MINI John Cooper Works Convertible Review: Commitment to Thrill

What we like:

Properly sporty to drive

Sublime experience with the roof down

What we dislike:

Tiny space for rear passengers

Very small boot

Harsh ride

The JCW Convertible has a stat that is increasingly rare these days: clocking in at just above 1.4 tons, it’s quite the featherweight in the universe of new cars out there right now.

That bodes very well for the JCW Convertible, because weight matters in nearly everything especially if your aim is a sporty drive. A lighter car goes quicker, brakes better and corners more dynamically. There’s little doubt that the JCW Convertible ticks all of these boxes.

In fact, it’s one of the rawest experiences I’ve had in a while, supercars aside. It’s unafraid to be a little raucous inside, while riding hard on stiff suspension with very little give. It’s a little too much until you pop open the roof, and then the whole experience transforms - or elevates - again.

With the sky above you and no claustrophobic cabin to cocoon yourself in, the JCW Convertible definitely feels more enjoyable with the top down. You just feel everything more, from the wind buffeting to the exhaust note. It makes you feel more alive and in tune with what’s going on.

With a 2.0-litre turbo paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, the formula is a little old school but still very effective. Although output is a modest 231 PS, torque muscles in at a more impressive level at 380 Nm, giving a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 6.4 seconds. Not terribly quick on paper, but behind the wheel, the car feels faster than that.

There’s a terrier dog-like response to the car, as sporty MINIs should feel like, so you’d be aiming for every little apex especially with the car’s compact dimensions. The steering feels a little aloof but it’s never going to throw you off because the car is very easy to place. At around 3.8 metres, it’s a very small footprint on the road indeed - and no one would feel it more than rear passengers. Those seats at the back are best used for occasional short journeys only.

If the objective is ‘fun’, the JCW Convertible has fulfilled the brief. It’s a surprisingly back-to-basics take on a hot hatch, and is probably a little too extreme for some - but it is a breath of fresh air for this writer who has driven way too many cars neutered for a general audience.

Photos by James Wong

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