The original Mini was first launched in 1959 and was designed by Alec Issigonis for the British Motor Corporation (BMC) at the time. Following its debut, John Cooper, owner of the Cooper Car Company, saw the small hatchback as a potential performance car, which resulted in the birth of the original Mini Cooper in 1961.
This collaboration continues till today, as you’ll find the John Cooper Works name on a variety of MINI models, which offer improved performance over standard trims. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first Mini Cooper and to pay tribute to Cooper, who passed away in 2000, the BMW-owned carmaker has released a new special edition of the MINI 3 Door called the Anniversary Edition.
Available in standard, Cooper S and John Cooper Works guises, the Anniversary Edition will be limited to just 740 units globally. The amount refers to the starting number 74, which the classic Mini Cooper wore on its first successful track appearance, and is seen on the doors and bonnet.
In the past, Cooper designed race cars that were recognised by their green paintwork with white accents, so the Anniversary Edition gets a British Racing Green metallic finish. This is paired with a roof, side mirror caps, door handles as well as headlamp and taillight surrounds that are in white.
Other standout cues include white bonnet strips, a red accent line and the Cooper logo on the door sill trims, side scuttles, C-pillars and the centre spoke of the Nappa leather sports steering wheel. A set of 18-inch John Cooper Works light-alloy wheels in Circuit Spoke two-tone design comes standard too.
Moving inside, the driver’s side interior surface features the signatures of John, Mike and Charlie Cooper, while the driver’s door frame gets an emblem with John Cooper’s signature, a handwritten note “1 of 740” and the words “60 Years of Mini Cooper – The Unexpected Underdog.”
Customers will also be able to add items from the MINI Accessories range, including exterior trim elements in a piano black high gloss finish that is part of the Waistline Finisher package. The company offers Midnight Black as an alternative exterior colour, while the John Cooper Works version can come with a Rebel Green body colour. Other options include a MINI Sport aerial and tailpipe trims in a carbon finish, along with punched and slotted John Cooper Works brake discs.
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I simply lost count of how many special editions from Mini. Perhaps they could start their “limited edition of limited edition (LELE)”.