The F57 is the open MINI of the third generation, built from 2016, and the only one of its kind in the range. Its fabric roof does something few convertibles manage: the front half opens on its own and behaves like a large sunroof. That intermediate position works up to 120 km/h, where opening fully stops at 30.
Behind it sits a two-stage mechanism with its own guide rails and control that exists on no other MINI. The boot shrinks to 160 litres in exchange, and the shell carries reinforced sills plus a rollover bar behind the rear seats.
At the front the F57 is an F56: nose, bonnet, wings and front doors are identical parts. Behind the B-pillar it becomes its own car, with its own rear quarters, boot lid and rear lights. On those, the 2018 line between the conventional drawing and the Union Jack graphic applies exactly as it does on the closed cars.
A convertible gets used in summer and mostly in town, so what reaches us from one is headlights, rear lights, mirrors and aprons.
