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Mini’s NEW-LOOK John Cooper Works convertible puts the thrill back in driving By Howard Walker Cars have gotten so serious. All lane-departure warnings and advanced driver-assist, all active braking and automatic lane-centering. Engage autopilot in a Tesla and it’s no wonder drivers fall asleep at the wheel. Yes, it’s about keeping you safe and secure. But all this automotive nannying tends to make driving about as much fun as watching paint dry. That’s why, before we all start getting piloted around in our autonomous, self-driving, electric SUVs, you need a Mini—especially a Mini convertible. And for more smiles than a can of laughing gas, opt for the adorable Mini John Cooper Works convertible. This is the most hilarious, grin-inducing, endorphin-packed bundle of testosterone-en36
riched joy I’ve driven in ages. And that includes 200-mph supercars and thundering 700-horsepower sedans. Here is a true analog car in a digital world, a throwback to the Swinging ’60s. It is pure Michael Caine in The Italian Job and Austin “Shagadelic” Powers. Yeah, baby. The instant you slide behind the wheel, toggle the switch that whizzes the canvas roof back in 18 seconds, pull the shift into drive, and hit it, you just can’t help but smirk. It’s a feeling akin to being a kid on Christmas morning or getting your first puppy. This pint-sized pocket-rocket transforms every mundane trip—dry cleaners, here we come—into a thrill ride. It’s the surgical preci-
sion of the steering, the tightness of the suspension, the superglue-like grip of the tires. There are go-karts that don’t feel this nimble or alive. While the base Mini convertible comes with a turbocharged 3-cylinder motor packing a meager 134-horsepower (which, come on, there are Toro ride-on mowers with more power) it’s the John Cooper Works you’ll want. Its feisty 2-liter turbo 4-cylinder cranks out 228 horses. Coupled to a quick-shifting 8-speed automatic, it’ll slingshot the drop-top from standstill to 60 mph in a zippy 6.3 seconds. In case you’re wondering about that John Cooper Works badge, it’s an homage to the legendary British racer John Cooper. Back in 1961, he spruced up the very first Mini to create
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