BMW is launching their new generation of MINI Cooper Convertible, which is confirmed for New Zealand in Q1 2025. Local pricing and specification to be announced closer to launch.
“We are very proud to be able to offer our customers a true convertible in the current MINI family. Our new MINI Cooper Convertible offers unmistakable, hallmark driving fun, coupled with boundless freedom and great emotions: Always Open. Iconic design combined with modern technology and connectivity make this vehicle an unrivalled experience for our customers,” says Stefan Richmann, Head of the MINI brand.
For an extra dose of sunshine, the fully automatic soft top can be opened in two ways: either like a sunroof or fully retracted. This is still unique in the premium small car segment. The soft top disappears behind the rear seats to save space and can also be stowed in the luggage compartment when folded down.
Three four-cylinder petrol engines deliver the brand’s signature go-kart feel with an impressive engine sound, says the company. Like the new MINI Cooper, the convertible is available in C and S versions, as well as in a performance-oriented version.
The fully automatic soft top can be activated at the touch of a button and can also be fully retracted at speeds of up to 30 km/h (19 mph). When the roof is closed, the sunroof function can be used at any time with an opening length of up to 40 centimetres, while a wind deflector between the cockpit and the rear optimises airflow.
2025 MINI Cooper Convertible: Exterior
Compact proportions, short overhangs and now bigger 620 mm diameter wheels give the MINI Cooper Convertible plenty of agility and manoeuvrability for maximum driving fun. With its “focused expression”, MINI says the front-end signals openness and shapes the charismatic character of the new MINI Cooper Convertible with high recognition value. Newly designed exterior details enhance the striking appearance of the model, which is unique in the premium small car segment.
The shoulder line continues into the lower part of the black soft top. This separates the surrounding window area from the body, with this three-part exterior is typical of the brand. The woven fabric soft top is available in black and optional with a grey Union Jack, a nod to the brand’s British origins.
2025 MINI Cooper Convertible: Design
The front end of the MINI Cooper Convertible shows the typical face of the brand with its iconic round headlights and the newly designed front grille. The octagonal-shaped surround encompasses the wide air inlets in either Vibrant Silver or high-gloss Jet Black.
Standard LED headlights with light signatures are available in three versions to emphasise the car’s character. A specially orchestrated welcome and goodbye animation with MINI logo projections on the floor of the driver’s and passenger’s side “enhances the emotional connection to the MINI Cooper Convertible” even before you get in.
From the side, the lines of the body are characterised by the striking contrast between the short overhangs and the long wheelbase. The reduced design of the body highlights the impression of the vehicle’s silhouette and gives the MINI Cooper Convertible a generous appearance despite its minimal exterior dimensions of 3,879 mm (152.2 inches) in length, 1,431 mm (56.3 inches) in height and 1,744 mm (68.6 inches) in width.
The rear view is characterised by the flush design of the vertically aligned LED rear lights. The rear section is divided by a black handle strip with striking model badge, whose horizontal alignment emphasises the MINI Cooper Convertible’s stance.
2025 MINI Cooper Convertible: Fully automatic fabric soft top
Thanks to its electric drive, the folding roof can be fully opened in 18 seconds, even at speeds of up to 30 km/h (19 mph). At the same time, the window bars and side windows are lowered to provide a completely unobstructed view of the surroundings. The soft top closes in 15 seconds at the touch of a button. For fresh air at all times, the sunroof can be opened to a length of 40 centimetres, regardless of speed.
Concealed behind the headrests at the rear of the MINI Cooper Convertible, the integrated roll-over protection system is activated automatically as soon as the central safety electronics detect a risk of roll-over.
When the soft top is open, the MINI Cooper Convertible has a luggage compartment volume of 160 litres thanks to a particularly space-saving folding system for the soft top, when the soft top is closed, this expands to 215 litres. To maximise the loading height of the luggage compartment, the storage area behind the rear seats can be raised using two locking handles, allowing the tailgate opens downwards to facilitate loading. The wind deflector behind the driver and passenger seats can be easily locked in place. It reduces wind noise and unwanted air turbulence when driving with the roof open.
