Released on = December 19, 2006, 3:24 am

Press Release Author = neoli marcos

Industry = Automotive

Press Release Summary =
With the success of Mini\'s gorgeous little car comes the Cooper Cabrio, which is
determined not to be just an ordinary offshoot.

Press Release Body = 19 December 2006

With the success of Mini\'s gorgeous little car comes the Cooper Cabrio, which is
determined not to be just an ordinary offshoot. It is stunning in its compactness,
extremely agile and well-performing, not too mention just rightly priced. And hey,
for just a while, let\'s ignore the debate about whether the Cooper Cabrio is
ultimately for the male or the female population.

Interestingly, the suspension is the main difference between Cabrio and its hardtop
cousin. The Cooper S prides itself with a compact six-speed manual shifter, a notch
better, and softer of course, than the standard Cooper\'s five-speed manual.

The Cabrio has been stiffened structurally through the A-pillar and along the bottom
rails of the cabin section, as well as with a cross member under the seats and with
an aluminium cross-brace doubling as the rear rollover loop. Not to worry because
the extra 100kg of the Cabrio doesn\'t take away its enjoyable features.

The leather upholstery is perfect, stereo is top notch. Safety airbags for each of
the passengers.

As with most convertibles, rear vision can be difficult with the roof up. The
Cooper Cambrio thus reassuringly employs a rear sensor which 'beeps' as the driver
backs into an object. Steering and handling stay sharp in a Cabrio, though there is
still a tendency for push understeer with rough wheel input. Overall, in terms of
comfort, the new Mini beats the original.


Aficionados of the Mini will tell you the best part about it is its wide leeway for
personalisation--an option that could very well lift the cost of a Cooper S upwards
of $86,000.

MINI\'s national manager Shawn Ticehurst says, \"There is a saying in Oxford [where
MINI is manufactured] that you are more likely to be struck by lightning than to see
two MINIs exactly the same.\" And indeed, Australian car buyers are getting keen
nowadays on customising their vehicles.

For instance an entire John Cooper Works tuning kit, was upgraded to 154kW Cooper S,
and at just under $10,000, through bonnet stripes, xenon headlights, rain sensor
wipers, satellite navigation, automatic air-conditioning, a range of 17 and 18-inch
light alloy rims, a high-spec Harman Kardon sound system and a wind deflector.


Fifteen seconds. That\'s what it takes for the fully automatic folding roof to drop
in two stages. Your choice of either from a button inside the car or outside, using
the remote.

Effortlessly revealing a shiny, sleek sunroof, the Cabrio proves that convertibles
don\'t need to be bulky to be powerful. Cabrio owners indeed enjoy breezy space at
the parking lot.

The price to pay for the sunroof though is the diminished legroom at the back seat.
Front-seat passengers are comfortable, but it seems the backseat are best reserved
for only very short people and perhaps children.

The Cabrio is currently enjoying brisk sales record mostly among men, but Mini
manufacturers are confident the female market is catching up.

Overall, the Cabrio is a special car and it is a delight to own. Perhaps, the only
advice is just enjoy and let this car make you feel young again.

Whatever the verdict is, one thing\'s clear: this is high time for the small but
great convertibles in the auto world.


Price: Cooper $35,900, Cooper S $44,900
Engine: 1.6-litre inline four (supercharged on Cooper S)
Power: 85kW at 6000 revs, 125kW at 6000 revs
Torque: 150Nm at 4500 revs, 220Nm at 4000 revs
Transmission: Five-speed manual or CVT auto, six-speed manual, front-wheel-drive
Fuel consumption: From 7.3l/100km, 8.8l/100km

Autralia\'s OzFreeOnline Cars
http://cars.ozfreeonline.com

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Web Site = http://cars.ozfreeonline.com

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