The 2008 Mini Cooper delivers solid gas mileage and a whole lot of smiles. The current Mini Cooper Convertible scores 30 and 32 miles per gallon (MPG) on the highway (for the manual and automatic, respectively), making it the highest MPG convertible on the market today.The 2008 Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper Convertible models are fitted with a 1.6 liter four cylinder engine producing 118 horsepower (HP) and 114 foot pounds of torque. Mini claims a 0-60 time of 8.5 seconds and a 1/4 mile time of 16.6 seconds for the hardtop and 8.9/16.5 for the convertible.
The 2008 Mini Cooper S is fitted with a dramatically stronger turbocharged 1.6 liter four cylinder engine producing 172 HP and 177 foot pounds of torque. Mini claims a 0-60 time of 6.7 seconds and a 1/4 mile time of 15.1 seconds.
The turbo four banger in the 2008 Mini Cooper S Convertible provides 168 HP and 162 foot pounds of torque, enough to propel the little ragtop to 60 MPH in seven seconds flat, while turning the quarter mile in 15.6 seconds.
The Minis can be equipped with a six-speed Getrag manual transmission or a six-speed Steptronic automatic transmission with paddle shifters.
A 1.6 liter diesel engine is available in the Mini abroad. The mileage figures are so high for the diesel Mini that if we publish them, your head might explode. Think we’re kidding? Okay, we’ll give in … the manual transmission Mini Cooper D is rated at 60.1 urban / 80.7 extra urban … (in miles per British gallon) with 0-62 times of 9.9 seconds.
That works out to roughly 50 city / 67 highway here in the States …
