Limited edition is something that resonates well here at Elysium Towers. It’s an element that screams few and far between, and most definitely not common. With the all eyes on London for the 2012 Olympics, any brand with clout (and can afford the branding fees…) is trying to do something in association with the Olympics – with varying degrees of success. Here’s one that we thought got it right – MINI.
MINI is to launch the London 2012 special: a range of vehicles available in Cooper, Cooper D, Cooper S and Cooper SD trims that come in the Union Jack themed colours of; Chilli Red, White Silver or Lightning Blue. Further more, there will only be 2,012 of these little beauties made, hence the exclusiveness.
All models boast white mirror caps and a white roof featuring the iconic London 2012 Olympic graphic. While the exterior features a distinctive Union Jack single sport stripe which runs over the bonnet, roof and rear tailgate of the car. The side scuttles also bear the London 2012 Olympic graphic. To finish off the sporty look, the MINI London 2012 edition features unique grey 17-inch conical spoke alloy wheels – something that is bespoke to the Olympic range only.
The interior carries on the theme with the striking feature of the London skyline, artistically etched across the width of the piano-black dashboard. Silhouetting some of London’s most iconic landmarks, including Tower Bridge, Battersea Power Station and the London Eye, the dashboard also displays the words “London 1 of 2012” – more on that exclusiveness we talked about earlier.
The iconic Mini is something of a status symbol for little old blighty – the dinky car loved by thousands, which also made its name as a getaway vehicle in The Italian Job (2003) does have quite some character. Whether this new Olympic theme is going to sway additional buyers is altogether another question. What we do know is that they look good (we’d go for the chilli red one…), and they handle just as well as the rest of the MINI range.
Prices start from £17,800 for the most basic model up to £20,860 for top spec. To get your hands on one of these zippy little numbers you’ll have to get on the pre-sale list open from October 2011.
The only question left in our minds is which colour would Usain Bolt go for?