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Avenue of the Giants Weekend Run - Sat. March 23, 2024

Saturday will be a very full day of cruising from Novato up through the Avenue of the Giants and ending at Eel River Brewing in Fortuna. Sun...

The Auto Channel Reviews The New 2009 MINI Convertible

Henny Hemmes, the Senior European Editor from the Amsterdam Bureau of The Auto Channel has authored this review of the new 2009 MINI Convertible. Ms. Hemmes believes the car is "improved, and, like all new cars, it has new technology and new features that were not (yet) available some years ago" and "will probably outsell its predecessor."

You might compare Ms. Hemmes' loving review at The Auto Channel with this one by Erik Johnson at CarandDriver.com. Mr. Johnson writes
"The Cooper S cabrio is sporty, feisty, and pugnacious, like the rest of the Mini lineup. But between the torque steer, chassis flex, and stiff ride, it is neither a perfect boulevardier nor a finely honed Alpine bomber. It’s something in between, and that compromise isn’t entirely satisfying. The new Mini cabrio will go on sale in late March priced at $24,550 for the Cooper and $27,450 for the Cooper S; 2008 models started at $22,600 and $26,050, so the respective price increases aren’t insignificant. Still, this latest Mini cabrio remains fun and cheeky, and that’s what Minis are supposed to be—it’s an experience perhaps worth freezing for."