Wire wheels
Mini revs up three special editions Mini last weekend launched three special-edition models at Mini United 2009 on Britain's Silverstone Circuit, where 25,000 people from 40 countries in 10,000 Minis (top right) celebrated the marque's 50th anniversary. The Mini 50 Mayfair (Cooper GBP18,415 [HK$227,600]; Cooper S GBP21,280) is a sexy thing in 'hot chocolate' (below) or black and yummy inside (second right) with 17-inch, 12-spoke Infinity Stream alloy wheels finished in white and 'three-dimensional' bonnet stripes in an all-new Toffee metallic finish.
The Mini 50 Camden (Cooper GBP18,165; Cooper S GBP21,030) looks hip in silver, white and black, but is even flashier with matching decor inside (third right). Like the Mayfair version, the Camden edition will go into production in August for only one year.
The Mini John Cooper Works World Championship 50 is finished in Cooper's signature Connaught Green and based on the hatch version of the current 1.6-litre, 211hp turbocharged Mini John Cooper Works. Fitted with a vroomy interior (bottom right), its production will be limited to 250 models, 'solely for distribution in Europe' and it will be on sale in Britain from September, BMW's blurb says.
'Every car will display its unique production number, ranging from 001-250,' the marque says. 'This can be found next to the indicator lens on every Mini John Cooper Works World Championship 50 model.'
The marque has yet to tell us about the models' availability but they might ship all three to Hong Kong, where Mini has a devoted, right-hand-drive following who are probably itching for the chance to show Fiat 500 fans who's the boss in runabout chic.
