On This Page

• 9. Individualists Unite! MINI United – Meeting Worldwide MINI Community
   
• 10. The Car for All Classes, MINI as a Member of Society
   
• 11. Small Car, Great Show. MINI Marketing
   
• 12. Inspiring Character. MINI Lifestyle and Special Editions

9.Individualists Unite! MINI United – Meeting Place of the Worldwide MINI Community.

MINI is celebrating a great anniversary – with enthusiasts from all over the world attending this great event: the MINI United Festival will be held on the Silverstone Race Track in Great Britian from 22–24 May, an anniversary party for all fans of the brand and its products. Guests will enjoy a highly entertaining mix of lifestyle party and music festival, a show programme and motorsport action.

Most of the guests will be coming in their own cars – in many cases covering hundreds of kilometres in the process. This alone will make the car parks around the Festival Grounds a truly unique exhibition area for custom- designed cars, at the same time offering an interesting overview of the 50-year model history of the classic Mini and the MINI.

This anniversary event in the home country of the MINI is the third International Fan Meeting held under the title MINI United. The overwhelming response to the previous meetings was attributable not only to the attractive programme of festival events, but also to the unique enthusiasm fans of the MINI express in their car.

The owner of a MINI is a true individualist showing his or her personal style through the unique design, features and equipment of his car. At the same time MINI owners have many interests in common they express through their unusually active style of communication, as well as their passion for technology, motorsport, lifestyle, and design.

All this comes out very clearly in a most lively club scene, where MINI enthusiasts have got together for common activities in all parts of the world. It is therefore fair to say that the international MINI Community is an unprecedented phenomenon in the world of the automobile.

From regular meetings all the way to an online community: MINI fans are networked the world over.

An active and truly versatile fan community all around the classic Mini was established in Great Britain, the home country of the classic Mini, way back in the 1960s. Right from the start, fans expressed their common interest in the car and the brand by exchanging knowledge and experience all about the Mini and its technical features.

Due to the charming character of this small compact car, owners of a classic Mini strongly identified right from the start with both their car and the brand, sharing this enthusiasm in joint drive-aways and regular MINI meetings, with clubs originally organised on a local basis spreading wider and wider to bring together large regions.

A dynamic club scene also developed quite early on in Germany, gaining additional momentum through the re-launch of the brand and the introduction of the MINI. In the meantime more than 6,000 members are organised throughout Germany in more than 100 classic Mini communities and more than 50 MINI Clubs. Through their wide range of activities, these enthusiasts act as authentic ambassadors of the brand and competent partners for new fans of both the classic Mini and the MINI.

The Community became increasingly international with the general spread of modern means of communication. Upon the introduction of the MINI into the market in 2001, the brand was positioned with the same standard philosophy and spirit for the first time worldwide in all relevant markets. Above all, use of the internet had enhanced the options to interact across national borders and continents.

In Germany alone the MINI Online Community has more than 10,000 members who, through the world wide web, also maintain active contacts with other, similar communities all over the globe.

MINI enthusiasts meet regularly – online and in the street.

The MINISPACE.com website has become an interactive meeting place for particularly creative drivers of the MINI. This online platform brings together people, events, and projects from all over the world.

The website introduced in 2005 as part of the "Creative Use of Space" campaign and providing news, information and statements in several languages including German, serves to initiate and accompany competitions, events, and joint activities.

The guiding motive for MINISPACE.com is to use limited space as creatively as possible. Indeed, this follows the initial philosophy of Mini constructor Sir Alec Issigonis who, creating the Mini many years ago, became the first engineer to build the maximum car on minimum space.

MINISPACE.com conveys this concept to urban projects, using creativity and interaction in even the smallest context to offer maximum fun, lifestyle and freedom for new ideas on both a public and private level. Through MINISPACE.com a worldwide Community is able to participate in these projects, with each member contributing his or her personal input and gaining new ideas for his own activities.

