MINI ENHANCES PERSONALIZATION OPTIONS WITH MINI YOURS CUSTOMISED

First auto manufacturer in the U.S. to offer customizable parts created by the customer and produced using innovative production procedures such as 3D printing

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – December 26, 2017- MINI today reached a new level of customization with the addition of MINI Yours Customised. The new offering allows MINI customers to design personalized inlays for the side scuttles, trims for the passenger side in the interior, LED door sills and LED door projectors. Customers looking to take the personalization of their MINI to the next level can select and design the upgrade parts at the new Online Customiser specially developed for the new options.

The individualized products will then be manufactured using innovative production procedures such as 3D printing and laser lettering. The advanced production process permits precise implementation of customer’s wishes. The individually designed products will be delivered within just a few weeks. The parts have been designed so that they can be integrated in the vehicle by the customer or by the participating MINI dealer or service partner. The customer can do this more than once. This also ensures that if the vehicle is sold later, the individualized components can be exchanged.

MINI as a pioneer for individualization, digitalization and 3D printing

The product range offered by MINI Yours Customised will once again make the British premium brand a pioneer and trendsetter in the area of customer orientation, expansion of digital services and the establishment of innovative production processes. Individualization has always been highly valued in the worldwide MINI community. The exceptionally large diversity of special equipment and original MINI accessories already provides customers today with comprehensive opportunities to define unmistakable accents when designing their MINI. In this process, MINI offers the customer an opportunity to select between different options and integrates them actively in the design process while retaining the typical MINI language of design. MINI fans are able to make a selection between different colors, patterns, surface finishes and icons when designing MINI Yours Customised products. They can also integrate their own texts and their signature into the design. This unparalleled freedom of design allows customers to transform their MINI into a unique special defined by their personal style and their own creativity. Customers can also update their design at any time to match a change in their aspirations and adopt fresh ideas.

MINI is committed to digitalization and innovative production procedures for realizing individual customer wishes.  As such, the 3D printing procedure has been specially tailored to the production of individual products in large numbers for the MINI Yours Customised portfolio.

Configuration is carried out in an Online Customiser dedicated to the new product range. The integrated user-friendly and flexible Customiser is the innovative centerpiece of the web experience. It has completely new design, structure and programming. The designs created by the customer will be transferred in digital form by their MINI dealership to the appropriate production facility after the order process has been completed and the data will be used there directly in the corresponding production system for the manufacture of the unique products.

For example, the digitally controlled 3D printer will receive instructions on the basis of the data created in the course of configuration, in order to produce scuttles and trims in precisely the form designed by the customer. All MINI Yours Customised products will be produced at production facilities in Germany.

The 3D printers used in this process are all highly professional production facilities which were precisely configured for this purpose by the BMW Group through strategic partnerships with the companies Hewlett-Packard Inc., Carbon Inc. and EOS GmbH. This is the first time that they have been in a position to supply the particularly high-grade plastic qualities selected for the MINI Yours Customised program. The computer-based laser lettering for production of the door sill with customer-specific styling has also been designed specifically to match the stringent product-quality guidelines of MINI. As a result, all MINI Yours Customised products are in conformity with the same high standards of form, functionality and safety as the components supplied from the factory in the original MINI range of accessories.

Online configuration: templates and design worlds as a platform for the boundless creativity of MINI customers.

Customer orientation and ease of use were the foremost considerations when the Online Customiser was designed for MINI Yours Customised products. When the personal designs are produced, the user is guided through the individual operating stages as they create their personal design and they are able to give free rein to their creativity within this framework. For example, the side scuttles and the trims can be designed with colors, surface finishes and patterns in any sequence. Finishes and patterns are variable in scale and can be scaled to meet your requirements. The user is also provided with a list of design worlds from which thematically tailored colors and colors, and specific icons can be selected. The size can be varied and the features can be freely configured within the design field. The design worlds comprise icons from contexts such as travel, active leisure activities, and the rich and varied history of the MINI.

In addition, users are provided with a text field which they can fill in, scale and position. There is space for creative expression here in order to immortalize information like the name of the driver, passenger or vehicle, as well as a personal message in the design of the MINI Yours Customised product. Right up to the point that the configurations have been completed, users can move effortlessly between the individual selection steps in order to perfectly match up colors, patterns, icons and lettering.

A range of different colors, patterns and icons from the individual design worlds is also available for designing the illuminated door sills and the LED door projectors. These design features can be supplemented by text that can be freely formulated in a dedicated field. This provides an unlimited number of different versions that can be created from combinations of colors, patterns, icons and lettering to create a personal signature expressing the attitude, individual interests and lifestyle of the MINI driver.

