More fun than the proverbial barrel of monkeys — that’s the 2012 MINI Cooper S Roadster in a nutshell. This convertible boasts all the driving pleasure of the 4-seater MINI Cooper S, minus two of the seats. So, sure, it’s less conducive to the mundane, everyday driving duties that occupy much of our lives. But once the weekend rolls around, this MINI scores big in a let-your-hair-down-forget-all-your-troubles-and-punch-the-accelerator kind of way that few other cars can match — at any price. Acceleration is swift, the handling is sublime, and the cabin has plenty of buttons, switches and gadgets to keep your co-driver occupied.

2012 MINI Cooper S Roadster: Specifications

Base price                  $32,900

Vehicle type                Front-wheel-drive compact convertible

Engine                         1.6-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder

Power/torque              181 hp / 177 lb-ft

Transmission             6-speed manual

Fuel consumption       7.6 city / 5.6 highway (L/100 km)

0-100 km/h                  7.1 sec (est.)

+ The Zero2OneHundred Review is a snapshot of the latest, greatest and not-so-greatest vehicles powering down our fair highways and byways. The vehicles will be varied, but all the reviews will share a common denominator—a word count that starts at 0 and finishes at 100.