MINI Cooper S Cabriolet

The MINI Cooper S Cabriolet is the most entertaining way to cover a small island. The 2.0-litre TwinPower Turbo produces 178 hp and 280 Nm, paired with a 7-speed Steptronic dual-clutch automatic that changes gear faster than you can think about it. Nought to 100 km/h takes 6.9 seconds, but the number that matters here is the steering ratio: the MINI turns in with an immediacy that makes every roundabout and every hairpin a small event.

At 3.88 metres long it is the shortest convertible in the MandryCabrio fleet, which is exactly the point on Tenerife. It parks where nothing else parks - the old quarters of La Laguna, the terraced streets above Puerto de la Cruz, the crowded promenades of Los Cristianos. The fabric roof opens fully in 18 seconds at speeds up to 30 km/h, so you do not even need to stop when the cloud breaks. The boot takes 160 litres with the roof down and 215 with it up: one large suitcase plus cabin bags, which suits a couple for a full week.

This 2024 car is finished in white with a black fabric roof and silver multi-spoke alloy wheels. Inside: digital instrument cluster, central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic climate control, rear parking sensors, cruise control and the MINI driving modes that sharpen throttle and steering at the turn of a toggle switch.

It is the choice for couples who want character rather than size, for drivers who enjoy the road itself, and for anyone who finds a full-size convertible too much car for a compact island. In the MandryCabrio fleet it sits as the accessible entry to real open-top driving - below the Audi A5 and BMW 430i, above everything with a fixed roof.

Our Tenerife guide has the roads it was made for: the TF-436 through Masca, where a short car is a genuine advantage on the switchbacks; the TF-21 climb to Teide National Park, where the turbo keeps pulling at 2,000 metres; the coastal TF-1 between Costa Adeje and Los Gigantes; and the narrow lanes of Garachico and Icod de los Vinos where larger convertibles simply do not fit.