I stumbled upon this very intriguing site from the Motor Trader Forums. It’s called What’s In The Hercules?, and it’s basically a website made up to look like a journal of some really curious spy person. Basically he knows there’s a crate in a plane, and he wants to know what’s in it. The crate is supposedly from Russia, and is being sent to Malaysia. The journal chronicles his adventures attempting to find out what is in the crate.
I will attempt to summarize what he’s mentioned on the website so far. So far he’s figured out it’s a car, and by the size of the crate it is a small hatchback. The car has a 1.6 litre engine in it, with 4 cylinders, chain-driven twin cams, 4 valves per cylinder, and a special aluminium alloy cast engine block and cylinder head. There is also some mention of prototype. The crate says “Type: 16L-TC” on it, which could mean 1.6 litres turbocharged. Hmm… R56 MINI Cooper S? Or TC could mean Twin Cam.
Very very interesting campaign, and the website is registered to some Russian name which is most likely fake, but is hosted in Malaysia by a Malaysian web hosting company. The crate is also said to be sent to Malaysia, so most likely this is a teaser campaign building up suspense to a car launch in Malaysia.
The date on the crate says 23rd of March 2007, which could be the launch date… what is this mysterious hatchback?!?!?! I am dying to know! Somehow from the details so far, I am beginning to suspect it is the new 2nd generation R56 MINI Cooper.
You can view two of the videos on the teaser site after the jump, or go to the site directly: What’s In The Hercules?
Video: What’s In The Hercules? – 1
Video: What’s In The Hercules? – 2
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
genius campaign! really know how to fire up customers anticipation! try n check current mini chasis number,thn compare to the one u see in the advertisement! usually first few numbers indicate the country!
New Satria Neo GTi with TC engine ….. :p
If it is a Mini Cooper, why the flight is from Russia? Shouldn't it from UK?
What car is produced/assembled in Russia? I could not think of any…
yeah..I second rosdi. There is no point getting a Cooper from the land of Nuclear and Abramovics. nothing there.
But, this is a good and nice campaign. Probably by car companies in Malaysia.
Paul, how do you know the website is authentic? I mean, the info in there…
Turbocharged Neo… dddrrrrroooooollllllllll !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Some new company representing Lada or something in Malaysia?
the netblock of the website is in malaysia and owned by tmnet. the host is in malaysia too. perhaps it'd be another imported car coming to malaysia! *drool*
the model number : 02NDGM
wat i can think from this number is…2nd generation model
just above the codes, there's another code : W3129KL
????
vehicle number : 056MLYSBG230307
056 = ?
MLYS = malaysia
BG = ?
230307 = 23rd march 2007
code : MN6464CS1158
????
russia?
test car tested in severe weather,
What about Polo GTI? VW is new so they could be doing these type of campaigns to get us excited with their cars. Has turbo engine as well.
Polo GTI
maybe those guys had too much vodka ,wrongly shiped to msia!
Don't get what the numbers are, but probably not Vehicle Identification Numbers since VINs are of 17 characters, the longest one here is just 14.
are we looking at the return of Lada?! or maybe not, lol
nice gimmick though.. so good im going to buy it no matter what it is!
Hehe, Lada would be funny. Advertising line can be: "The new Lada, runs on Vodka".
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02NDGM – 2nd generation model sounds right
056 – seems to refer to R056 – the new mini code name
MLYSBG230307 – could it be referring to Malaysia, Subang (Glenmarie???) on 230307
MN6464CS1158 – MN – mini? 6464 seems to refer to mini (use your phone's keypad), CS – Cooper S?
from the information available, it seems like it pretty firm that it'll be the new mini
according to the wordings on the webpage it looks like those wording that MINIs always use.
well, thats what i think only.
i hope its not the MINI cause it won't be such a surprise.
i hope is something nicer.
Who's gonna bet that it will be launched in Subang, and the gimmick will be they get a Hercules C130 to land and/or lower the rear ramp and the MINI 2 drives out?
I think it's car companies in Malaysia. Because, normaly other car companies.. they'll just put a teaser in newspaper. Not build a website.
Usually only Proton n Perodua are doing that. Take example of Satria Neo. (www.desire.com.my, that eye thing n puzzle). Normaly, other car companies.. they'll just put a teaser in newspaper. Not build a website.
My guess will be it's a Proton Satria Neo GTi,
02NDGM – 2nd generation model. Satria Neo is the Second Model.
By the way.. it's just my 2 sen though
My bet is still on the 2nd gen MINI Cooper, and maibatsu_thunder's launch idea sounds very probable.
Paul, plz delete my first two comment… thanks
mm this makes me wonder. Why do they take the trouble to be so 'creative' (if they really land the hercules and drives out the car in Subang airport) in advertising a car which not many can afford to own? If its RM45-60K, all of us dont mind to own one small 3-door car like the new mini.
maibatsu_thunder, it would be awesome if they can get the plane to land and the car to drive out. How can I get invited for the launch?
paul, the 3rd video is already out….
Paul,
Confirmed, that it is the new Mini. Launch is on the 23rd.
Busy week, that, just after CR-V drive.
Errrm i dont know if its a new mini but here is how they are going to do it
http://www.topgear.com/content/features/stories/2…
I think this whole thing is pretty lame lor. It was a bit interesting when it first came out, but it's just going on and on and on around the same thing liddat. Every body love a good mystery but nothing has progress, no imagination, no development, nothing. And after so long, how do they expect people to still be interested? BORING LEH. And if it is really Mini Cooper launch out of a hercules plane, then just copycat the top gear link ah? So many more things they could have done. Shame, shame…