2012 MINI Cooper Convertible

See What the
Rest of the Web Says We've gathered reviews from Edmunds.com, Cars.com plus live Tweets on this car. See What We Found »

MINI's range is growing seemingly by the minute, with the Clubman and more recently the Countryman and Coupe adding to the ranks. The Convertible, however, still has plenty of charm, and while it carries forward last year's updates for the 2012 model year, it's still looking fresh.

Sharing its cute and trim face with the hatchback, the MINI Convertible's cloth top is a bit more ungainly when up, but once dropped, the proportions flow. Even when it's not time for droptop fun, the soft convertible roof offers some unique and worthwhile design features, like a built-in sunroof. Best of all, it stands alone as a unique vehicle on the U.S. market, with basically nothing to match its hatch-meets-convertible style.

New for the 2012 model year is MINI Yours, a customization line that allows unique upholstery, interior surfaces, and exterior colors. Otherwise, the only new features are an available digital compass built into the rear-view mirror and a wider selection of upholstery combinations.

Like the rest of the MINI lineup, the Convertible is available in base, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works trims. The central difference between each is the engine: a 1.6-liter four-cylinder powers each, but the base gets a 121-horsepower version, the Cooper S adds a turbocharger for 181 horsepower, and the John Cooper Works ups the power to 208 hp. The Cooper S gets a sportier suspension, and the John Cooper Works is sportier still, with a range of unique exterior aerodynamic elements and badging, but all share the same core structure and fun-to-drive nature. A choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmission is available in all but the JCW, which is manual-only.

Like other MINIs, the Convertible is spacious for front-seat passengers, uncomfortable at best for rear-seat passengers, and chock full of quirky design and sometimes-cheap-feeling interior materials. The convertible top of course does away with some of the cargo space and utility of the hatchback, though with the rear seats down, it is still one of the better compact convertibles for travel and touring.

Standard features include: ambient lighting; a meter to record how long the top has been open; 16- or 17-inch alloy wheels, depending on trim level; multi-function computer; power accessories; remote entry; and tire pressure monitoring. Optional upgrades include the aforementioned appearance mods; a Premium package with automatic climate control, auto-dimming mirror, rain sensor and automatic headlights; a pair of Sport packages with wheels, stripes, and traction control upgrades; and a Technology package with MINI Connected or MINI Connected with navigation, a Harmon Kardon sound system, and rear park sensors.

As you'd expect, the MINI Convertible packs the usual modern safety gear, including stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes, and front and side airbags. A pop-up hoop system helps protect occupants in the event of a rollover. Neither the NHTSA nor IIHS has yet rated the 2012 MINI Cooper Convertible.

View the original article here

First Test: 2012 BMW 650i Coupe and Convertible

BMW's 6 Series has always required two things: style and pace. Good news: It finally has enough of the former to keep up with the latter. No, the 2012 BMW 650i isn't the best-looking 6 Series ever built (that credit would go to the shark-nosed, Bracq-penned 1976 original), but it's far and away a triumph over the frumpy second-gen car it replaces. From every angle, the new 6 Series Coupe and Convertible is a sleek, svelte road rocket -- a true gentleman's express for eating up miles of wide-open road one huge mouthful at a time. Gone are the awkward Bangleisms of the bland-o-riffic second-generation car. The trunk no longer juts awkwardly from the rear of the car, and the nose has a new sense of purpose, with its snorting, upright twin grilles and wide-mouthed lower intake. On the coupe, that trademark Hoffmeister kink is still intact, emboldened by a wider, shiny metal trim strip, and the package as a whole is longer by nearly 3 inches, lower by a bit under half an inch, and wider by an inch and a half. It looks even better in the sheetmetal than it does in photos. The convertible has a slightly frumpy look with the top up, typical of so many soft-roofed convertibles, but does look rather striking when the top is stowed.

The interior of the all-new 6 Series is another marked improvement over the previous-generation car. Upscale touches are everywhere, from the semi-digital gauges to the larger center display and aluminum accents, to the finely stitched leather surfaces. The seats are comfortable and supportive, and there's plenty of room for driver and passenger up front. While BMW claims there's actually improved headroom front and rear, the small plus-two packaging and sloping roofline means that for adults, the rear seat is strictly for very occasional use, and even then, rear passengers taller than 5'10" will find themselves slouching to avoid head contact with the roof. Rear passengers in the convertible will be happier, with the more upright roof providing an additional inch or so of noggin space, and an infinite amount with the roof lowered.

