Category: Convertibles 
Price Range: No data available
Fantastic engine, strong performance, entertaining drive.
Very expensive, redundant rear seats, cutesy looks.
Great fun, but the price tag's in the league of more accomplished and more sporting alternatives
If you thought the hardcore John Cooper Works version of the Mini Clubman was a curious beast, the JCW Convertible will really puzzle. As with its work on the Clubman, Mini's sports-tuning division hasn't held back or softened on the JCW treatment.
Though the cute Mini Convertible is usually predisposed towards posing rather than performance, under the bonnet of this model is an engine lifted from the Mini Challenge racer. This 1.6-litre gains a larger turbo, enhanced airflow and a freer-flowing exhaust, raising power from the standard Cooper S output of 173bhp to a more generous 208bhp; there's a healthy 192lb ft of torque with up to 207lb on overboost.
This added punch certainly makes a difference to the Mini's performance. The JCW Convertible can do 146mph and a far more serious 6.9 seconds for the 0-62mph sprint, compared to the Cooper S's 7.4 seconds.
As well as the hot new engine the new £23k+ JCW benefits from the second-generation Mini Convertible's stiffer underpinnings and improved rear visibility (the rear roll hoops now pop up only on roll-over). The new Convertible range is also around 10kg lighter than the old model, though crucially, it is still around 100kg heavier than the hatch.
Ultimately, this blunts the Mini droptop as an enthusiast's choice - but even a stratospheric price-tag can't stop this JCW-tweaked Mini from being serious fun all the same.