The shared ideas of a creative community also serve to optimise the online sites of MINISPACE.com, using minimum space for maximum impact. All background designs, photos and graphics come from users of the platform who also discuss design and photographic creations in MINISPACE.com blogs or exchange opinions and news through the MINISPACE.com Twitter Service.

As in the past, real-life meetings which, thanks to the use of many communication channels and the support of MINI have taken on impressive dimensions, are naturally still among the highlights of all activities. In 2005, for example, MINI Germany, together with the national classic Mini and MINI Clubs, organised the first national meeting in Germany for fans of the brand. Back then more than 2,500 participants travelled to the National Meeting, heading for the Loreley Plateau on the River Rhine, where they enjoyed a highly entertaining programme with MINI Driver Training, a Design Workshop, meetings with Mike Cooper and rally legend Rauno Aaltonen, as well as the presentation of new versions of the MINI.

A second meeting at the Hildesheim Aerodrome in 2008 proved even more successful, at least in terms of participation, with twice as many MINI enthusiasts from all over Germany attending the event.

The national and international activities in the British club scene are even more spectacular. In 1999, for example, more than 50,000 visitors attended the International Meeting in Goodwood celebrating the 40th birthday of the brand. In 2007 269 cars driving through Blackpool formed the longest MINI convoy the world has ever seen. Indeed, this unique parade was promptly entered in the Guinness Book of Records, breaking the former record set up by the MINI Club in Vancouver, Canada, when 195 cars had formed a similar convoy.

"Friends, Festival, CHALLENGE": MINI United thrills visitors from all over the world.

The International MINI United Festival has been organised since 2005, supplementing individual market activities in a large number of countries. At the first MINI United Festival in Misano on the Italian Adriatic coast some 6,000 participants from more than 40 countries met to enjoy a great time, more than 1,900 models of the classic Mini and the MINI highlighting the streets all around the race track in Misano.

The sporting highlight, of course, was the World Finals of the MINI CHALLENGE Clubsport series.

Among the participants were eighty British fans of the brand who, travelling to Italy together, enjoyed the MINI United Festival as a wonderful stopover on the way. The longest journey to Misano was covered by a visitor from Moscow, driving some 3,660 kilometres or 2,269 miles in his MINI in five one-day stages.

In 2007 the second MINI United Festival attracted more than 8,000 MINI fans to the Dutch seaside resort of Zandvoort near Amsterdam, the race track serving again to hold two races in the MINI CHALLENGE. And the number of cars representing the brand on the roads around the race track was once again even greater, with more than 3,000 classic Minis and MINIs meeting in Zandvoort.

Now, again two years later, the starter signal for two races in the MINI CHALLENGE, for a wonderful party in that typical MINI style, and for the world's largest anniversary event of the brand will soon be heard on the legendary Silverstone Race Track in Great Britain. Music acts and stunt shows will create a wonderful atmosphere and there will even be a Kids' Area for fans of the MINI not yet holding a driver's licence.

Apart from the current MINI CHALLENGE racing cars, historical racing versions will also be battling it out on the track, the Mini Seven Racing Club entering a fleet of no less than 50 classic Mini racing models.

10. The Car for All Classes, with the Qualities of a Star. MINI as a Member of Society.

Alec Issigonis saw the Mini from the start as a car for everybody – for all kinds of drivers and all social classes. He therefore sought, through the car he had created, to solve the everyday problems of individual mobility.

With this in mind, the compact and economical Mini was exactly the right answer for increasingly dense traffic in the inner city and for the concerns at the time about the reduction of oil supplies following the Suez Crisis.

But soon it became clear that the Mini was much, much more. Its concept alone was so convincing that the car was seen and acknowledged as a trendsetter. Its sporting qualities made the Mini a genuine winner, its charming design made it incredibly popular throughout the population.

So suddenly the Mini had become a genuine cult, its innovative and non-conformist character perfectly reflecting the spirit of the 1960s, at a time when progressive concepts, the thrill of adventure, and even a certain lack of respect versus conventional values dominated the world.

