The daddy of the revival of retro cars has been with us for nearly a decade with little alterations. The New Beetle was derived from the Concept One displayed during the 1993 Detroit Motor show. Since then, it has been a constant big seller in the United States. Volkswagen later added the Mexican built Beetle Cabriolet to the range a little over five years ago as an attempt to revive the flagging interests for the Beetle in other parts of the world.
From the outside
The craze for folding metal roofs as sparkled off by the Mercedes SLK back in 1997 does not apply here, as both models feature a canvas folding roof. In fact, only these two cars are capable of getting away with a pram-like folding roof. The apparent unsightliness does not seem to put off modern car punters who desire a clean and uncluttered look. In fact, it adds to the nostalgia despite modern iterations of their iconic forebear. The Beetle cabriolet takes a mere 13 seconds to have the roof tucked away while the Mini Cabrio Sidewalk takes 15 seconds.
From the inside
With the roof tucked away, the tiny rear seats on both cabriolets would gain headroom that passengers in the fixed roof version could only dream of. However, the rear seat areas of these two cars are not wise choices to sit your beloved friends as there is hardly any legroom. The rear seats are truly meant for the fabulous couple to place their gym and/or shopping bags.
While the build quality of both cars are on par with other premium offerings, the Mini nudges ahead here, benefiting from the stricter "upbringing" of its parents, BMW. Quality aside, the interior of both cars carry adequate aesthetes to ensure occupants are bathed in yester year's auras.
The drive
On the road, the Mini Cabrio Sidewalk Cooper justifies its higher asking price with its superior manoeuvrability. The sophistication of the Mini's driving finesse is credited to its BMW-developed independent longitude Z-arm at the rear. It makes all the difference when compared to the simple torsion beam employed on the Beetle Cabriolet, which sits on a platform that debuted in the form of the first Audi A3 back in 1996.
On the other front, the ride comfort of both models are on par. Both providing ample rebound and damping to cocoon on-boards. The two cars have received ample reinforcements to ride without significant shuttle shakes when the cars' roofs are opened when the sun is out or when the drivers are simply feeling exhibitionistic. This is a highly commendable achievement. Often cars that were not intended to be open tops during the development phase suffer from horrid shuttle shakes. Ask any Peugeot 206CC owner!
The fact is you should not care if either of these cars is capable of darting around town like a Porsche 911. Open top cars with such adoring looks are meant for the owners to project their fabulous looks and clothes, not to channel one's inner Lewis Hamilton.
Engines
The perfect excuse to arrive fashionably late for brunch. The engines in both cars are capable of a similar but hardly racy output of 115bhp, with the Beetle edging ahead with more pulling muscle. The Beetle's extra 400cc musters a paltry extra 22NM of torque. Apparently, this is the same engine that powered the original Golf GTi back in the early 1980s. Despite being a long-toothed engine, it is preferred over the Chrysler-sourced Brazilian made engine installed in the Mini. Moreover, the Beetle's excellent 6-speed gearbox ensures a smoother and quieter progression from 0km/h to 60km/h during pickup compared to the CVT gearbox installed in the Mini.
Last lap
The Mini Cooper Cabrio trumps the Beetle Cabriolet with better driving abilities and a higher quality interior, while being shaded by the Volkswagen's better engine/transmission combination.
For some, the decision between these two adoring cabriolets could be simply and purely down to aesthetes.
My personal considerations would be based on the following three factors:
- Allergies to pollen. The Beetle Cabriolet has its iconic vase on the left of the dash binnacle. The Mini Cabrio is without one, hence I do not have to battle with my nasal allergies should my better half develop a sudden interest in floral decorations/arrangements - in cars!
- Price, the Beetle Cabriolet cost S$16,000 less. The difference can either offset the higher fuel consumption and road tax.
- The forthcoming Fiat 500, there are whispers of a canvas folding roof to be available once the Italian manufacturer can cope with the demands of the latest member of the retro chic car club. Watch this space as we take it on a test spin.
Linus Leow dreams of having a Transformer as his car - one that can transform into his dream set of wheels at a moment's notice.
| Mini Cooper Cabrio Sidewalk (A) | Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet 2.0 (A) | |
| Engine/Transmission | 1.6 litre, 4 cylinder 16V Continuously Variable automatic Transmission (CVT) with Steptronic mode | 2.0 litre 4 cylinder 16 V 6-Speed Automatic Gearbox |
| Max. output | 115 BHP @ 6000rpm | 115 BHP @5400rpm |
| Max. torque | 150 NM @ 4500rpm | 172 NM @3200rpm |
| Acceleration 0-100 km/h | 11.2 secs | 12.9 secs |
| Top speed | 182 km/h | 181 km/h |
| Fuel consumption (combined) | 7.9 L/100km | 9.3 L/100km |
| CO2 emissions | 189 g/km | 223 g/km |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) /Weight | 3635 x 1925 x 1415 mm1250 kg | 1355kg |
| Price with COE* | S$128,000 | S$$111,900 |
*Prices quoted are indicative of prices in Singapore. Please contact your local distributor for prices in your country.
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