Inside the 2005 Mini Cooper Convertible, form follows the Cooper hatchback, which is equipped with what is arguably the most interesting interior design since the debut of the Audi TT. As with other Coopers, there is a wide menu of possibilities for the Convertible from which to choose, starting with interior upholstery (cloth, leather or leatherette) and continuing with colors (eight for the standard Convertible, seven for the Cooper S version).

New on the option sheet for 2005 is a gauge pack, as seen here, with analog readouts for oil pressure and temperature, fuel level and coolant temp. If chosen, these gauges occupy the main, pie-plate sized space in the center dash that is otherwise home to the speedometer, and the speedo migrates to a smaller, separate housing located atop the steering wheel, next to the tach.

Lots of drivers like a full complement of gauges, so we can see the logic of the $250 gauge pack option, though buying it makes it harder to see your speed. A better choice, we think, would've been to locate the gauges in the smaller space, astride the column. It's just easier to read your speed quickly when the speedometer is placed in the center of the dash.

Other changes for 2005 include an available chrome package that dresses up the gauges, air outlets, selected controls, and the cup holders. And speaking of cup holders, the Mini Cooper has sprouted a new one. Sitting high and to the right of the shifter, it will accommodate the American standard: mega-size beverage containers that the old ones couldn't. As before, the center stack holds a tightly bunched array of switchgear - toggles below, rheostats above.

Photography: © Dan Lyons 2004