2025 MINI COOPERS CONVERTIBLE

I didn’t know PM2.5 or PM10 could creep into your thoughts, but they clearly entered mine.

- WORDS KRANTI SAMBHAV

I had forgotten how much fun convertibles are—what they mean, and how enjoyable they can be when you manage to drive them in the weather they're meant for, in locations where they're meant to be enjoyed. The latest Mini Cooper S Convertible drive was exactly that. The perfect amount of sunlight, optimal temperature, and an apt destination.

We drove from Munich to a beautiful restaurant called Freihaus Brenner, next to Lake Tegernsee in the Bavarian region. Parking the new Mini with the lake in the backdrop was the highlight of the drive—one of those postcard moments when natural beauty and a piece of beautiful engineering complement each other. When the early morning call times, endless hours of shoots, and the stress of edits and embargos begin to make sense.

We started our day at the BMW Media Centre in Munich, where all the media test-drive units are usually parked. Local and international journalists pick up cars from this centralised station for test drives. Getting the colour of my choice—a cherry red— felt like a good omen. The grey metallic paint option looked cool, too.

Hero of the Story

While most cars with a sunroof have a glamorous appeal, a soft top on a Mini Cooper adds a different kind of fun to the story. Now returning to the Oxford plant—the heart and heritage of the brand—this open-top four-seater comes with a soft-top system that feels both easier and more versatile.