The new Mini Cabrio is called a Convertible – so that you know it is not the same as the old Cabrio. It has a stiffer chassis, a bigger boot and a slicker roof.

WHAT IS IT? The Convertible version of the all-new Mini. It is here to tempt those who worship the sun and still want to have fun.

WHY WE’RE TESTING IT Because the last one was just a tiny bit wobbly, for a Mini: we’re curious to see whether they have engineered out the scuttle shake. And also because Minis can be a hoot to drive.

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THE WHEELS VERDICT We still think this car would be more fun with the manual gearbox that’s available in other markets, but that complaint aside it’s a fantastic looking fun-mobile that’s amusing to drive. It’s not very practical, but what convertible is? The target market will love it.

PLUS: Styling; go-kart handling; bigger boot; cool interior with hip and trendy multimedia; new roof is smooth, quiet and quick. MINUS: No manual gearbox (because nobody wants one); could use more power (but JCW version is coming); slight understeer at limit; too quiet.

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Apparently the number of people who like to use a clutch in any BMW product, even the M3 and M4, is now around five per cent or lower, and the demand for it in the most female-friendly of the Minis was seen as being roughly zero (40 per cent of buyers are male, however, and should be ashamed of themselves).

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Fortunately the new Mini Cooper S Convertible’s six-speed Steptronic sports transmission is pretty good, particularly if you shift with the big, sporty-feeling paddles. (Sadly, you only get them with the $45,400 Mini Cooper S version. The $37,900 Cooper gets a non-sporty transmission).

The only problem is the noise you get as you shift, which sounds like either a polite cough or a stifled fart.

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We weren’t offered a drive of the Cooper’s three-cylinder, 1.5-litre engine, with 100kW and 220Nm, but can confirm the 2.0-litre four-cylinder’s 141kW and 280Nm is fast enough to put a smile on your face. But then it’s hard not to start smiling as soon as you see the Convertible with its hat off.

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But the Mini’s cheery design – it looks so similar to the old Mini Cabrio that they had to change the name to Convertible so it would feel new – and roof-down sunniness are pure fun.

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The boot is now 25 per cent bigger, however, which means it’s gone from pointless to just about usable (215 litres with roof up, 160 with it down).

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Pushing hard, or driving aggressively, is not really a habit for most buyers of the Convertible Mini, however, much like changing their own gears. It’s more about cruising, soaking up the rays, seeing and being seen. Which makes it a perfect fit for LA, where the sun always shines.

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