After its much-anticipated debut in Geneva, Mini has brought its convertible Cooper to New York. With the top up, the Convertible casts a silhouette like the hardtop models. As the soft roof begins its 15-second transformation, the roof columns automatically retract and the rear side windows move down in unison, as the cloth top folds neatly behind the rear seats. For more hair tousling options, the Mini Convertible features an integrated sliding panel that can be opened up to 16 inches while the car is driving. Available in three colors, the top features a glass rear window with defroster. On the safety front, the Mini Convertible rides on a fortified structure with integrated rear headrests, front and side airbags, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), and Cornering Brake Control (CBC). Both the base Cooper and the supercharged Cooper S will be available in convertible form when the new model goes on sale Stateside late summer as a 2005 model. Estimated pricing for the Cooper convertible is $22,000; Cooper S convertible: $25,500.