2025 MINI Cooper Convertible: Body finishes and individual trims
Twelve paint finishes are available for the new MINI Cooper Convertible, with optional mirror caps in Jet Black or Glazed White. Three different trims are available; the Classic Trim features a black-trimmed front grille for maximum clarity. The Favoured Trim front grille version is in Vibrant Silver grille with a choice of 17-inch or 18-inch wheels.
There is also a JCW Trim. This equipment variant, inspired by motorsports says MINI, has its very own distinctive front and rear design. The front grille surround and JCW logo are finished in high-gloss black.
2025 MINI Cooper Convertible: MINI Experience Modes
Seven MINI Experience Modes can be selected to change the interior ambience and highlight different aspects of the MINI Cooper Convertible – even with the top down. The design of the OLED display changes depending on the selected setting and focusses on specially designed driving experiences. In Go-Kart Mode there is a highly dynamic focus on MINI’s racing DNA, for example. The display as well as the dashboard and the interior door panels are then dominated by the colours anthracite and red, while specific analogue displays for driving dynamics complement this John Cooper Works-inspired MINI Experience Mode.
To achieve this, two projector units behind the round instrument panel beam special illuminated graphics with different patterns and colours onto the dashboard when the top is closed. Changes are made to the colour scheme of the light patterns and to the ambient lighting in the entire interior depending on the Experience Mode selected.
Personal Mode offers innovative options for a particularly personalised cockpit design. In this mode, a personal photo can be uploaded via the MINI app and chosen as the display background. A digital colour picker then identifies the dominant colours of the photo for projection onto the textile dashboard surfaces. The ambient lighting under the dashboard and in the door panel is also colour-coded to match these projections.
2025 MINI Cooper Convertible: Drivetrain options
There is a choice of three advanced two-litre. Four-cylinder petrol engines for the new MINI Cooper Convertible. The entry-level model is the MINI Cooper C Convertible C (combined fuel consumption: The performance-enhanced fuel consumption combined: 6.6 – 6.5 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 150 – 147 g/km according to WLTP; CO2 class: E) with a power output of 120 kW/163 hp and a maximum torque of 250 Nm (221 lb/ft). It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.2 seconds. The top speed is 220 km/h (137 mph).
The performance-enhanced MINI Cooper Convertible S (fuel consumption combined: 6.6 – 6.5 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 150 – 148 g/km according to WLTP; CO2 class: E) has a power output of 150 kW/204 hp and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.9 seconds with a maximum torque of 300 Nm (221 lb/ft). It has a top speed of 237 km/h (150 mph).
In addition to these two variants, the performance-oriented JCW model “focuses on sportiness and maximum driving pleasure”.
The MINI Cooper Convertible is equipped with a suspension and damping system tuned for claimed agile handling. The MINI typical precise steering also makes the open-top model an attractive cornering artist. It also ensures a high level of safety and comfort.
Highly preloaded anti-roll bar mounts on the axles support the steering precision. This gives the convertible a well-balanced ride when cornering. Selective tuning of the steering and all stability control systems also ensure a safe and exceptional driving experience in all driving situations.
2025 MINI Cooper Convertible: Digital services
A spoken “Hey MINI!” activates the first fully-fledged voice assistant of the brand in the MINI Cooper Convertible. Alternatively, the push-to-talk steering wheel button is also available for this purpose. Communication with the virtual travel partner – either a stylised MINI or the character “Spike” – is particularly fluent and intuitive thanks to improved speech recognition. Voice-controlled interaction is supported by animated graphic elements, typography and the avatar on the OLED display. Navigation, telephony, entertainment and numerous vehicle functions can be controlled simply and conveniently by speaking the relevant command.
The MINI Intelligent Personal Assistant learns continuously through dialogue and is able to take on day-to-day tasks on repeated routes. For example, the system uses geospatial data to identify the entrance to the car park and can automatically open the window at the right time. This means that individual routines can be handled more conveniently.
For more information, visit www.mini.co.nz
