World Car fans got their hands on some great spy shots of the upcoming 2008 Cabrio.
>Caught here testing close to the firm’s Munich headquarters with a multi-functional fabric top, this car is going to be the ultimate 2008 summer city-car. With a C-pillar at least as wide as on the current model, visibility to the rear won’t be improved at all, but the stowage of the rood could well be improved.
All of the pics they have are top up. Hopefully soon we will be able to get a look at the new interior.
Fairly predictable? How much more change could you make without major redesign such as making a retractable hard-top roof that most other makes(including BMW) are changing to.
MINI Convertible is still a better package than the Mazda MX5 which is strictly a two-seater.
The S conv is a great value at ~$35k, I have really enjoyed mine (an R53 ’06)… but I still have not taken to the R56, and I’ll probably be leaving the fold next time around 🙁
Wow! I like it. I have to admit, I have not been a huge ‘vert fan in the past. Never liked the hoops in the rear and the teeny-tiny rear window just didn’t cut it.
The higher hood, belt-line, boot and the additional slope on the (possibly larger?) rear window really seem to work. Omit the roll bars and I think thats going to be a terrific car. I dare say, I ALMOST think the restyle works BETTER on the convertible than the coupe. Not that I’d give up my R56S for one, but… I definately really like the looks.
<blockquote>Looks like they have the MINI Aero Kit on it…</blockquote>.
They have the Aero Bumpers but not the side skirts or exclusive mesh
Not a single one of these has rolled through plant Oxford, but after the official launch of the Clubman we’ll get the first production prototypes coming in.
Did any one else see this but the article says available SPRING 2008. So the question that begs to be answered are, is this the R57 based on the R56 base, or did they get the date wrong in their article??
I think the cabrio goes for the Geneva exhibition, so it will be available for the summer at least in Europe. The “Future models revealed” section should be updated?
I first thought it was JB and got very excited, but looking at that rear bumper on the pics of the car’s ass, it looks like Astro.
I agree that the higher belt line and slight slope of the back of the roof make it look a little sportier, but I’m glad that the changes don’t appear so drastic that I feel I need to immediately sell my cabrio and jump on board.
From the shots here it looks like not two hoops like the current car, but a single bar with a dip in the middle that sticks down. In any case, ick.
Had an R56 show up at a gathering of MINIs this past week and it looked like an SUV rolling in. Looks SO high off the ground, the taller hood and such. Oh, and it did not help that he had a roof rack on.
i think the 2007 design lives the best on the cabrio. the clubman is a close second, but the cabrio’s proportions really seem to do the latest revision justice!
Uh oh … the good news is that rear visibility will be marginally better. The bad news is that a high roll bar is going to look much dorkier when the top is down. Like a PT Cruiser in 3/5 scale.
In the USA, at least, the negative aesthetics of rollbars have worked against all but the pop-up variety over the last couple of decades. Sales “hits” from Mustangs to Sebrings to Vettes and Miatas have all featured either no rollbar or subtle headrest units like those on the current generation Mini.
Several notable sales “bombs” like the PT, the Cutlass, and the earlier generation VW, all featured ungainly high hoops or basket handles.
Conventional wisdom in Detroit is that given the choice between marginally more safety and notably better aesthetics, convertible buyers will always go for the aesthetics … and that safety freaks will only be won over by a hardtop. And the truth is, rollover is not a particularly high risk on a low slung ‘vert.
Mini seems to be challenging conventional wisdom here … not for the first time, but perhaps in this instance at their peril.
It looks like they have removed the Nerf bars over the rear headrests.
Fairly predictable? How much more change could you make without major redesign such as making a retractable hard-top roof that most other makes(including BMW) are changing to.
MINI Convertible is still a better package than the Mazda MX5 which is strictly a two-seater.
The S conv is a great value at ~$35k, I have really enjoyed mine (an R53 ’06)… but I still have not taken to the R56, and I’ll probably be leaving the fold next time around 🙁
Looking good Mini!
I like what I am seeing so far. Really does remind me of the prior car, with the JCW aero kit this could be a stunner I think.
I really hope they fix the aweful rear and aft visibility this car with the top up.
