The Independent American Magazine for all Mini Owners
Issue link: http://mc2.epubxp.com/i/33537
Paul Weller MINI Goes On Sale For Charity ollowing his headline performance at MINI’s 50th Birthday extravaganza at Silverstone in 2009, mod rock legend Paul Weller has collaborated with MINI to create a one-off car which will be sold in a live global online auction with all proceeds going to charity. The unique MINI Cooper is the ultimate British icon; it was designed by Paul Weller, built in Oxford and hand-painted by MINI craftsmen. The car was put up for auction this past November to raise money for charities Nordoff Robins and War Child. colors in a shirt I designed for Ben Sherman a few years ago, so it made sense to me to continue the theme using a MINI Cooper as a palate. I’ve decided to donate the car to two charities: War Child is an amazing organization which works tirelessly to provide protection for kids who live in some of the world’s most dan- gerous places - Iraq, Afghanistan, Uganda and DRC. Nordoff Robbins is the charity that really uses music to transform the lives of kids and adultd. Their fundraising helps and support these vulnerable people.” The car is a 2009 MINI Cooper, with 17-inch Crown Spoke Alloys, black leather upholstery, Bluetooth, front heated seats, and Chili Pack. All proceeds of the auction will be divided between the two charities. MINI Vehicles Lauded By Kelley Blue Book And ALG ince its introduction eight years ago, The MINI has been honored each year by third parties for maintain- ing their value, and during the recent 2011 LA Auto Show MINI was presented with resale and residual value awards from both Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com and ALG respectively. “These two awards are evidence of the MINI brand’s commit- ment to build premium quality vehicles that owners can confi- dently call a solid investment,” said Jim McDowell, Vice President of MINI USA. “Ensuring that each MINI purchase remains a solid value over its lifecycle is a key goal, and we are proud to have earned the acknowledgements from kbb.com and ALG.” Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com awarded the 2011 MINI Coo- Weller’s inspiration for the design - which features bold pink and brown stripes across the car’s entire body and is finished with a single silver line running up the bonnet and over the roof - comes from the colors in a Ben Sherman shirt he designed for the clothing brand some years ago. per (all models – Hardtop, Convertible and Clubman) for hav- ing the Best Resale Value in the compact car segment. These latest honors from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com mark the ninth year in a row that a MINI Cooper vehicle has won top honors in the Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Awards. “Consumers should take a good look at the projected resale value of a car when choosing their next new-vehicle purchase, and they would be wise to carefully consider the 2011 Best Resale Value Award winning vehicles and brands on this year’s list,” said James Bell, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com. “Vehicle depreciation is a new-car buyer’s biggest expense. Taking the time to research and choose vehicle makes, models and options wisely now can help new- car shoppers hold value down the road when they go to sell or trade-in the vehicle.” Furthermore, the future looks bright for the MINI brand, as the all-new 2011 MINI Countryman has been named the winner of ALG’s 2011 Residual Value Award for BEST SPORTY CAR. This marks the sixth time since its launch in 2002 that MINI has been named for the ALG award. ALG’s 12th annual Residual Value Awards, for the 2011 mod- MINI UK’s Director, Jochen Goller says “Both MINI and Paul Weller are synonymous with the quintessential British mod scene. That’s why we were the ideal match to create this unique car.” Paul Weller said “I’ve always loved and driven MINIs so when I was given the opportunity to design a bespoke Mini Cooper I wanted to create something that reflected the mood and colors associated with the Mod era, which was also the classic Mini’s hey day. I’d already expressed these 16 www.mc2magazine.com el year, honor the vehicles in each industry segment that ALG predicts will retain the highest percentage of their MSRP after a three-year period. Awards are made in 19 vehicle categories and also for the two brands with the highest overall predicted residual values among all mainstream and all luxury vehicles. This year’s awards are based on 2011 model year vehicles. “The 4-door Countryman combines the brand’s trademark superior handling with more passenger and luggage space and optional all-wheel drive. It offers more utility than any other MINI Cooper,” said Raj Sundaram, SVP, Solutions Group and ALG. “With a unique distribution strategy and strict supply manage- ment, MINI maintains some of the best residuals.” >>> F S mini news