This was a car quite different from others but nevertheless offering more and providing even more fun – exactly the right car at the right time. Very quickly, therefore, fashion creators, musicians and other artists were captivated by the unique style of the Mini, stars discovering the qualities of the car and the world recognising the qualities of the Mini as a star itself.

Launched in 2001, the new MINI, a truly unique car just as popular and charming right from the beginning, quickly established a large, and, in particular, widespread fan community. All over the world, numerous celebrities now enjoy the agile driving pleasure offered by this modern and nimble performer.

No surprise, therefore, that the MINI has already starred as the "leading car" in many Hollywood films. And it is also no surprise that the MINI is to be found in the private fleets of many famous actors, musicians, fashion designers and other stars in show business, society and sport.

Supported by the Queen herself.

The classic Mini quickly gained the reputation of a car for everybody on all levels of society. While Issigonis still regarded practical and economically-minded families seeking sensible mobility at low cost as his target group, he was also aiming at all levels of society as potential drivers of the Mini.

Lord Snowdon, a good friend of Alec Issigonis, deserves the honour to have introduced the classic Mini into the society in London. One of the first owners of this small classic and completely thrilled by the car's compact dimensions and excellent handling, Lord Snowdon soon became a common sight driving speedily through the British capital. As the husband of Princess Margaret, he obviously used his muscle, making sure that in 1960 Issigonis had the opportunity to present his small car to nobody else but his sister-in-law, Queen Elizabeth herself. So when the Queen took her seat next to Issigonis in the Mini, enjoying a lap through the big park of Windsor Castle, the classic Mini had really made a Royal breakthrough.

In the years to come the classic Mini became a genuine scene car particularly in Great Britain, gaining growing popularity throughout all levels of society, in all age groups, and with all nationalities. Time and again, prominent artists gave further momentum to the great reputation of this small performer. Fashion designers Paul Smith and Mary Quant discovered their love for the Mini, stars in the pop and rock scene such as The Beatles, Eric Clapton and David Bowie expressed a clear pledge to this small athlete from Britain.

Trends destined to soon influence not only the fashion, art or music scene worldwide, but also the world of politics and society, came out in full power from Swinging London in the 1960s. Paul Smith, who, among other achievements, became Britain's most famous designer of men's fashion by combining classic designs with modern, in many cases very bright and almost screaming colours, even created a limited Special Edition of the Mini in the 1990s.

A unique, one-off Mini boasting paintwork created by Smith in his typical multi-colour stripe livery became at least as popular as this special series, even though it was built only once.

Mary Quant, the style icon of British women's fashion and the inventor of the mini-skirt, was also inspired by the classic Mini. Shortly after she received her driver's licence, she ordered a black Mini and later created her own Special Edition characterised by features such as the seat upholstery in black-and-white stripes. And she was just as thrilled by the new MINI: "A really fashionable, happy and smiling car".

"Keep on Running!" – the Mini and rock'n'roll.

The British music scene in the 1960s had the same broad impact as the British world of fashion, musicians from Britain presenting that unique and unmistakable British style in truly revolutionary songs. And with the Mini offering very similar style and character, the stars were obviously thrilled by the new car. So bands like The Beatles, The Who or The Spencer Davis Group as ambassadors of a new British culture gaining growing popularity the world over also helped to promote the Mini and its unique image.

The legends and stories all about the Mini and its role as a means of transport for the stars remain fascinating to this very day. In 1964, for example, John Lennon ordered a Mini although at the time he did not even have a driver's licence. His colleague George Harrison lent his Mini to Eric Clapton in 1967 and only got it back three years later. And the story about Spencer Davis is that he wrote the biggest hit his band ever had while driving through the night in the rainy Scottish Highlands on an almost empty tank. That was when, looking at the fuel gauge, only one thought went through his mind: "Keep on Running!"

Roll the film: the classic Mini takes care of the "Italian Job" and is later followed by the MINI.

Nobody knows how often the classic Mini served in films and television as a means of transport or as the star in the background. It is to be admired, at any rate, in the 1966 cult classic "Blow Up" and of course in countless TV and cinema appearances by comedian Rowan Atkinson better known as Mr Bean.