Looks like they have the MINI Aero Kit on it…
Is it just my imagination or is that Mini jet black?
looks good to me, and I like the bigger rear window
“Is it just my imagination or is that Mini jet black?”
It looks as if its Jet Black (“real” black)… If it is, I hope its also coming to the MCSC.
Gabe, can you please confirm its Jet Black…
Wow! I like it. I have to admit, I have not been a huge ‘vert fan in the past. Never liked the hoops in the rear and the teeny-tiny rear window just didn’t cut it.
The higher hood, belt-line, boot and the additional slope on the (possibly larger?) rear window really seem to work. Omit the roll bars and I think thats going to be a terrific car. I dare say, I ALMOST think the restyle works BETTER on the convertible than the coupe. Not that I’d give up my R56S for one, but… I definately really like the looks.
Yes, Jet Black! Or is it? I like the convertable version of the restyle also.
Here’s a view from straight back. The rear window visibility is significantly improved. The passenger side blindspot is probably about the same.
<img src="http://www.mini2.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=135195&d=1184825969" width="468" alt="http://www.mini2.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=135195&d=1184825969" />
A few additional shots from straight back, here:
<a href="http://www.mini2.com/forum/future-variants/144134-2nd-generation-mini-convertible-photos.html" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.mini2.com/forum/future-variants/144134-2nd-generation-mini-convertible-photos.html</a>
MINI? That’s a MINI? I thought it was the new Z4. Looks more like a bull terrier than a bull-baiting English Bulldog. Whatever, the tides have turned.
<blockquote>Looks like they have the MINI Aero Kit on it…</blockquote>.
They have the Aero Bumpers but not the side skirts or exclusive mesh
Not a single one of these has rolled through plant Oxford, but after the official launch of the Clubman we’ll get the first production prototypes coming in.
Did any one else see this but the article says available SPRING 2008. So the question that begs to be answered are, is this the R57 based on the R56 base, or did they get the date wrong in their article??
I think the cabrio goes for the Geneva exhibition, so it will be available for the summer at least in Europe. The “Future models revealed” section should be updated?
uhhh…I don’t think its Jet Black, it sorta looks like a really deep dark blue, kinda like Astro Black.
I’ve got a 3 series in true Jet Black, and It’s much darker than that.
I first thought it was JB and got very excited, but looking at that rear bumper on the pics of the car’s ass, it looks like Astro.
I agree that the higher belt line and slight slope of the back of the roof make it look a little sportier, but I’m glad that the changes don’t appear so drastic that I feel I need to immediately sell my cabrio and jump on board.
It looks to me that the roll bars are gone?!!
Can that be true?
The roll bar in the R57 will be your own head!
Just kidding…
From the shots here it looks like not two hoops like the current car, but a single bar with a dip in the middle that sticks down. In any case, ick.
Had an R56 show up at a gathering of MINIs this past week and it looked like an SUV rolling in. Looks SO high off the ground, the taller hood and such. Oh, and it did not help that he had a roof rack on.
R50,R52,R53 till I die!!!
i think the 2007 design lives the best on the cabrio. the clubman is a close second, but the cabrio’s proportions really seem to do the latest revision justice!
“R50,R52,R53 till I die!!!”
…alrighty then…
“Stowage of the rood?”
Uh oh … the good news is that rear visibility will be marginally better. The bad news is that a high roll bar is going to look much dorkier when the top is down. Like a PT Cruiser in 3/5 scale.
In the USA, at least, the negative aesthetics of rollbars have worked against all but the pop-up variety over the last couple of decades. Sales “hits” from Mustangs to Sebrings to Vettes and Miatas have all featured either no rollbar or subtle headrest units like those on the current generation Mini.
Several notable sales “bombs” like the PT, the Cutlass, and the earlier generation VW, all featured ungainly high hoops or basket handles.
Conventional wisdom in Detroit is that given the choice between marginally more safety and notably better aesthetics, convertible buyers will always go for the aesthetics … and that safety freaks will only be won over by a hardtop. And the truth is, rollover is not a particularly high risk on a low slung ‘vert.
Mini seems to be challenging conventional wisdom here … not for the first time, but perhaps in this instance at their peril.
Does anybody knows when will the cabrio will be launched?