mini finally adds the one thing the cooper was missingWith the latest generation of MINI vehicles, we continued to get a funky, small car, available in an array of body styles that charm us to bits. But there has been one key element missing from the various Coopers we've tested, even the more performance-oriented S models: any sort of way to control the gears.We understand why MINI chose not to include a manual transmission option with the new generation of Cooper models. Row-your-own gearboxes just don't sell anymore. We don't like this decision, but we understand it. What we didn't like nor understand was why we couldn't control the gear selection on the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. There were no paddle shifters, nor a way to control it with a gear toggle.With the John Cooper Works (JCW) models, though, that has all changed. Behold the 2026 MINI Cooper Convertible JCW we are driving with steering-wheel-mounted paddles. Not only is the JCW the best performing version of the new Convertible, with the new paddle shifters driver engagement has gone up exponentially.Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.