The classic Mini is also one of the very few cars ever to play a leading role in the cinema, for example in the 1969 classic "The Italian Job" starring Michael Caine. The whole film virtually revolves around only one subject, a wild pursuit through Torino with three Mini Coopers. No surprise, therefore, that immediately after the film had premiered Rover launched a special series of classic Minis finished like the film stars themselves and proudly bearing the title of the film.

"The Italian Job" came back to the silver screen no less than 34 years later, this time starring Charlize Theron and Mark Wahlberg in the new version from Hollywood, presenting the story of a spectacular gold robbery in even more powerful and dramatic style.

When "casting" the four-wheeled stars in the film the producer's and director's choice – obviously! – was to go for the new MINI Cooper S now able to present its agility and sporting performance not only on the streets of Los Angeles, but even below the streets of the city.

A year earlier the MINI Cooper had already shown its qualities as the ideal car for wild pursuits in the agents comedy "Goldmember". In choosing the stars for his production, script writer and leading actor Mike Myers had picked not only an unusual line-up of Hollywood stars – ranging from Steven Spielberg to Tom Cruise, Michael Caine, Robert Wagner, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey, John Travolta and all the way to Beyoncé Knowles and Ozzy Osborne – but also six MINI Coopers in Union Jack livery.

In the meantime the MINI Convertible has also made its way to Hollywood, winning over the hearts of movie-goers once and for all in the year 2007. This was in the comedy "The Heartbreak Kid", in which Malin Akerman and Ben Stiller went on their honeymoon journey in a MINI Convertible. Obviously, on the way this open four-seater became the scene for all kinds of wonderful debates and amusing stories involving the newly-wed on their trip together.

11.Small Car, Great Show. MINI Marketing.

The MINI always hits the headlines wherever it appears – even before a new model is introduced into the market.

Innovative marketing campaigns always good for a surprise and generating great appeal present both the MINI brand and the individual models with their full impact.
MINI marketing uses an exceptionally wide range of communication channels to establish close contacts with potential target groups. Supplementing classic activities in print media, on the radio and television, MINI's marketing experts developed innovative online activities right from the start tailored precisely to the modern, trend-minded and technology-oriented user of the world wide web and taking the options of interactive communication with the public into account.

Applying this philosophy, MINI sets new benchmarks time and again not only in the world of motoring, but also in the world of marketing. A very good example of this high-flying approach is the launch campaign for the new MINI Convertible: Eye-catching, quick-minded and tongue-in-cheek short films presented in the internet immediately highlighted the open-air driving character of the MINI Convertible, arousing great public response and broad recognition in the film and advertising industry.

MINI was also the world's first car maker to use an interactive print ad with a virtual 3D model. Applying this innovative augmented reality technology, MINI bridges the gap between the real and the digital world, between the two-dimensional print ad and the three-dimensional product. Only when the beholder has established an online connection to the www.mini.de/webcam website and receives the print ad on his computer's webcam does the new MINI Convertible appear on his screen as a virtual model – live and in all three dimensions.

Like on a stage, the new MINI Convertible is suddenly parked on the advertising site, true-to-detail 3D data of the car being connected with the live picture. Then, as soon as the ad is moved, the MINI Convertible will also move in parallel, naturally in real time. This allows the beholder to choose his perspective as he wishes, interacting playfully with the model.

Unconventional and unmistakable: MINI marketing as a genuine happening.

All MINI marketing activities show unmistakable style and have a high recall factor. A further feature is their high standard of artistic excellence, with renowned artists in the world of design and film regularly contributing their creativity to the MINI and the band.

Unconventional marketing is indeed of particular significance to MINI within the entire range of communication activities. Precisely this is why innovative and surprising concepts serve time and again when introducing new models to reach important target groups and generate a powerful public effect with great appeal.

Such campaigns often take on the character of an artistic happening, the most coveted prizes and awards regularly confirming the innovative character and wealth of ideas borne out in the brand's campaigns.

