MINI TO LAUNCH UNIQUE 3D PRINTED PERSONALISATION UPGRADES.

• Innovative new range, MINI Yours Customised, will enable customers to take personalisation of their vehicle to a new level using the latest technology, including 3D printing and laser lettering.
• Side scuttles, interior trim, illuminated door sills and LED door projectors will be custom manufactured in a design created by customers online.
• Personalised products will be available for numerous MINI models over the course of 2018.

Since 2001 MINI has been a pioneer in the area of vehicle personalisation by offering customers choice from a huge range of style, comfort, convenience and technology options, enabling them to create a car which truly reflects their personality and lifestyle. In 2018 MINI will take this concept to a new level with the launch of MINI Yours Customised.

Using a new online store, customers will be able to transform their MINI into a uniquely personalised special by designing their own exclusive items. These innovative new upgrades will be available for UK customers throughout the course of 2018.  The MINI Yours Customised product range will include the indicator inlays known as side scuttles, trims for the interior passenger side, LED door sills and LED door projectors.

These new personalised products will be designed by customers on a new website and manufactured using innovative new production techniques including 3D printing and laser lettering. New advanced production processes enables precise recreation of the customer’s designs and will be delivered within the space of just a few weeks. Customers will be able to easily fit items to their vehicle themselves, or by a MINI retailer of their choosing. Upgraded items will be removable, allowing for customised MINIs to stay on-tend with future additional upgrades or that they can be restored to their original specification for resale.

MINI as a pioneer for individualisation, digitalisation and 3D printing

The new MINI Yours Customised product range reaffirms the brand’s position as a pioneer in offering new options, digital services and the establishment of innovative production processes. Individualisation has always been highly valued by the worldwide MINI community as evident by the exceptionally large and diverse range of existing special equipment and original MINI accessories.

From 2018, customers will be able to further enhance their vehicles by selecting between different colours, patterns, surface finishes and icons when designing MINI Yours Customised products. They can also integrate their own text and even their personal signature into various design. This unparalleled design freedom will allow MINI drivers to transform their car into a unique one-of-a-kind, defined only by the customer’s individual style and creativity. Customers can remove or replace their designs at any time in the future to ensure that their vehicle remains as up to date as their own personal style.

MINI is committed to digitalisation and innovative production methods for creating new personalised products. Alongside the new web store, a completely new distribution chain has been created for direct sales of MINI Yours Customised products to customers. The 3D printing procedure has also been specially tailored to the production of highly individual products in large numbers.

The integrated, user-friendly and flexible web-based ‘Customiser’ is the innovative centrepiece of the new online store. Customers will create their designs, place an order and their original creation will be directly transferred in digital form to the appropriate production facility. All MINI Yours Customised products will be produced in Germany.

The 3D printers used in this new process have been precisely configured by BMW Group and a strategic partnerships with Hewlett-Packard Inc., Carbon Inc. and EOS GmbH. All MINI Yours Customised products conform to the same high form, functionality and safety standards as the factory supplied components in the original MINI accessories range.

MINI Side Scuttles Customised: wide choice of colours, finishes, patterns, icons and lettering.

The rims for the side indicator inlays known as side scuttles are 3D printed and then painted in a colour shade selected by the customer from a choice of Aspen White matt, Chili Red matt, Jet Black matt, Melting Silver matt or White Silver matt. A choice of scalable surface finishes and patterns are available alongside four icon designs and a text entry field for an added personal message. It is possible to produce the side scuttle with different designs for the left and right side of the vehicle – for example the name of the driver and passenger.

The MINI Yours Customised Side Scuttles are supplied in pairs with white direction indicators. These are available for current-generation MINI 3-Door Hatch, MINI 5-Door Hatch and the MINI Convertible. A clip mechanism is used for attaching them onto the vehicle, allowing them to be removed and swapped in the future.

MINI Interior Trim Customised.

Passenger interior trim in the MINI Yours Customised range is produced using a similar 3D printing method used for the side scuttles. The perfect canvas for customers to express their creativity, this upgrade is available for current-generation MINI 3-Door Hatch, MINI 5-Door Hatch and MINI Convertible models. The trim is precisely integrated into the dashboard on the passenger side where it replaces the factory-mounted trim. If necessary, the trim can be swapped at any time with another individually designed version or the original factory accessory. Customers wishing to make use of this upgrade option must order the appropriate interior trim preparation at the time of ordering their vehicle.

A wide choice of colours will be offered, including Aspen White matt, Chili Red matt, Starlight Blue matt, Moonwalk Grey matt and Jet Black matt. A large selection of surface finishes, graphic patterns and icons create additional opportunities for further individual styling. Customers can also add their own text to the trim which, as with the icons, can be freely configured in any size on the panel.

MINI LED Door Trims Customised.

The illuminated door trims from the MINI Yours Customised programme serve as a focal point for the MINI driver and passengers when the vehicle’s doors are opened. Customers have the choice between brushed and black aluminium, several scalable patterns and unique icons. Customers can also leave their own signature behind on this MINI Yours Customised product as the text field can accommodate either a name or messages using uppercase letters or a recreation of the driver’s individual signature.

The design created by the customer is inscribed using high-quality laser technology. Individually configurable door sills are supplied to match the specific vehicle with two – for the MINI 3-Door Hatch and the MINI Convertible – or four – for the MINI 5-Door Hatch and the MINI Clubman. They can be precisely fixed to the entry area with the adhesive pads supplied. The MINI LED door trims customised for the driver and passenger doors have LED illumination without any wiring. The door trims for the rear are not illuminated. During the configuration process, the customer has the option of designing each of the two or four door trims independently if they wish.

MINI LED Door Projector Customised.

The MINI Yours Customised door projectors provide another impressive and inimitable feature when entering and alighting from the car. They create an illumination that can be individually designed and is projected onto the floor by an LED light source when the driver and passenger doors are opened. The diameter of the projection is between 40 and 50 centimetres. Several pattern and colour choices are available, with colour options including Chili Red, Starlight Blue and Black combined with White. The customer can further enhance the individual character of the product by adding icons, text or their own signature. There is also an option for configuring a different design for the driver and passenger side of the vehicle.

The LED door projectors from the MINI Yours Customised programme can be installed in current and previous generation models. The prerequisite for selecting this upgrade is that their vehicle must already have door projectors or door entry lights. If a customer vehicle is fitted with door projectors, the existing slides can simply be swapped with the MINI Yours Customised products. For all other vehicles, the package includes slides and projectors to replace the factory fit door entry lights. In both cases, assembly can be carried out in a few simple steps.

Ends

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2016, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.367 million cars and 145,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax was approximately € 9.67 billion on revenues amounting to € 94.16 billion. As of 31 December 2016, the BMW Group had a workforce of 124,729 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based 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.

www.bmwgroup.com

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MINI Press Office Contacts:

Chris Overall                                                          
MINI Media Relations Manager
Tel: 07815 370990                                               
Email: Chris.Overall@mini.co.uk

Piers Scott
General Manager, Product and Internal Communications
Tel: 07815 378190                                
Email: Piers.Scott@bmw.co.uk

Graham Biggs                
Corporate Communications Director
Tel:  07815 376867
Email:  Graham.Biggs@bmw.co.uk

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