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2012 Mini Cooper S Roadster

DAMASCUS, Md. (MarketWatch) -- Not that long ago, drivers seeking some fun turned to Triumph TRs, MGs and other offerings from the home of the 2012 London Summer Olympics.

The Triumph TR3 and TR4, and the MGB, offered modest power but good fun when drivers wanted to go topless. While the price was right, the unreliability of those sports cars required a supply of spare parts and a good toolbox go along for the ride.

For drivers seeking such fun today, I offer the Mini Cooper S Roadster. Like its predecessors, there are only two seats and, in the test car, a manually operated top. Unlike the earlier British cars, this one didn't leak.

In an earlier report on the four-seat Mini (BMW) drop top, I mentioned how many of the ills were cured once you put the top down. That was certainly the case in the test Mini, and the weather this time around allowed the top to be in the down position for much of the week. See 2009 review of Mini convertible.

The road to happiness begins with the twist of a lever above the center console and getting out of the car to stow the top behind the cockpit and ahead of the 8.5 cubic foot trunk. It clicks into place and you are ready to drive topless with no loss in trunk storage space.

With the top down this is one handsome devil of a car, one that sits there and says to the owner, "Let's go play!"

Make sure you opt for the "S" model which brings a lovely 1.6-liter, turbocharged in line 4 that produces 181 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and a very nice 192 pound-feet of torque at a low, low 1,700 rpm, with a 6,500-rpm redline. Tie that to a wonderful six-speed gearbox and you can cruise back roads in third and fourth gears with plenty of reserve power available. If you have engaged the "sport" mode, and you should have, the Mini makes a great variety of noises that will send a tickle up the spine of anyone who enjoys the simple act of driving.

Sport mode also quickens the engine and steering response, so you're ready for some fun. Driving in any kind of sane manner, you will find the Mini corners flat, rides reasonably well (you don't buy this Mini expecting the soft ride of a luxury car), and instantly responds to any command. Drivers will quickly grow fond of the quick burst of power available in virtually any gear and wonder what happened to it when you are behind the wheel of a less-responsive car. The best response was between 1,600 and about 5,000 rpm.

From a standing start, the Mini Cooper S will hit 60 in 6.8 seconds, its maker claims, with a top speed of 141 mph. On the interstates, the "carbon black" leatherette-covered sport seats were very comfortable, the little four settled into cruise mode in fifth and sixth gears and wind buffeting was well controlled. It you pack lightly, this would be a great weekend getaway car for two. Small items can stash behind the front seats.

This doesn't mean the Mini is without fault. As I mentioned in my earlier review, the huge speedometer with its middle-of-the-dash positioning needs to go, along with the toggle switches that seem to control everything. I would comment on the extra-cost ($750) sound system, but it was far more fun driving without music. Audio controls weren't well laid out, either.

Mini really needs to update the dash. While it's nostalgic, it's hardly functional. Fortunately, the driver does have a steering column-mounted tach and digital speed readout, but for some drivers, the top side of the tach could be hidden by the steering wheel. Like virtually every convertible on the market, visibility to the rear is restricted when the top is up. Drivers should pay extra attention to outside mirrors before changing lanes.

I would be remiss by not mentioning what the Mini lacks. Nothing beeps, hence no front and rear sonar systems, no touchy navi system. In short, no computer-controlled nannies. It doesn't park itself, and doesn't come with two separate 400-page manuals to explain how it all sort of works. In short, it is up to the driver to operate the vehicle in an age when tests continue on cars that drive themselves.

The newer Mini seems to have a slightly better ride than the denture- endangering stiffness encountered in the 2009 model. Cowl shake also was reduced. In the 2012 model, there is only a slight vibration of the inside rearview mirror on railroad-track crossings and other bumps.

Plus, with the new Mini getting a "Recommended" rating from Consumer Reports, the old toolbox can remain in the garage.

With a bunch of options, the test car cost $33,650. By pruning out some style-related extras, you could easily reduce the sticker to about $30,000. Well above the price of an MG or Triumph, but what car costs less now than it did in 1960?

If you enjoy driving and are looking for a sports car for the modern age, I can recommend this one very highly. Never, would I have thought I would like something more than the still-wonderful Mazda Miata, but this is it. One simple reason why: There's more interior room for my 6-foot frame.

But who knows how long this will last? The Miata will get an update, probably in 2014. Mazda (7261) (MZDAF) has loads of experience in making great sports cars, and this new one should share some of its DNA with Alfa Romeo (F) (FIATY) . Then the battle of the two-seaters can start all over again, just like the 1950s and '60s with Triumph and MG.

Vehicles tested for this column are on loan from the auto companies through local distributors.