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
As part of the Chili S pack, JCW buyers are offered the option of sports suspension as a no-cost option (normally £145). Avoid this at all costs. This lowers the ride height by some 10mm, which might not sound like much, but with the enhanced stiffness as well, ride comfort is wiped out. Worse still, on bumpy B-roads, the Mini struggles to stay on-asphalt and mid-corner it can feel close to a nasty brush with the scenery.
The standard-fit suspension, as in the Cooper S, is a better bet. The ride remains firm, transmitting a little too much of the local topography for our liking, but it is more supple and stays more firmly fastened to the road.
It's disappointing the JCW's options list is almost as long as the rest of the Mini range's, despite the £24k asking price. So poor is the standard spec, the Chili S pack (£1,925) is essential, adding bi-xenon headlamps, climate control and a part-leather interior.
Further must-have items, such as the wind deflector (£180) to make open-top touring bearable, still lie on the options list. We wouldn't bother with the gimmicky Openometer (£115), however, which records how long you spend with the roof down.