If customers want to further enhance their fun with creative design, they can share their own designs with other users by screen shot and link for design in social media. This is how additional inspiration is created within the MINI community.

MINI side scuttles customized: Maximum diversity of colors, finishes, patterns, icons and lettering.

The rims for the side indicator inlays known as side scuttles are manufactured in a 3D procedure and then painted in the color shade desired by the customer – Aspen White matte, Chili Red matte, Jet Black matte, Melting Silver matte or White Silver matte. A choice of surface finishes and patterns is also available for individual configuration. Each of these options is scalable. Icons from four design worlds and a field for freely formulated texts complete the options for individual design. It is also possible to provide 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 side scuttles from the MINI Yours Customised program are each supplied as a twosome in combination with white direction indicators. These are available for the MINI Hardtop 2 Door, the MINI Hardtop 4 Door, and the MINI Convertible in the current model range. The clip mechanism used to mount standard components can be used for assembly on the side panels of the individual vehicle. This allows the side scuttles to be swapped in a few simple steps so they can be changed to suit the wishes of users.

MINI trim customized: Lots of space for creativity in the interior.

The trim from the MINI Yours Customised program is also produced in a professional 3D printing procedure. It is the perfect identification feature for creativity in the interior of the MINI Hardtop 2 Door, the MINI Hardtop 4 Door, and the MINI Convertible in the current model generation. The trim can be precisely integrated in the dashboard on the passenger side where it replaces the factory-mounted trim. If necessary, the trim can be exchanged at any time with another individually designed version. A prerequisite for this is the upgrading of the vehicle with an appropriate base.

A choice of colors between Aspen White matte, Chili Red matte, Starlight Blue matte, Moonwalk Grey matte, and Jet Black matte is available for design of the trim. A large selection of surface finishes, graphic patterns and icons from different theme worlds create additional opportunities for individual styling. There is also space for completion of a text field by the customer which akin to the icons can be freely configured in any size on the surface of the trim.

MINI LED door trims customized: Welcome to the personally designed MINI.

The illuminated door trims from the MINI Yours Customised program serve as an eye-catcher for the MINI driver and passengers when the doors are opened. The design options give customers a choice between the versions brushed and black aluminum and between several scalable basic patterns. Icons from different design worlds can also be added to the mix. The MINI driver can also literally leave their own creative signature behind on this MINI Yours Customised product. The text field can be completed as the user wishes with name or messages using uppercase letters and in the form of the user’s own signature.

The design created by the customer is inscribed using high-quality laser technology. Individually configurable door sills are supplied to match the individual model with two – for the MINI Hardtop 2 Door, the MINI Hardtop 4 Door, the MINI Convertible, and the MINI Clubman. They can be precisely fixed to the individual entry area with the adhesive pads supplied. The MINI LED door trims customized for the driver and passenger doors have LED illumination without any wiring. Their illuminated field is activated by a magnetic switch when the door is opened. This is part of the scope of supply as are button batteries for power supply including two reserve batteries and the necessary assembly and dismantling tools. 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.

MINI LED Door Projector Customised: strong signal for individuality.

The door projectors from MINI Yours Customised provide another impressive and inimitable feature when entering and alighting from the car. They create illumination that can be individually designed and is projected onto the floor in the individual entry areas by an LED light source when the driver and passenger doors are opened. The diameter of the projection is between15 and 20 inches. Several patterns are available for the design of the projection in the colors Chili Red, Starlight Blue and Black combined with White. The user can create additional individualization by adding icons from several design worlds, as well as text and signature in separate application steps. There is also an option of configuring a different design for the driver and passenger side.

The LED door projectors from the MINI Yours Customised Program can be installed in vehicles of the current MINI generation and in predecessor models. The prerequisite is that they already have door projectors or door entry lights. If the vehicles are fitted with door projectors, the existing slides can simply be swapped with the MINI Yours Customised products designed by the customer. The scope of supply for all other vehicles includes slides and projectors to replace the door entry lights installed at the factory. In both cases, assembly can be carried out in a few simple steps.

About MINI in the US

MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC, located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey and includes the marketing and sales organizations for the MINI brand. The MINI USA sales organization is represented in the U.S. through a network of 126 MINI passenger car dealers in 39 states. MINI USA began selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2002 with the introduction of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtops. Since then, the MINI Brand in the U.S. has grown to encompass a model range of six unique vehicles.

 
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