If you want a soft-top with a decent amount of poke and a vehicle that’ll also massage the ego, the Cooper S Roadster is certainly worth considering.
This MINI is a nice, squat, muscular looking car, but at the same time it’s almost a caricature. Inside the cabin the brand’s familiar design touches are all present, including the huge speedo and bank of toggle switches.
The Roadster’s party piece is the retractable roof. It can be raised or lowered in 10 seconds and at speeds of up to 20mph. Even with the cloth down, the car still keeps its style-led stance.
However, when it came down to the question of whether it would purchase one, it responded:
Unfortunately, we wouldn’t. The Roadster has some endearing qualities and is a capable car on the right road. But for UK carriageways the overly firm ride is a step too far.
However, to some the sense of style and pizzazz offered by the soft top and the cachet the MINI badge brings with it will be enough to overlook the flawed chassis dynamics. It’s a good car, just not as good as it could be.
