Good morning! For your consideration today, I have a pair of European convertibles with sort of a ketchup-and-mustard thing going with the colors. They’re both manual transmissions, and they’re both residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. Which one represents more fun in the sun? That will be up to you.
Yesterday’s “competition” was anything but, and I kind of knew that going in. The Mitsubishi Lancer was simply outclassed here; it’s a fine little car in general, but the “full of sound and fury signifying nothing” O-Z Rally package on it didn’t impress anyone, nor did its questionable modifications. The Mazda 6 may not be perfect as it sits, but it’s a whole lot classier and more substantial car.
It goes without saying that the Mazda would be my choice too. I really like the first-generation 6, especially the liftback. A manual is a must in these cars, and the V6 is just a nice bonus. The lowered suspension and loud exhaust would have to go, though.
All right, let’s look at a couple of cool and colorful European drop-tops.
2001 Saab 9-3 Viggen – $4,495
Engine/drivetrain: Turbocharged 2.3-liter DOHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: San Carlos, CA
Odometer reading: 233,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Saab made some weird engine choices early on, but once it discovered turbocharging, it was game on. Starting in 1978 with the 99 Turbo, Saab built a bunch of special cars that sent way too much power to the front wheels. This was one of the last and best, the 9-3 Viggen, named after Saab’s most famous fighter jet. This is a rare car; only 4,600 were built in total. This is one of just 738 convertible Viggens imported to the US in 2001.
Power for the Viggen comes from a turbocharged 2.3-liter version of Saab’s long-running inline four, which was originally a Triumph design, of all things. It makes 230 horsepower, and drives the front wheels through a beefed-up five-speed manual. Torque steer is a problem, I’m told, but that’s true of any powerful FWD car, especially one with a peaky turbocharged engine. This one has been enjoyed a lot; it has 233,000 miles on the clock, but the seller says it has been well-maintained and it’s in good shape. It has new tires and brakes to control all that power, too.
The interior is where the miles show. The leather is worn and split, and there’s heavy wear on the door panels. But somehow, it comes across as cozy and lived-in, not beat-up. Saab interiors of this era are a cut above, and they seem to be able to age gracefully. But I’ll bet there are some dead pixels on the vehicle info display; there always are.
This color is called Laser Red, according to the seller, and apparently it’s rare. It has some scuffs and cracks in the front bumper, and the seller says there is some old repaired damage on one rear fender, but it’s a good ten-footer.
2007 Mini Cooper – $5,000
Engine/drivetrain: 1.6-liter DOHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Daly City, CA
Odometer reading: 104,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
The original Mini, built from 1959 all the way up to 2000, was offered in a few different body styles, including a convertible, briefly, but they were rare. When new owner BMW brought out the new Mini in 2001, it was built only as a three-door hatchback. But in 2004, a convertible was back on the menu. In typical German fashion, the convertible outlasted the hardtop; the second-generation Mini was introduced for the 2007 model year, but the convertible wasn’t moved to the new platform until 2009. This, therefore, is still the first generation. Did you need to know all that backstory? Probably not, but you do now.
This is just a regular Mini Cooper, not an S, so it has a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter engine and a five-speed manual, instead of a supercharged engine and a six-speed. It is, however, the upgraded Getrag gearbox, not the old fragile Rover unit. It runs great, and it just had a bunch of cooling system work done. The clutch was replaced at 60,000 miles, too. The fact that someone killed a clutch in just 60,000 miles is worrisome, but it was the owner before the seller. Hopefully the last 40,000 miles have been gentler.
I’ve always liked the interior of these, even though the speedometer is in the middle of the dash. (That’s the tach right in front of the driver.) It’s fancier than your average small car inside, and it has some cool touches like a bank of toggle switches for various functions right below the HVAC controls. If you can play with nice clicky toggle switches, who the hell wants to poke at a touch screen? It’s in nice shape inside, with only a little wear here and there.
The outside is in good condition too, even the top. I like this orangey-yellow color too; it reminds me of my old MG. The big trouble with the Mini convertible is that it has blind spots the size of Nebraska with the top up. I guess that just means you have to drive around with the top down more often.
You either like convertibles or you don’t; I get that. But not all convertibles are created equal. Some are leisurely cruisers, and others, like these, are made for a bit more fun. These are both good driver’s cars even with hardtops, but with an open top, you get sunshine and fresh air with your twisty roads. Which would you rather have: the fire-breathing Swede, or the frisky half-German half-Brit?
HOLY CRAP I MISSED THIS?
Ok, so I kinda have what’s in competition here. One is an 88 900 turbo convertible, the other is a R53 Cooper S. My wife says I can only keep one, so I have my own Shitbox Showdown going on.
Unfortunately I’m thinking of keeping the Mini.
The Viggen embiggens the soul. It’s a perfectly cromulent car!
Of course it’s the Saab. OG 9-3 Viggen is a great sleeper pick (fast, cheap, reliable) for this sort of competition, but when you put it up against an infamously unreliable car that is both slower and more expensive… come on.
A girlfriend of mine bought a Mini new, and one of the fun things they included was some joke label stickers for the toggle switches, like “ejection seat”. The marketing people had some fun with that.
One thing about the Mini it that it’s effectively a 3-seater if driver has, you know, legs. I’ve been low-key shopping for a drop top and the pickings are so slim (in my price range) here in Canada that it’s basically been narrowed down to Mini & Mustang. So I’ll go Mini despite the lack of -S.
Both of these seem very reasonably priced. But I’ll take the Saab and find an upholsterer.
If that Saab was closer to me I’d be calling about it.
My best friend has two Viggen convertibles and I got to borrow one for several days during a visit. It was a pleasure to drive, so easy choice for me. He’s also got several 9-5s including an Aero wagon which I’ve driven a fair amount. Saabs of that era are definitely enjoyable cars.
I do not care very much for convertibles,especially red ones,but I like Minis even less and Saab is always the answer. Especially Viggens.
You’ve managed to get me to pick a Saab, hope you’re proud of yourself.
Quite the contrary friend,you should be proud of yourself for picking a Saab.