Knowing that in Japan the retro-craze is ever-blooming, we imagine Mini’s new product creating a stir at the Tokyo Motor Show.

In fact, Automotive News reports that the British car manufacturer chose Tokyo to publicly-premier its brand-new product because, according to Peter Schwarzenbauer – BMW AG board member for Mini and Rolls-Royce – Mini sales in Japan rose 29 percent in September (to 12,800 cars), while global sales rose 18 percent during the same period.

Moreover, the board member expects Mini to set a sales record in the Japanese market this year, stating: “We are seeing more Mini fans – a lot more people are open to design in Japan and like the looks of Mini,”

Gee, we wonder why? Anyway, the new Cooper Convertible has grown in size, being 44mm wider, 98mm longer, but just 1 mm taller, compared to the previous generation. Still, even if it’s slightly “puffed”, its British charm is still there and the car looks fresh – which is a tough stunt to pull when designing every time a retro-inspired model with the same characteristics.

The convertible will share its powerplants with the rest of the line-up, although it will probably suffer a loss in performance due to its increased weight added by the structural changes in the chassis and electric roof mechanism. As a matter of fact, the Convertible is around 120kg (265 pounds) heavier than its close-top counterpart. And yes, you still have to call it a “Mini”.

PHOTO GALLERY

VIDEO