Car And Driver did a "short take road test on the 2009 MINI Convertible" - not the S. The sticker price for the vehicle was $32,050 that Car and Driver calls "a heap of dough for a softtop version of Mini's cute coupe." Car and Driver was turned off by "copious amount of cowl shake" and said "the powers verges on the anemic." Car and Driver's verdict,
"[a]ll its faults aside, the Cooper functions well as a cruising convertible but not much else. Our advice: Forgo the automatic and, if you can afford it, step up to the turbocharged S."