Written by Damian Murphy
Monday, 11 July 2011 11:54

I have to admit from the outset that I’ve always dreamt of owning a Mini Cooper S Convertible. Since I was a boy I have been in love with this classic car, and I couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel when BMW South Africa promised me the Mini. As it rolled into the parking lot I saw it through my window and bolted outside to greet the delivery guy. It was jet black in colour and had a brown drop-down roof – it was perfect. I rushed the BMW guys out the car and slid into the driver’s seat. I took note of my surroundings and checked them off on my approval list.

My first car was a 1975 blue Mini Cooper with white racing stripes and a white leather interior. She was the most beautiful car in the world, until I climbed into this one.
The huge speedometer set front and centre would seem out of place in a car that was any less retro than the Cooper, but here it is a perfect fit. The satellite navigation system and onboard entertainment console are cleverly placed inside the audacious speedometer, and the whole look and feel of the car screams classy but fun.

The interior has wooden trim, cream leather and changeable mood lighting that makes sitting in the Mini worth sleeping in the Mini. The turbocharged Cooper S engine delivers mindboggling acceleration and a comfortable top end, and despite the large turning circle with no leg room in the back, the Mini Cooper S Convertible will keep its place in my dreams and on my coffee table, where I display my cast iron replica.