Tag Archives: roadster

2012 Mini Roadster priced from $24,350*

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Zach Bowman

Filed under: Car Buying, Convertible, Performance, Mini, UK

Mini has officially announced pricing for the company’s new Cooper Roadster. The tiny droptop will carry a base MSRP of $24,350 in the U.S., while the Cooper S Roadster will set you back $27,350. The top-of-the-line John Cooper Works Roadster, meanwhile, will command a sticker of $34,500 (*pricing exclude a $700 destination and handling fee). Should buyers wish to drop an automatic transmission into their Cooper Roadster or Cooper S Roadster, the two-pedal option will cost an additional $1,250, but the John Cooper Works Roadster is only available with a manual gearbox. Mini says 16-inch alloy wheels are standard on the base roadster and its S counterpart, while the topped-out JCW Roadster will roll on flashier 17-inch wheels.

That means the Cooper Roadster requires a $3,450 premium over the base hardtop Coupe, but curiously, it’s cheaper than the Cooper Convertible by $600. While the latter doesn’t exactly offer palatial amounts of space for rear passengers, it is still considerably more functional than its Cooper Roadster equivalent. We have to wonder if there’s enough of a price differential between the two models to keep buyers from skipping the more rakish Roadster for its four-seat counterpart, but either way, we’re just pleased it doesn’t share the Coupe’s awkward backwards-ballcap roofline. Hit the jump for the lengthy press release.

Continue reading 2012 Mini Roadster priced from $24,350*

2012 Mini Roadster priced from $24,350* originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Say ‘goodbye’ to these cars and trucks for the new year

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Steven J. Ewing

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Sedan, SUV, Crossover, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Volvo, Tesla

As we prepare to flip our calendars from 2011 to 2012, it’s time to say goodbye to a handful of vehicles that are being sent to the Great Parking Lot In The Sky before the 2012 model year completely takes hold. And while we’re not exactly upset about having to bid farewell to things like the Mitsubishi Endeavor, Mazda Tribute or Chevrolet HHR, there are a few vehicles that we’re truly going to miss.

The Mazda RX-8, for example, has grown to be one of our favorite sports cars since its introduction in 2003. We love its lightweight construction, high-revving rotary engine and surprisingly functional suicide door design. It’s kind of like a Miata with a roof and rear seats. Speaking of the Miata, Tesla’s two-seat Roadster – the automaker’s first production vehicle – proved to us that open-top motoring can be thrilling even with a stack of batteries driving the wheels.

We’ll miss the Honda Element and its rugged, utilitarian nature. We’ll miss the Volvo V50 and its capacious cargo area made for Ikea runs. And we’ll really miss those large lords of luxury, the Cadillac DTS and Ford Crown Victoria. We’ve already said goodbye to the faithful but overripe Ford Ranger, and as ridiculous as the BMW X6 ActiveHybrid was, it was a shockingly good-to-drive electrified crossover.

There are plenty more models that won’t be making the journey to the 2012 model year, so have a look at the full list in our attached image gallery, then let us know which ones you’ll miss (if any) in the Comments.

Say ‘goodbye’ to these cars and trucks for the new year originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata Track Test

Posted on May 12, 2010 by Staff

You gotta love the iconic Mazda Miata! It rings of weekend drives with the top down and sunny days. That’s fine and dandy but how did this car perform when you want to really have some fun? Our friends at InsideLine took this bad boy for a few trips around the track [...]

Tesla now leasing Roadsters for the noncommittal

Posted on February 25, 2010 by Frank Filipponio

Filed under: Car Buying, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Tesla, Electric

2010 Tesla Roadster Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery

For those of you who dream of driving a Tesla Roadster every day, but perhaps have been a little too scared about the potential hassles of a long-term relationship to pull the trigger, we have some good news for you. Tesla Motors has said they’re willing to let you and your Roadster at least live together for a while to see how things work out first. The company just announced a new lease program for commitment-phobes, good on new 2010 Roadster and Roadster Sport models.

According to the full press release you’ll see after the jump, the new Tesla Motors Leasing program allows customers to lease a Roadster or Roadster Sport for three years on a 30,000 mile contract with monthly payments as low as $1,658 with a down payment. Okay, that might not seem very low, but it is a six-figure exotic sportscar… and think of how much you’ll save on gas every month. If the relationship works out you can make it permanent or go your separate ways if it doesn’t – At the end of the lease, customers can purchase their Roadster or walk away after paying a disposition fee.

The lease terms are spelled out in detail in the presser and on the company’s website, but the sample lease in the release is for a Roadster with an MSRP of $111,005 and requires $12,453 up front, with 36 payments of $1,658 plus tax. Lessees get the same Tesla Ranger service as owners, where a mobile service tech will come to you for a buck for each mile they have to travel to and from the closest service center. If you’re interested, you can get in touch with your closest Tesla dealer, or call 650-413-6300 for more information.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Tesla Roadster Sport