Top Cars

Mini Cooper Convertible owners apparently need an added incentive to drop their tops. How else can we explain the “Openometer,” a tiny gauge mounted on the dashboard that records in minutes and hours precisely how long the fabric top has been kept down. Fitted as standard equipment, the Openometer, says Mini, is “a tool to help keep you aware of your openness…so you can revel in the roofless hours you’ve spent on your trip, cultivating your open mind and a tan.” Our guess is that a few BMW-Mini engineers spent too much time in the sun before coming up with this useless gadget.