The classic Mini – the "Most Exciting Car in the World".

Innovative, self-confident, charming: right from the start the classic Mini clearly presented its exceptional character not only on the road, but also in a close dialogue with the public. From the early years classic marketing concepts were used consistently to present the special features of this revolutionary small car in truly convincing style. With a twinkle in the eye, even the very first sales brochures emphasised that the whole world had been waiting for the "Incredible Austin Seven", the letter "v" in "Seven" being replaced by the number "7". And the Austin's sister model, the Morris Mini-Minor, was presented just as proudly as the "Most Exciting Car in the World".

The Mini marketing experts also kept a close eye on the worldwide success of television, carefully using this new media also for the Mini. Special TV commercials were therefore produced for various purposes in the market, in all cases emphasising selected facets of the Mini's character and naturally considering the cultural context of the local public.

Whether as the perfect solution for congested traffic in downtown Paris or as the ideal means of transport to the beach in Australia – the Mini was always presented as the right car at the right place. Even in a cartoon it proudly presented its superiority, full of humour and again with that famous tongue-in-cheek style.

Making a new start with innovative ideas.

The re-launch of the brand in 2001 also marked a new beginning in marketing carefully prepared in parallel to the development of the car as such. The main challenge was to establish MINI as the first premium brand in the small car segment, with MINI to be positioned worldwide as a unique and fully independent brand in its own right – a brand revolving around the concept of enthusiasm and thrilling lifestyle.

These principles of brand management remain unchanged to this day, with the MINI characterised by its outstanding product substance and progressive technology, emotional design and agile driving behaviour as well as almost unlimited options in customising the car. A further significant point is finding and maintaining the right balance of continuity of a brand now going back 50 years and its innovative capacities.

Introducing the MINI, customers the world over for the first time had the opportunity to experience premium qualities in a small car. These outstanding qualities and features are indeed to be found in every model made by the brand, at the same time distinguishing MINI clearly from the competition.

The same applies to the brand's appearance in public, where all marketing tools follow a unique, consistently recognisable style. Graphic elements, colours, the language of pictures and the MINI concept conveyed in words and pictures are clearly defined. MINI is refreshingly different. Through its openness and self-confidence, the brand gains great acceptance, through its appearance it arouses curiosity and appeal.

To arouse the attention of the target group in mind right from the start prior to the market launch of the MINI, the responsible marketing experts have been taking a new approach in communication from the beginning. The magazine "MINI international", for example, regularly portrays selected cities around the globe, focusing on their particularly creative inhabitants.

Apart from classic communication, other innovative forms of communication such as "guerrilla marketing" are also used. And right from the start in the year 2000 MINI became the first car brand to use the internet not only as an information, but also as a positioning media for the product.

Modern technology providing new opportunities – also in marketing.

To this day technical progress in the area of communication has time and again opened up new opportunities in marketing – opportunities recognised and used very quickly by MINI in many cases.

Making a call on their mobile phone, for example, passers-by were able in 2006 to bring a poster presenting the MINI Cooper S to life. Under the motto "Wake Up the Bull", the enthusiast was also able to activate clouds of smoke coming out of the MINI's "nostrils".

MINI was also the first car maker to astound movie-goers with a virtual test drive presented in a cinema film in 2008 on the agile handling of the MINI Clubman. Applying elaborate tricks and special effects, this film interacted directly with the audience, enabling the movie-goer to influence the driving behaviour of the MINI shown in the film through his or her reaction.

An infra-red camera used for this purpose detected the viewers' movements, evaluating the information received within fractions of a second and changing the driving behaviour of the MINI accordingly. So that the MINI, driving dynamically along the screen, was not only an emotional, but also a physical experience for the audience.

Even before its world debut at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, the MINI Clubman had already hit the headlines through a number of unusual activities. Indeed, the new model was virtually omnipresent throughout Frankfurt during the entire show. Its rear view, for example, adorned the exit doors at the Airport Arrival Area. In downtown Frankfurt the same attractive view was to be admired on the doors leading to a number of trendy fashion shops. And near the Fairgrounds an installation of four upright cars dug into the ground up to their windscreen again attracted great attention. So following the world-famous Cadillac Ranch created in Amarillo, Texas, in 1974, the unusual rear-end design of the MINI Clubman came out in truly artistic style.