But wait, things get even better. BMW has ousted the 4.8-liter V-8 that used to sit underhood, replacing it with the brand's new 4.4-liter, twin-turbocharged eight-cylinder engine. BMW claims the new engine is more efficient than the outgoing version, but frankly, who cares, when it also makes 400 horses and 450 lb-ft of torque (8- and 20-percent gains, respectively). Two transmissions are available, so we rounded up a 650i Coupe with the M Sport package and a good old-fashioned six-speed manual gearbox, along with a 650i Convertible with an eight-speed automatic, and headed for our test facility.

And that's where things got really interesting. The slushbox convertible, designed from the ground up as an open car with a unique body-in-white, managed to just eek out a lead over the manual-equipped coupe. Just to reiterate, there's no dual-clutch or automated manual action going on here. The automatic transmission is a true torque-converter auto, designed and built by ZF and equipped with paddle shifters. So quick and smooth is the unit that we recorded a 0.1-second advantage over the manual-equipped coupe in the 0-60 mph sprint and the quarter-mile run, despite a weight disadvantage of somewhere north of 200 lbs.

View the original article here

First Drive: 2012 BMW 650i Convertible [Review]

View the original article here

NY Live: Chrysler 200 S, 200 S Convertible in New York [Live image update]

Thursday, Apr 21st, 2011 @ 1:39 p.m.

Chrysler’s reinvented Sebring, known as the 200, has been hit with mixed reviews, but most likely agree a sexier S variant is a welcome addition to the product mix.

Rather than wait for the madness that is the New York Auto Show to get underway, Chrysler has decided to preemptively reveal two new models, the 200 S and the 200 S Convertible.

To themselves apart from the standard car, Chrysler swapped out things like the front emblem to include a special S model-only winged badge, black headlamp housings, color-matched handles and mirrors and unique 18-inch wheels complete with “S” badging.

Inside, Chrysler embroidered “S” badging onto the front head rests, heated front seats with Digital suede inserts, suede door trim bolsters, a perforated leather steering wheel, black headliner and a standard 276-watt Boston Acoustic sound system with CD/DVD/MP3 and a 30 GB hard drive that is all controlled through the Uconnect voice command system.

Chrysler skips the four-cylinder engine found as the base engine for the standard 200, starting instead with the premium 3.6-liter, 283 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque V6, which Chrysler reminds us is best-in-class for power. When matched to the six-speed automatic transmission, the EPA says the 200 S will do as well as 29 highway miles per gallon.

The 200 S sedan will start at $26,790 including destination, can be ordered now and should begin arriving in dealers during Q2 of this year.

200 S Convertible
The model that truly expands the 200 lineup, however, is S Convertible, which marks the return of a drop-top variant to the model. The Sebring Convertible was a favorite among rental companies, and actually moved a fair amount of vehicles in its day, so the return of this variant to Chrysler’s lineup could provide a much needed boosted in sales.

Chrysler will offer the 200 S Convertible with two automatically latching top choices, one being a body-colored and painted steel, retractable hard top, and the other being a cloth soft top. Both versions can be opened with the simple press of a button on the key fob. Aside from the change to the roof structure, expect the convertible variant to sport the same changes found on the 200 S sedan, inside and out.

Pricing for the convertible will start at $32,490 including destination, with the vehicle expected to begin arriving in dealers nationwide later this spring.

View the original article here

2011 Infiniti G37 Convertible

The 2011 Infiniti G37 Convertible manages to preserve—for the most part—the nicely balanced proportions of the Coupe while allowing space for the power folding hardtop in back, plus some cargo space.

The one issue—serious to some—with the G37 Convertible is that it's heavy—about 450 pounds heavier than the Coupe. And it's a weight difference that you really feel when you drive the Convertible hard. There's a fair amount of body flex in the G Convertible, but otherwise it's very well designed, with its top that can open or close in about 30 seconds.

If you don't plan track time, and won't fret that the G Convertible just isn't as perfectly balanced in hot laps, you'll find find it quite delightful in most other respects, with nice steering and an eager, strong powertrain with a 325-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 combined with either a six-speed manual gearbox or seven-speed automatic—with the automatic including steering-wheel paddle-shifters and satisfying throttle blips for seamless downshifts. You'll find the G37 accelerates nearly as quickly as the Coupe, with zero to 60 in about six seconds.

Inside, the Convertible presents with virtually the same interior as the G37 Coupe (and the sedan, for that matter). Snug sport seats provide decent side support (though they're a little narrow for some) in front, but especially in the drop-top the back seats are nearly useless with the top down and completely useless (for all but the smallest kids) with it up.

The Convertible's features and options closely parallel those offered in the Coupe. For more information, see our full review of the 2011 Infiniti G37 Coupe.

