SKY'S THE LIMIT.

Cars are a reflection of the time in which they’re built. Convertibles, in particular, are firmly rooted in our cultural memory. In an interview, design professor Paolo Tumminelli talks about form, colour and the thrill of the wind in an open-top MINI.

Professor Tumminelli, When you close your eyes and imagine yourself at the wheel of a convertible, what road are you on?

In my imagination, I’m driving along the Gardesana, a road that runs along the western side of Lake Garda in Italy. It’s a very picturesque route that was built around 1930, and it’s my favourite one because I spent my childhood near there. But driving a con- vertible is always a pleasure, wherever you happen to be – even in Germany in winter.

What’s so special about driving a convertible?

Firstly, a convertible is a very special type of car in and of itself. After all, the history of the automobile began with the convertible. None of the early cars had a roof. Today, driving a convertible also comes with a certain attitude to life: an open-top car is a symbol of freedom and getting “back to the roots”. The kind of people who drive a convertible are at one with nature and the elements, feel the wind and sun on their face and have a far more acute experience – sight, sound or smell – of speed and the traffic around them. You could even say that driving a convertible heightens the senses. Feeling the wind whistle past your ears when driving at speed is very similar to being out sailing.

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Mini Convetable