A genuine highlight in the literal sense of the word was the ten-floor-high light projection approximately 100 metres up the Frankfurt Fairground Tower. And last but not least, a MINI Clubman converted into a discotheque on wheels – "The Other Disco" – became a leading player not only in Frankfurt, but later also at music and fashion events in other cities.

Always good for a surprise: MINI installations in public areas.

Making a spectacular appearance in public areas, the MINI not always comes in its usual, ready-to-drive configuration. For ever since the re-launch of the brand in 2001, more than 170 true-to-scale fibre-glass models have been made and used for attractive campaigns in numerous countries.

Back in 2002, for example, the MINI travelled piggy-back on a big SUV through the USA, and a year later it was placed on a drawn catapult up on a poster wall in Canada. Alluding to the outstanding acceleration of the MINI Cooper, the poster requested the beholder to quickly fasten his seat belt. And in winter 2005/2006, finally, a seat for a full-sized MINI was reserved on the ski-lift in the Spanish skiing resort of La Molina.

MINI was of course a perfect host at the 2006 World Soccer Championships in Germany, the MINI Fan Hotel becoming a particularly exclusive place for fans and enthusiasts. Especially fans of the Brazilian Seleção and the Italian Squadra Azzurra just loved staying at the MINI Hotel Brazil and the MINI Hotel Italy. The more non-partisan aficionado, in turn, was able to choose the MINI Hotel International becoming one of the highlights two years later of the RADICAL ADVERTISING Exhibition on the occasion of the North-Rhine Westphalia Forum on Culture and Business in Düsseldorf.

A special activity giving the MINI brand genuine appeal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing remains a highlight to this very day: A special MINI was used in Beijing to offer both tourists and locals a truly intense and unforgettable driving experience. Riding in a MINI rickshaw – a blend of a bicycle and the MINI Clubman – passengers were able to travel in ideal style through the congested streets of Beijing during the 2008 Olympic Games. Driven by the power of human muscle, this exciting vehicle moved with zero emissions through the streets, the MINI rickshaw offering a perfect combination of the lasting tradition and dynamic progress so typical of Beijing and China as a whole. Combined, of course, with that little bit of fantasy, individual style and humour so typical of MINI.

12. Inspiring Character. MINI Lifestyle and Special Editions.

Creating something very special on the basis of a car already very special – this is the hallmark of the special editions, limited editions and one-off showpieces built time and again in the last fifty years first on the basis of the classic Mini and then on the basis of the new MINI.

This is not surprising, considering that this unique small car has fascinated and inspired artists in all disciplines time and again, fashion designers and painters as well as actors and musicians showing their creativity in designing and creating very special versions of the brand.

No other car has become the object of art and fashion as often and in the same diversity as the classic Mini and the MINI. Indeed, specialists discovered the potential of the classic Mini very early on, adorning the car both outside and inside with exclusive special features tailored to individual customer requests. On behalf of affluent and prominent customers, they therefore created spectacular special models enhancing the cult status of the Mini to an even higher level.

Mini in noble style: the Wickerwork Look.

British actor Peter Sellers was one of the first celebrities thrilled by the Mini and seeking to live out their sense for exclusive style. So giving the originally rather spartan small car particular sophisticated features within the interior and finishing the body in wickerwork design, Sellers promptly started a new trend. Indeed, this design later thrilled Rainier of Monaco to such a extent that he also had a classic Mini built in wickerwork trim as his own very special toy.

Other special versions of the classic Mini likewise remained unique, one-off models being built for many years to the individual taste of their future owners. In fact, it was only in the 1970s that Mini had the idea to offer Special Editions straight from the factory in response to frequent requests for a truly exclusive model.