View the original article here

2011 Infiniti G37 Coupe - Convertible

The 2011 Infiniti G37 Coupe and Convertible are super-stylish touring two-doors with responsive powertrains, along with top-notch steering and poise that's matched by only a few cars—like the BMW 3-Series Coupe and Convertible, one of its main rivals. And these model appeal to those who want the feel of a balanced sports car but also needs something that feels a little more mature...something that doesn't scream mid-life-crisis-mobile, perhaps. The Infiniti G37 Coupe and G37 Convertible wow with sexy exteriors and lavish interiors, along with excellent performance, but they don't always meet expectations for refinement.

Just like the G37 Sedan, the G37 Coupe has a sleek, neat, well-tailored look that straddles the line between overtly sporty and elegant. The G37 Convertible has thinner pillars and a little more oomph to its rear end (where the folding hardtop resides), which give it a voluptuousness. It's by far the best-looking folding-hardtop convertible you can buy, with none of the squatness that affects everything from the Volkswagen Eos to the Ferrari California. Inside, the styling keeps with the exterior—offering a serious, almost cockpit-like look, with a deep seating, a high center console, and large, hooded gauges; contrasted with lovely soft-touch materials and muted leather, which brush up against aluminum or wood trim and frame a clear.

The G37 Coupe and Convertible have some of the same underpinnings as the G Sedans—as well as the Nissan 370Z—only they're several inches shorter and that affects the way they ride and handle (in addition to space, of course). Overall it steers nicely—although, surprisingly, not quite with the excellent feedback of the G Sedan—and has a well-damped ride, even with the Sport package's 19-inch wheels. The heftier Convertible feels slightly less nimble and not as quick to accelerate. Both two-door G models get the same engine that powers the G37 Sedan, only here it makes 330 horsepower. It revs enthusiastically (and with a growl) up to 7,500 rpm and works well with either the precise six-speed manual gearbox or the seven-speed automatic, which includes magnesium paddle-shifters with the Sport package. The dash to 60 mph takes just 5.5 seconds in the Coupe, or about six seconds for the Convertible, because of the extra 450 pounds of folding hardtop it carries.

Inside these models, there's a lot to like. The base seats are fine, while the available sport seats have more adjustable supports and cosset a little more snugly. The seats in these models are mounted a little lower, which they need to be for the lower roofline, so it's all good, at least in the front seat. But while the G37's front seats are cozy, the rear seats are nearly useless. Both the G37 Convertible and Coupe have a back seat that's barely passable for kids; in the Convertible it might as well be called a 2+2 as there's scant headroom with the top up.

Just as in the G Sedans, those expecting a luxury coupe might be a little disappointed with the G37 Coupe's refinement. In addition to more road noise than typical for this class of vehicle, the G37 Coupe's engine can be coarse and noisy when revved, and ride quality can be choppy and nervous, especially with the available 19-inch wheels.

All coupes are built with automatic climate control, an intelligent key, and leather upholstery. Higher trim grades get upgraded audio; a dual-zone climate system; intelligent cruise control; adaptive front lighting; a hard-drive-based navigation system; and four-wheel active steering. All-wheel drive is an option. All Convertibles come with leather seating; the power hardtop; a door-mounted button to lower the roof before entering or after exiting; an MP3-capable sound system; a rearview camera; a navigation system with hard-drive music storage and XM Satellite Radio with real-time traffic data; and an iPod connection kit that's quick to index your favorite music.

Options include a multispeaker Bose audio system that tunes its output to the car's top-down status; a climate control system that does the same; and heated and cooled seats. Sport and Premium packages toss in 19-inch wheels, Bluetooth, radar-based cruise control, and adaptive headlights—and for 2011, the Sport package can be had in combination with all-wheel drive.

The 2011 Infiniti G37 Coupe has strong performance in every respect, and provides a level of driver involvement only rivaled by the BMW 3-Series; the Convertible feels a little portly, though. See details and best of the Web The 2011 Infiniti G37 provides reasonably good front-seat comfort, along with excellent cabin materials, but the harsh ride and noisy interior might disappoint those who want more of a luxury coupe. See details and best of the Web The 2011 Infiniti G37 Coupe and Convertible look like reasonably safe picks, even if they?re not top-rated in all respects. See details and best of the Web The 2011 G37 Coupe and Convertible stick with Infiniti?s formula of offering lots of convenience and luxury features, all standard, and plenty of tech and entertainment upgrades. See details and best of the Web The 2011 Infiniti G37 Coupe is about on par with most rivals in fuel-efficiency, though the extra weight in Convertible models brings mileage to a more eyebrow-raising level. See details and best of the Web Nicely tailored, inside and outStrong powertrainGreat handlingEasy-to-use navigation and audioUnusual AWD coupe combinationGet Dealer Price Quotes Automatic can shift abruptlyRoad noiseNervous ride

View the original article here