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CNET editors' review
- CNET editors' rating: stars Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 10/17/2006
Mini drivers who want to go fast will appreciate the tuner package on the 2006 Mini Cooper S Convertible with the John Cooper Works Kit, but they will have to be really dedicated to stomach the price tag. Beyond some extra horses and torque, driving with the top down on this convertible Mini can make for a particularly exhilarating ride.
Other than the engine kit and the powered convertible top, this car isn't much different from the 2006 Mini Cooper S we reviewed earlier this year. This one also has a premium Harman Kardon audio system, but it lacks navigation, which is available as an option. There is also a nice array of dealer-installed options available, which weren't on our test car, including an auxiliary audio jack, iPod integration, a six-CD changer, and Bluetooth cell phone integration.
The retro look of the Mini has undeniable appeal, yet it also manages a sporty appearance with its squat stance and hood scoop. And although it's a coupe, the rear seats offer enough legroom to take adults on short trips. Because of the convertible top, Mini adds large roll bars to the rear seats, which has the unfortunate effect of compromising rear visibility, something we wouldn't expect from a small car.
But the convertible top makes an already fun car even more so. Mini enhanced the retro styling by making the cloth top able to roll partway back, creating a sunroof for driver and passenger, somewhat like cloth-covered sunroofs on older cars. Putting the top all the way down, which happens with the push of a button, makes the Mini the perfect car for cruising along the beach or an amazingly exhilarating ride when plummeting down the freeway at 80mph.
Rich sound from Harman Kardon
Although the eight-speaker Harman Kardon audio system doesn't have a subwoofer, it puts out solid bass. And it has no problem being heard during the aforementioned open-top freeway driving. The small size of the Mini makes it easier for the audio system to fill the cabin, and we were impressed by the overall rich sound, from deep bass to clear highs, of which the audio system was capable.
Although the stereo does play MP3 CDs, the interface is pretty basic, with a single CD slot, preset controls, and a monochrome orange display that doesn't show MP3 ID3-tag information. As we mentioned previously, a six-CD changer, an auxiliary input, and an iPod connection are all dealer options.
Other cabin technology includes a full-featured trip computer, which displays average fuel economy, instant fuel economy, average speed, and current speed. Power windows, dynamic stability control, and fog lights are all controlled from a series of plastic toggle switches below the climate controls in the center stack. A button that lowers all the side windows, front and back, sits above the rearview mirror, near the button for the convertible top.
Extra horses from John Cooper Works
But the major feature of this Mini, what will set it apart from most other Minis on the road, is the John Cooper Works engine kit. John Cooper Garages is a legendary company that made its name by tuning Minis for greater performance. It continues its work with the new, revived Mini by making a factory-installed engine kit that gives the car 200 horsepower at 6,950rpm, a gain of 37 horsepower over the Mini Cooper S. Likewise, torque is increased to 177 pound-feet at 4,000rpm over the standard car's 155 pound-feet at the same rpms.
