MINI ends Cabrio production
August 7, 2008 by Alborz Fallah
With nearly 165,000 drivers around the world having a sweet spot for the MINI Cabrio, the BMW owned MINI brand has announced an end to production of the topless Mini.
The three models: the high-performance MINI Cooper S and John Cooper Works Cabrios and (which unfortunately never found its way to Australia) as well as the the MINI One Cabrio became an instant topic of discussion upon their release in late 2004.
The last Cabrio to roll of the production line (Plant Oxford) was a Cooper S Cabrio Sidewalk finished in metallic White Silver, a MINI collector in the USA will be taking delivery of the car shortly.
The biggest market for the car was the UK, followed by the USA. Other big markets included Germany, Italy and Japan. Australia also ranked among the model’s top ten markets.
Despite what the folks over at marketing and research might have initially said, some countries simply preferred the Cabrio more than others. For example in chilly Scandinavia almost twice as many people purchased MINI Cabrios as fair-weathered Greece. The same story repeated in Austria, where there are at least five-times as many MINI Cabrio drivers as in sunny Portugal.
The factory will now focus all of its energy on the MINI hardtop and the MINI Clubman.
Print it: 
Isn’t it being launched in 2nd generation like the 3 door and the clubman?
I wouldnt have bought one but I cant quite see why they are cancelling production. Its not as if it was selling badly. I did like the car and will miss it.
Hasn’t the replacement model been photographed in testing for the last 2 years?
Id much rather see a Mini Ute it would be far better looking and much more practical than both the Cabrio and the Clubman.
I’d also like to see BMW come out with an M3/M5 ute.. Like professional golfer Stuart Aplleby is having custom made in NSW
Yes a mini ute would be interesting, but no-one buys minis for their practicality anyway.
Can anyone explain how this modern MINI could have one of the world’s best depreciation rate of just 70% after 3 years? Porsche, if im not mistaken, is only abt 65%.
Oxford Street is in a state of Mourning!
Yes, a new MINI Cabrio is due for release in 2009. Do a google search for R57 Cabrio if you want more info.