2nd Gen R59 Roadster What Car? Names the MINI Roadster as Open Car of the Year for 2013

Discussion in '2nd Generation: 2007+ R55 through R61' started by Nathan, Jan 22, 2013.

  1. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    Munich/Oxford. The MINI Cooper S Roadster has scooped the title of best open-top at the prestigious What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2013. Chas Hallett, editor of What Car? said: “MINIs are all about fun and the Roadster delivers it in spades – in fact we think it’s the most fun MINI yet. Drop the roof and the MINI Roadster feels like a modern-day version of classic British sports cars such as the MGB and Lotus Elan – only better.â€

    The award comes hot on the heels of MINI’s record breaking sales year in the UK, with the brand recording 51,234 vehicle registrations in 2012, the highest since the brand’s launch in 2001. The MINI Roadster was launched in the UK in April 2012 and the two seat soft-top has exceeded initial sales expectations. Built at MINI Plant Oxford, the MINI Roadster reincarnates the spirit of classic British roadsters by combining a high quality interior with class leading engines, delivering MINI’s hallmark agility and ‘go-kart’ handling.

    Best Open-Top Cars on sale Today - What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2013 <--- WARNING Audio starts without prompting.
     
  2. Steve

    Steve Administrator
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    #2 Steve, Jan 22, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2013
    "... the MINI Roadster feels like a modern-day version of classic British sports cars such as the MGB and Lotus Elan – only better."

    Bold statement.
     
  3. TG.

    TG. Active Member

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    It's probably a direct comparison considering modern equipment and performances, not a contextual comparison of a car for its time. I'm sure as a performing car it is better in many ways. It's 2014 so helped by a lot of the modern tech :wink:
     
  4. Spa2k

    Spa2k Well-Known Member

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    And in the 2014 What Car? Awards, the winner is the Audi A3 Cabriolet - photographed on a go-kart track, surrounded by the mini-racers. Time (and car awards) marches on!
     
  5. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    Yeah and that's the MINI they are going to stop making. Great decision MINI oops BMW. :mad2:
     
  6. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    I think the current MX5 is more of a modern-day MGB - Lotus Elan. That being said I think the MINI roaster is a fine sporty car (not sports car) that would be easier to live with on a daily basis.
     
  7. JECO

    JECO Active Member

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    Best open-top sports car. That's what I have been saying from the first time I saw one, and now I prove it every time I crank mine up. Not convinced yet that Mini will drop this model. Info has been murky on this.
     
  8. TG.

    TG. Active Member

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    #8 TG., Mar 18, 2014
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2014
    I think we should all be honest here :D

    1 - "What car" is British site. While the roadster did so slightly above expectation in the UK (and we don't know what expectation where those in the first place) it isn't really a big seller in the states in BMW profit expectation terms. The US is still a big market for most automakers. So I can only guess that this award and the popularity of the roadster in the UK will have little impact on its future.

    2 - There is nothing official about ditching the roadster. All that has been said as far as I know is speculation from auto magazine based on very little information. I'm sure they are good at reading between the lines, but they are also are good at being sensational . . . in other words they like to exaggerate a lot. All we know really is that it won't be a priority for a long while. While every auto magazine read it as they're going to ditch the Roadster. I see it has they don't want to think to much about it until they get more information on development plans for the new platform line-up. Simply said they don't know right now and rather not make antsy statements while their attention is on profile sellers :p
    It's kind of a wait and see sort of approach unfortunately.


    I also agree with Crashton. I think the MINI roadster is a lot more friendly car than the real sport roadster. If marketed well I think there is a greater market to expand their than this of the sport roadsters.
    For example when we look for ours we looked at many convertibles all together. The Miata for example was just very uncomfortable for a semi tall passenger and was lower to the ground. Many other convertible, while still good cars, were kind of boring and often dated. Anyway, all this to say that the MINI roadster has something very approachable and yet really fun, hardly any others can quite provide.
     
  9. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    I would still buy a Miata over a Roadster just based on the quality and reliability of the Miata.
     
  10. DDayKid

    DDayKid New Member

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    I would have to agree with TG.. When we started our search to replace our 1979 Alfa Romeo Spider with another convertible we found most of the current offerings to be very boring. We were looking for something that was fun to drive, neat to look at, and comfortable. The Mini Roadster fit the bill. Can't even begin to say how much more comfortable it is to ride in and get in and out of than the Alfa. I love the Alfa, but I think I'm going to enjoy the Mini even more.
     
  11. TG.

    TG. Active Member

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