CITY SLICKERS: TWO NEW MINI SPECIAL EDITIONS PUT LONDON IN THE SPOTLIGHT

 Two new special editions for 2012 have been unveiled and continue MINI’s long-standing theme of taking inspiration from a fashionable or iconic area in the Capital.

The MINI Baker Street and MINI Bayswater go on sale on 1st March for a limited period in all 100 global markets where the brand is sold. Each is exclusive to the MINI Hatch body style and is packed with personality, style, exclusivity and extras.

MINI Baker Street

Choosing the MINI Baker Street will be ‘elementary’ thanks to its striking new exterior and interior design details. Finished in exclusive Rooftop Grey metallic paint, with twin black bonnet stripes drawing a subtle V-shape, the MINI Baker Street is available in MINI One, One D, Cooper and Cooper D guise. Pepper White or Midnight Black shades are available as an optional body colour.

‘Baker Street’ lettering is added to the side scuttles and door sills and the special edition features 16-inch ‘6-Star’ twin-spoke light alloy wheels in a high-gloss black to match the door mirror caps. Cooper and Cooper D models feature a painted black roof.

Inside is a fresh interpretation of the cloth/leather seats available on the standard MINI Hatch.  The diamond-patterned design in stylish Cross Check Rooftop Grey is also used on surfaces around the cockpit and door trim. Contrasting light grey stitching appears on the floor mats, gearstick and handbrake gaiter.

The comprehensive equipment list on the MINI Baker Street includes the Pepper Pack, which means automatic air conditioning, Bluetooth, on-board computer, leather steering wheel, front fog lamps, a multi-coloured interior lighting package and height adjustment for the front passenger seat are all included. DAB digital radio is standard, as it is on all MINIs. The company’s wide range of optional extras will allow owners to personalise the car to their own tastes even further.

MINI Bayswater

Named after the vibrant area west of London’s Hyde Park – between the style hotspots of Knightsbridge and Notting Hill – the MINI Bayswater showcases the best of the brand’s performance credentials.  This hot hatch special edition is available in Cooper, Cooper D, Cooper S and Cooper SD models.

An eye-catching Kite Blue metallic paint has been created especially for this model, as have the 17-inch light alloy ‘Sandblast’ wheels. They feature a high-gloss black finish with machined rim and spoke edges. The exterior is finished with blue and grey Sport Stripes on the bonnet, from outside the car a blue stripe is on the left and grey on the right, corresponding door mirror caps are coloured in the same way. ‘Bayswater’ lettering adds a touch of class to the side indicator surrounds and door sills. Midnight Black metallic and Eclipse Grey metallic can be ordered as alternative body colours on Cooper S and Cooper SD variants.

The MINI Bayswater’s interior includes the Chrome Line and Chili packages as standard, but other elements are completely bespoke. For example, the Punch Leather seats come in Rocklike Anthracite and include side bolsters sporting a unique metallic sheen with blue and grey contrasting stitching and ‘Bayswater’ seat tags.

Other innovative elements that extend the MINI design language include Piano Black cockpit finishes, which continue the colour scheme of the Sport Stripes on the bonnet. The floor mats are unique to this car and have anthracite-coloured edging with blue contrasting stitching.

Both cars come with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard with a six-speed automatic transmission available as an option. Thanks to the brand’s MINIMALISM technology One D and Cooper D models offer added appeal to London drivers with exhaust emissions of just 99g/km, making both models London Congestion Charge exempt.

The arrival of the MINI Baker Street and MINI Bayswater means it’s the end of the line for two other highly successful ‘London’ special editions, the Pimlico and Soho. However, the White Silver metallic finish that was exclusive to the Soho will now be available on Cooper, Cooper D, Cooper S and Cooper SD versions of the MINI Hatch.

And some more good news from MINI; factory production of two previously announced special editions is about to start. The London 2012 edition, complete with subtle Union Jack detailing and the capital city’s skyline engraved on the dashboard, is priced from £17,980. For something more lavish, the MINI Inspired by Goodwood, which blends Rolls Royce luxury with the unmistakable MINI driving experience will also be rolling off the production line at Oxford. Just 1,000 will be made, costing £41,000 each.

And finally…

From March production MINI Countryman ALL4 models will be available with non-run flat tyres, as an option.

Ends

The BMW Group

The BMW Group is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI, Husqvarna Motorcycles and Rolls-Royce brands. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 25 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

During the financial year 2010, the BMW Group sold 1.46 million cars and more than 110,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for 2010 was euro 4.8 billion on revenues amounting to euro 60.5 billion. At 31 December 2010, the BMW Group had a workforce of approximately 95,500 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy. As a result of its efforts, the BMW Group has been ranked industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for the last seven years.

MINI Press Office Contacts:

Jemma Chalcroft            MINI Media Relations Executive

Tel: 01344 480739         Email: Jemma.Chalcroft@mini.co.uk

Sarah Heaney                  MINI Media Relations Manager
Tel:  01344 480110        Email: Sarah.Heaney@mini.co.uk

Wieland Bruch                 Corporate Communications Manager

Tel: 01344 480113         Email: Wieland.Bruch@bmw.co.uk

Graham Biggs                  Corporate Communications Director

Tel:  01344 480109        Email:  Graham.Biggs@bmw.co.uk

Media website:                     www.press.bmwgroup.co.uk
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