motor. The second-generation Convertible went on sale in mid-2009 with Cooper, Cooper S and hot John Cooper Works versions. Now a new entry-level variant has been added to the line-up, the One Convertible, which will make the canvas-roofed car available for less that £15,000, opening it out to a more budget-conscious clientele. Does the lower price mean less of the Mini-ness that we all know and love, though?
The Mini One Convertible is powered by a new 1.6-litre Valvetronic engine that will be fitted in most of the model range. In the One, the engine is tuned to produce 97bhp and 113lb-ft of torque, which helps it to achieve 0-62mph acceleration in 11.3 seconds and max out at 112mph. This state of tune means that it’s not exactly the quickest little thing: drive it back-to-back with the Cooper S and it feels positively sluggish. However, that’s not really the point of this variant, as the One is a car for enjoying the Mini’s qualities on a budget, so speed is one quality that can’t justifiably be expected. Yet the One Convertible is a perfectly adequate little machine and, with a little practice and the ability to keep the revs up, you can hustle it around to good effect. It also cruises well, especially if you use it in a relaxed manner on country roads, which is the perfect environment to enjoy the character of the car.
Read the full 2010 Mini One Convertible road test
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