MY initial experience of the original Mini was back in 1961 when the British Motor Corporation rebranded the Austin 7 launched in 1959 and dubbed the newcomer the Austin Mini.

Those were halcyon days when London became the world's fashion centre, courtesy of Carnaby Street, and the UK top 10 pop records included the likes of Danny Williams crooning Moon River and Helen Shapiro who was Walking Back to Happiness.

All of this came swiftly to mind during a recent drive in one of the latest MINIs to hit the UK scene. This was, of course, a product of BMW, the German company having introduced the new MINI in 2001 having owned the Rover Group.

The MINI Cooper Convertible which, with diesel power appearing under its bonnet, was responsible for a distinctive "first" in MINIi history.

Along with its Hatchback and Clubman stablemates the Convertible benefits from design reworkings both outside and inside, which has introduced a fresh, dynamic style to the range.

Up front a new bumper helps to update the MINI's face and, while new style foglamps also stand out, the typical rounded MINI headlights display new light elements plus there is a reworked back bumper and the rear lights are now LEDs.

The interior of all models in the Mini range has undergone a significant makeover, too, the centre console, steering wheel, air conditioning and audio controls have all been modified in a bid to further enhance the premium quality feel to the cabin.

Kit levels are pretty good, too, all radio systems in the refreshed MINI range coming equipped with a CD player and aux-in connection that supports MP3 players and features DAB radio while the centre console houses Bluetooth hands-free phone preparation and includes a USB interface.

However, what it doesn't have is a great deal of room. While there is enough for the driver and front seat passenger, the rear seats are not really functional. The MINI Convertible can only be described as little more than a 2+2 with kiddy-type back seats and a 125-litre boot. It is not a car for a big family outing.

However, its function as a wind-in-your-hair performer is neatly practical, the fabric roof coming down in a spritely 12 seconds, the dual stage mechanism helping it to act simply as a sunroof or folding all the way back before parking up behind the back seats.

The 1.6-litre turbo diesel has plenty to commend it. The MINI Convertible has effective low range urge and is a neat little mover.

From a low-slung seating position the Convertible responded well to some nicely weighted power steering while delivering plenty of grip.

Paired with a slick shifting six-speed manual gearbox the diesel also performed agreeably on the cruise and while the relatively firm suspension did encourage a little antipathy to pock marked surfaces along with a little scuttle shake, the legendary sharp MINI handling remained a joy.

Economy, too, proved another big plus, the 112bhp engine delivering a master class in fuel usage.

The standard stop/start system worked very well through towns without overdoing the start-up clatter like some competitors.

And, with the promise of 70+mpg for thoughtful drivers, the low CO2 emissions level of 105g/km attracts low road tax which translates to a first year free from road tax and £20 per year thereafter.