Detroit Auto Show: 2012 Mini Roadster Shown on Monday, Jan. 9: 2012 Mini Roadster. A two-seat version of the Mini Convertible, but this one has a ragtop that you open and close by hand, like the Porsche Boxster Spyder or your dad's old MG. Well, as of last week, you could order one on the Mini Web site. What they said: "Just like the Coupe, the Roadster went from development to production in only two short years," said Ian Robertson, the BMW board member responsible for sales and marketing. Indeed, a concept version of the Roadster was at the 2010 Detroit show. What they didn't say: BMW had a hit on its hands when it revived Mini in 2001, and the company has taken advantage of that popularity by producing what seem to be more varieties than Starbucks has lattes. And considering that the standard Mini doesn't have much of a back seat anyway, getting rid of it isn't much of an inconvenience. Also, the top, when stowed, doesn't stick up like the convertible's, which improves rear visibility. As with the brand's other models, the Roadster comes in three flavors. The base model is powered by a 121-horsepower 1.6-liter in-line four-cylinder, and the Roadster S adds a turbo, which pushes it to 181 horses. A John Cooper Works performance version hits 208. The base and the S come with a six-speed manual transmission or an optional six-speed automatic. The Cooper Works comes with only the manual, of course. The base version sells for $20,050, the S for $28,850 and the Cooper Works for $35,200. Mini, refreshingly, includes destination charges in the list prices "because that's what people actually have to pay," a spokesman said. Took the words right out of our mouths. The car will arrive in showrooms in March. Not like an MG. It's very Mini all the way around until you get to the very un-Mini rounded rear. There's also a rear spoiler that pops up at 51 miles per hour.