The MINI John Cooper Works Convertible Basks In Sunny Yellow

The MINI John Cooper Works Convertible has reappeared in a fresh set of images, and it has picked the loudest paint in the catalogue to do it. Sunny Side Yellow suits the car enormously, especially set against the alpine backdrop MINI chose for the shoot. This is the most potent MINI Convertible you can buy, and one of very few genuine drop-tops left in its class. Winding mountain passes and clear air are exactly the environment it was built for.

Under the bonnet sits a 2.0-litre TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder producing 170kW, or 231hp, with 380Nm arriving from just 1,500rpm and holding to 4,000rpm. That is good for 0 to 100km/h in 6.4 seconds and a 245km/h maximum. Drive goes to the front axle through a seven-speed dual-clutch Steptronic gearbox, with paddles behind the wheel for anyone who prefers to shift themselves. Combined WLTP consumption is quoted at 7.1 l/100km.

The roof is the party piece. It retracts fully in 18 seconds and will do so at speeds of up to 30km/h, then closes again in 15 seconds at the touch of a button. Better still, a switch slides the fabric back 40cm at any speed, sunroof style, which remains a rarity in the premium small car segment. A wind deflector locks into place behind the front seats to cut buffeting, and the OLED display runs an Always Open Timer that tallies how long you have been driving with the roof stowed.

Chassis hardware is a single-joint strut front axle with aluminium pivot bearings and a multi-link rear with weight-optimised trailing arms, all specifically tuned for the JCW. Vented discs sit behind Chilli Red callipers wearing the JCW logo, and Performance Control works alongside DSC and Dynamic Traction Control. The bodywork gets the octagonal high-gloss black grille, red vertical reflectors in the outer intakes, a shaped rear spoiler and a single centrally mounted tailpipe. On the Convertible alone, the rear diffuser is finished in body colour. Rims come in 17 and 18-inch designs.

Inside, the JCW colour scheme of red and black dominates. Sports seats are trimmed in black synthetic leather with multicoloured knitted fabric at the shoulders and red accent stitching, and the same knitted treatment runs across the dashboard. The steering wheel carries a textile six-o-clock spoke, and the 240mm round OLED handles everything from climate to navigation. Select Go-Kart Mode and the cockpit switches to anthracite and red, serving up torque, kilowatts and live g-force readings. Harman Kardon audio is standard, boot space runs from 160 litres roof down to 215 litres roof up, and the whole thing is built at MINI Plant Oxford.