The first car of this kind, the Mini Limited Edition 1000, immediately proved a success in 1976. On its 25th birthday in 1984, the Mini for the first time appeared as an Anniversary Model, with further Anniversary Models then following every five years until production of the classic Mini finally ceased in the year 2000.

Silver and gold on the car's 40th birthday.

In the last few years of its production life, the classic Mini again attracted great attention on the part of creative artists. In 1997, for example, British fashion designer Paul Smith created a one-off model boasting unmistakable stripe livery.

A year later Smith designed a Special Edition Mini standing out both through its brilliant blue paintwork and straightforward elegance within the interior.

Celebrating its 40th birthday, the Mini became the subject of passion among an illustrious group of artists, each giving this forever-young small performer their very own, truly unique design look. Super-model Kate Moss, for example, who had already been driving a classic Mini in London for a long time, opted for a cobweb motif, while pop icon Davie Bowie had a Mini manufactured all in chrome and with reflecting glass surfaces. On the road, however, Bowie decided to stick to his regular production model he had bought only recently: "When it comes to parking the Mini is like a sandwich when you feel hungry – it is a perfectly designed classic".

Actor Michael Caine, to quote another example, gave his black Mini a gold bar look alluding to the successful film "The Italian Job" in which Caine was involved in three Mini Coopers used to transport gold in one of the most spectacular pursuits in the history of the cinema.

A hit right from the start: the new MINI inspires pop musicians.

After the re-launch of the brand, the MINI again attracted the attention of fashion designers and many other artists almost over night. Celebrating the market launch of the MINI, the musicians of Jamiroquai created a one-off showpiece of the new MINI, Jay Kay, the group's singer and a thrilled fan of stylish cars, adorning the MINI, among other features, with the group's logo on its doors and bonnet as well as the name "Jamiromini".

In one of her music videos, Madonna had a MINI Cooper converted for offroad use, the car giving up its doors but instead receiving offroad tyres and camouflage paintwork.

Highlighting the start of sales of the first-generation MINI Convertible in 2004, designers at Bisazza, the Italian lifestyle label, had the idea to present this open four-seater in a dress made of tiny mosaic stones. Indeed, no less than three MINI Cooper S Convertibles as well as two fixed-roof models received this magnificent look in individual style and colours, with more than 30,000 glass stones used on each car.

MINI, fashion, and charity: showing social commitment at the Life Ball.

Joining forces with renowned artists, MINI has been committed for eight years to the largest charity event in Europe, the Life Ball held annually in Vienna and generating revenues for national and international aids care projects. The event thus serves to support projects committed to enlightenment, medical research, and the treatment of HIV patients.

Contributing to these projects, MINI each year presents a special one-off model from the current portfolio finished in unique style by fashion designers.

The succession of Life Ball cars started just a few months after the official market launch of the new MINI with a car covered entirely by red fabric. A year later a MINI One proudly bearing the autographs of numerous celebrities made its appearance at the Life Ball, and ever since 2003, renowned fashion designers have given the MINI their special touch.

The first of these designers was Angelo Missoni adorning a MINI Cooper with countless flower motifs. In 2004 Gianfranco Ferré gave a red MINI Convertible a truly impressive crocodile look, with a MINI Cooper Convertible in Donatella Versace's exclusive blossom look following in 2005, its interior also highlighting that typical Versace style, with gold-coloured seams on the black leather seats and Swarovski crystals on the gearshift lever.

In 2006 another MINI Cooper Convertible made its appearance on stage at the Life Ball Gala in Vienna, this time in the trendy jeans look of the Diesel fashion label. In 2007 renowned fashion photographer Mario Testino highlighted the outer skin of a MINI Cooper with glittering fireworks motifs offering truly unique glamour. And the 2008 Life Ball MINI, finally, proudly came in the provocative pin-up look of lingerie label Agent Provocateur.

Since 2002 the cars provided by MINI are auctioned after the Life Ball Gala, with proceeds going to aids projects. In the course of eight events, this has already generated more than Euro 300,000 for the fight against HIV infection and AIDS – again another remarkable achievement by MINI.