News Source: topspeed.com

The 2015 Detroit Auto Show  brought a meaner and quicker Mini JCW hardtop  to the market. Equipped with larger air inlets, a new front grille, a new diffuser, and more importantly, a new four-banger, this latest Mini  to sport a John Cooper Works badge is also the most powerful Mini to come from the BMW-  owned company. Naturally, the new setup will spread to other Mini models sooner than later, and the Brits will no longer sell JCW-badged coupes  or roadsters,  they just launched a convertible  version of the familiar two-door.

The drop-top arrives just in time for the 2016 model year with the same specs and features as the Hardtop, but with the infinite headroom of a cabriolet. It’s more powerful and significantly quicker than its predecessor, and benefits from more options that ever before — feats that make it the fanciest and most potent vehicle in its class.

"The new Convertible has all of the legendary driving performance you expect in a Mini yet with interior materials and finishes which set a new benchmark for the segment," said Patrick McKenna, head of product planning. "Now with the addition of the John Cooper Works variant we have once again set the bar high for the rest of the premium convertible market by offering a high performance open-top driving experience."

The new JCW Convertible goes on sale in April 2016.

As expected, the Convertible model is identical to the Hardtop below the waist. A new front bumper made almost entirely of large air intakes speak of the cooling requirements of the new engine and the updated brakes, while the honeycomb grille suggests that Mini  wants this JCW model to really stand out next to a standard convertible. Around back, there’s a revised bumper and integrated diffuser-like piece, as well as a center-mounted twin-exhaust.

Other details we’re already familiar with from the JCW hardtop include black wheel arches, body-colored side skirts, and JCW logos all around. Of course, the convertible doesn’t get the hardtop’s roof-mounted spoiler. The drop-top borrows the same options from its hatchback sibling, including the black stripes with Chili Red lines for the hood, black, white or Chili Red mirror caps, and the brand-new Lapisluxury Blue Metallic and Rebel Green Metallic exterior paints, the latter exclusive to the JCW line.

Another cool option is the Union Jack soft-top with the British flag rendered in monochrome.

Once inside the JCW Convertible, customers will find the same sporty amenities introduced on the JCW Hardtop, plus the infinite headroom that comes with every cabriolet when the top is folded behind the seats. That said, look for newly developed John Cooper Works sports seats wrapped in Dinamica/fabric or available leather, a new multifunction steering wheel, a JCW shifter, JCW-branded side sills, and stainless-steel pedals. There’s also improved legroom in the back compared to the previous model, but look for less than the hardtop’s 34 cubic feet of luggage space, and blame the foldable roof for the reduction.

The Mini Driving Modes feature, which allows the driver to select between the Green, Mid and Sport driving modes, comes standard, as does the Always Open Timer, which provides drivers with the ability to calculate the number of hours they’ve driven with the top down. Of course, the convertible JCW also benefits from a laundry list of options, such as an 8.8-inch infotainment display upgrade for the 6.5-inch screen. All told the new JCW Convertible sets the standard in the premium cabriolet market and the most customizable vehicle you can buy from a dealership.

Not surprisingly, the JCW Convertible received the same engine that debuted in the Hartdop model. I’m talking about the brand-new, turbocharged, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder that generates 228 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 236 pound-feet of torque from 1,250 to 4,800 rpm. The new four-pot boasts a 20-horsepower and 29-pound-foot increase over the previous unit, which is why the new JCWs are the most powerful production Minis ever, as of 2016.

The JCW Convertible needs around 5.9 seconds to hit 60 mph from a standing start with the six-speed automatic and 6.1 ticks with the six-speed manual. The previous model achieved the same benchmark in 6.6 seconds. Now that’s a massive improvement. Top speed has also been increased by four mph to 150 mph for the manual version and 149 mph for the automatic model. The Hardtop can hit 153 mph.

With these figures, the JCW convertible is now more powerful and quicker than both the Fiat 500C Abarth and the Volkswagen Beetle R-Line convertible, two of its most important competitors in the U.S. Pricing for the JCW Convertible starts from $35,600, not including handling and destination, which makes it nearly $6,000 more expensive than the standard cabriolet. Also, the drop-top carries a full $5,000 premium over the JCW Hardtop. Much like the Hardtop version, the JCW Convertible is everything we expected it to be, starting with the aggressive styling and ending with the powerful four-cylinder engine. With the drop-top, you’re getting the same appearance package, drivetrain, and options, but with more headroom and slightly less luggage room. That’s great news, unless you have a lot of stuff to haul or your budget can’t handle a $35,000+ purchase that’s more of a fashion accessory than a purposeful means of transportation.