Since Mini launched its revised convertible last year, punters have only been able to obtain Cooper, Cooper S and John Cooper Works versions.

Now, with the arrival of the entry-level One Convertible, fresh air fans can enjoy the car for under £15k.

Sharing a new 1.6-litre 98hp engine with its Hatch and Clubman counterparts, the One Convertible does 0-62mph in 11.3 secs with official figures of 49.6mpg and 133g/km CO2. That’s still a hefty 15% BIK banding for a small car and Mini says fleet will only make up a fraction of sales, although the One Convertible is expected to be the most popular of the open-top range.

It has the same CO2 and mpg as its older sibling the Cooper Convertible but is 1.5secs slower from 0-62mph, with a max speed of 112mph rather than 123mph. Still, for £1430 off the price tag, and RVs to match the outstanding results across the rest of the range, it’ll be a cost-effective perk car.

Mini One Convertible 1.6-litre 2-dr six speed
P11D price £14,820
Model price range £14,985-£!9,460
Fuel consumption 49.6mpg
CO2 (tax) 133g/km/(15%)
BIK 20/40% per month £37/£74
Service interval variable
Insurance group n/a
Warranty 3 yrs/unlimited mls
Boot space (min/max) 125/660 litres
Engine size/power 1598cc/98hp
Top speed/0-62mph 112mph/11.3secs
On sale March 2010
Score 7/10
Verdict A good value option for
the open-top Mini range