MINI Cooper S Sidewalk Cabrio 2008 Review

Road Test

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 3.5/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 2.5/5.0
Safety: 4.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.5/5.0
X-factor: 4.0/5.0

About our ratings

In 2007, the Mini Cooper S Cabrio remains somewhat of an anomaly, being one of the few small convertibles to maintain a folding softop rather than hardtop roof. And with that comes some downsides -- one of the major ones being the relative lack of rigidity compared to those featuring a solid roof. Holden, Ford, Peugeot, Renault, Mitsubishi and Volkswagen products now all feature a folding hardtop, and even Mazda's MX-5 now comes with the option.

But at the same time, the Mini Cooper S Cabrio is also one of the few small convertibles that can rightly lay claim to real sports performance and if you can live with the constant (albeit slight) scuttle shake, then you have a drop top that is almost as much fun to punt along with enthusiasm as its hardtop siblings.

The Mini Cooper Cabrio and the supercharged S version that Carsales Network tested were first launched in early 2005. While the second-generation hardtop models arrived in Australia early in 2007 (more here), the electric folding softtop Cabrio versions are still to be updated.

To help maintain customer interest in what is still a very funky little drop top, Mini unveiled the Sidewalk variant in June 2007. Like the Park Lane and Checkmate versions of the fixed roof Minis, the Sidewalk additions to the basic package are largely cosmetic and equipment based.

Outside, that means silver and anthracite 17-inch alloys, xenon headlights and badging; while inside, the Sidewalk Cooper S is finished in Malt Brown leather with silver piping and features a number of other cosmetic highlights.

As the range-topper priced from a fairly hefty $51,100 as a six-speed manual, the Cooper S Sidewalk Cabrio gets climate control, power windows, mirrors and two-stage folding roof, sports seats, satnav, cruise control and a good quality CD audio with an MP3 input jack. The latter two features both have very easy to use remote controls on the sporty three-spoke steering wheel.

Dropping into the comfortable and supportive sports seats you immediately feel cosy and very connected to the car. There is enough space up front to get a good driving position but the rear two-person split-fold bench is little more than an upholstered luggage space. A compromise in the driving position is required to even allow small children enough legroom to squeeze in.

Also compromised, with the both roof up and down, is rear visibility making reversing a complete guessing game, judged solely on the intensity of the beeps from the parking sensors.

While the newer Cooper S hardtop features a BMW-Peugeot developed turbocharged 1.6, the Cabrio still uses the BMW-Chrysler supercharged four. Although we have high praise for the turbo unit, the 1.6-litre four can still hold its own as a solid, smooth and powerful engine.

Being supercharged there is no lag in urge with the small car getting away from standstill very quickly in a fairly refined manner. Mini claims a 0-100kmh time of just 7.4sec and we have no reason to disbelieve. The engine is immediately responsive to the right boot and while strong off the line, it feels meatiest between about 3000-6500rpm.

The short-throw six-speed manual gearshift is slick, if a little heavily sprung for our liking, but it's easy to use and rowing through the gears is never a chore. It is not necessary either as the midrange strength means you can peddle along lazily using the broad spread of torque to its fullest.

The ride is firm but still has enough suppleness to cope with less than perfect surfaces and while you do feel larger ruts and potholes (in part we believe due to the firmer sidewalls of the run-flat rubber) it is never a harsh jolt, as they are well muted through a combination of the suspension and comfy seats.

Where the car truly excels is in its handling and like the hardtop versions, pushing along a winding country tarmac brings an instant smile to your dial. The steering is razor sharp and direct with plenty of feedback and the car sits flat through corners with plenty of grip from the wide low profile tyres.

With the engine revving in the mid-to-upper reaches, the response is strong and instantaneous and pushing hard, the Cabrio simply oozes confidence -- enabling you to build up a very fluid dynamic charge.

But back to our initial gripe, the Cooper S Cabrio is not without its foibles and although the car has obviously undergone stiffening and strengthening to cope with the loss of the roof, it still suffers a little scuttle shake. It's not wobbly by any stretch of the imagination, and doesn't seem to adversely affect the handling of the car, but it does become tiresome.

On the highway cruising at above 80km/h, it becomes quite noticeable with a slight but constant shudder through the steering wheel and seats.

With the fabric roof locked into position, the vibrations also tend to produce a number of squeaks and rattles, while the runflats also add to the relatively high noise levels with plenty of roar on coarser surfaces at higher speeds. Heading east out of Melbourne on the M1 through Gippsland on a 250km country run, our only option to block out the noise was to turn the stereo up LOUD!

Drop the top, however, and it all seems to improve -- perhaps because you are more able to enjoy the visceral experience of the slight 'wind in the hair' and 'sun on the bonce' type of feeling. There are still the slight vibrations but with nothing to rub on, the noises disappear and the tyre roar dissipates into the broader landscape.

These NVH issues are not alarming, but if you are going to spend the bulk of your drive time with the softop roof fixed in place, they could become annoying over time.

At the end of the day though, most people buy cabrios for their pose value and if fashions are anything to go by, a little discomfort is never going to stand in the way of a good look. That said, although the Cooper S Cabrio is eminently fun and competent, if sporty driving is your preference, we would still opt for the hardtop.

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