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Exclusive special model in honor of the victorious driver
commemorates the first
triumph of the classic Mini at the legendary Monte Carlo Rally
in 1964
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Latest Special Edition available from November 2020 onwards in
the U.S. as MINI Cooper S Hardtop 2 Door
Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – September 20, 2020 – MINI USA announces the
availability of the new MINI Paddy Hopkirk Edition in the U.S. The
MINI Paddy Hopkirk Edition will be available to U.S. customers
November 2020 and is based on the popular MINI Cooper S Hardtop 2 Door
model. Inspired by the historic rally winning model, this special
edition Cooper S features the famous starting number 37 livery, body
finished in Chili Red and a contrast white roof.
56 years have passed, but memories of the great triumph achieved by
the small car with the starting number 37 are still vivid. In 1964,
the classic Mini Cooper S clinched the first of three overall
victories at the legendary Monte Carlo Rally. At the wheel was the
then 30-year-old Northern Irish rally driver Patrick “Paddy” Hopkirk.
In his honor, MINI now presents an edition model with exclusive
design and equipment features to mark one of the most spectacular
achievements in the international motorsport history. One unmistakable
reminder of Hopkirk’s historic win in the classic Mini is the car’s
start number 37, which is featured in stylized form on the driver and
passenger doors of the edition model.
Hopkirk’s victorious run in the Mini Cooper S was widely celebrated
by spectators on site and motor racing fans in the UK. Driving the
small British car with his English co-pilot Henry Liddon, Hopkirk
overcame the odds against competitors with significantly greater
engine power. The handicap formula in force at the time meant that
differences in weight and output within the starting field were
compensated to a certain extent. But the crucial factors in winning
the challenging chase over country roads and mountain passes, through
ice snow, around tight corners and down steep slopes were the agility
and reliability of the Mini Cooper S and the driving skill of Hopkirk.
The surprise win in Monte Carlo made Paddy Hopkirk the UK’s most
famous rally driver overnight. At the same time, the classic Mini
advanced from outsider and crowd pleaser to being a true motor racing
legend. This status was reaffirmed in the years that followed when
the Mini Cooper S dominated the Monte Carlo Rally. Hopkirk’s Finnish
team mates Timo Mäkinen and Rauno Aaltonen added two more
outright victories to the title collection in 1965 and 1967.
The winning streak at the Monte Carlo Rally continues to inspire MINI
fans all over the world to this day. With the MINI Paddy Hopkirk
Edition, they now have the opportunity to express their passion for
racing in a particularly authentic way. The edition model combines
its exterior paintwork in the style of the historic rally winner in a
market-specific manner with 17-inch John Cooper Works light-alloy
wheels in Track Spoke Black design and numerous other accentuations in
dark colors. The frame and horizontal brace of the radiator grille
are finished in high-gloss black, as are the inserts for the lower air
intakes, the opening in the bonnet, the door handles, the fuel filler
flap, the tailgate handle, the MINI logos at the front and rear as
well as the surrounds for the headlights and rear lights.
The start number 37 also appears on the side indicator elements known
as side scuttles. Other unmistakable features on the exterior are the
LED headlights and the rear lights in Union Jack design, stickers with
the inscription “Paddy Hopkirk Monte Carlo” and a single white bonnet
stripe on the driver’s side, which like the tailgate of the edition
model, bears the signature of the 1964 “Monte” winner. In addition,
the famous number and letter combination 33 EJB of the number plate of
the 1964 Monte Carlo winning car is shown on the bonnet strip using 3D
effect graphics.
Hopkirk’s signature also appears on the decorative trim strip on the
passenger side, which forms part of the Piano Black high-gloss
interior surfaces. Another exclusive design feature is the MINI LED
entry sills bearing the name “Paddy Hopkirk”. The MINI Excitement
Package and Comfort Access are also included in the MINI Paddy Hopkirk Edition.
The MINI Paddy Hopkirk Edition will be available at MINI dealers
across the U.S. in November 2020.
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 117 MINI
passenger car dealers nationwide. 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 five unique vehicles.
Journalist notes: Media information about MINI and its products is
available to journalists on-line at www.miniusanews.com.
