Ron Amadon, writing for
MarketWatch remains impressed with the 2012 MINI Cooper S Roadster. In his review he exclaims:
The road to happiness begins with the twist of a lever above the center console and getting out of the car to stow the top behind the cockpit and ahead of the 8.5 cubic foot trunk. It clicks into place and you are ready to drive topless with no loss in trunk storage space.
With the top down this is one handsome devil of a car, one that sits there and says to the owner, “Let’s go play!”
Make sure you opt for the “S” model which brings a lovely 1.6-liter, turbocharged in line 4 that produces 181 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and a very nice 192 pound-feet of torque at a low, low 1,700 rpm, with a 6,500-rpm redline. Tie that to a wonderful six-speed gearbox and you can cruise back roads in third and fourth gears with plenty of reserve power available. If you have engaged the “sport” mode, and you should have, the Mini makes a great variety of noises that will send a tickle up the spine of anyone who enjoys the simple act of driving.
