WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ – April 13, 2011—The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD, which will make its world debut at the Auto Shanghai 2011, is an exclusive special edition that adds another layer to the MINI brand experience with a generous dose of automotive luxury and exclusivity in its highest form. Close collaboration with the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars design team at the development center of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England has produced a limited-run special edition MINI, whose exterior and interior design is inspired by fine materials and the British luxury car marque’s commitment to absolutely flawless workmanship. The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD, which will be produced in a limited edition of 1,000 units, combines typical MINI driving fun with discerning craftsmanship, select materials and a styling marked by typical British understatement of the world’s leading producer of luxury automobiles. Deliveries of the 2012 model year vehicle, which will launch as part of the exclusive MINI Yours product line, are scheduled to start in spring 2012. The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD is characterized by top-grade materials, the highest level of workmanship and stylish supremacy. The special edition of the MINI Hardtop was built under the guidance of the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars designer team and transfers the unmistakable style of the British luxury car manufacturer to the equally unique MINI, an original within the premium small car segment. The exterior and interior design from the MINI Yours range: fascinating charisma and incomparable high-quality ambience. As the first premium model in the small car segment, MINI has been a genuine trailblazer, the unsurpassed scope of its equipment features and accessories allowing it to meet the most varied requirements. And now MINI fans can express their appreciation of exclusive individuality, eye for stylish elegance and penchant for uncompromising premium quality with even greater sophistication. Inside the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD, a harmonious color concept, selected materials and a production quality characterized by precise craftsmanship guarantee the highest degree of well-being and comfort. The dashboard, including the surrounds of the central instrument and the air vents, the center console, carpet surfaces, the Lounge leather seats, the roof lining as well as the door, side and body pillar cladding boast the exclusive Rolls-Royce color Cornsilk, a warm and natural shade of beige. Only the upper section of the instrument panel, which is lined with extremely high-quality, soft full-grain leather, is in black. The dashboard and door handle surfaces are manufactured in Goodwood and finished in Walnut Burr, a wood quality also exclusive to Rolls-Royce. The black nappa leather dashboard top, Tipped Leather Cornsilk door linings as well as Piano Black surface finishes for the buttons on the multifunction steering wheel and the controls below the central instrument all provide additional quality-enhancing accents. These veneers are selected at the Goodwood factory exclusively for the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD, and the matching black dials for the speedometer and rev counter bear the same typeface as their Rolls-Royce counterparts. Two of the most striking features of the exterior design are the body finish in the exclusive Rolls-Royce color Diamond Black metallic and 17-inch light alloy wheels sporting a multi-spoke design. Alternatively, the MINI color variant Reef Blue metallic can be specified as an option. The chosen paint shade is also used for the exterior mirror caps and roof spoiler of the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD. The exclusivity of the special-edition model is also reflected in its body design. The car’s front and rear apron are the same as those found on the MINI Cooper S, but are combined with the bonnet from the MINI Cooper D. Rather than carrying over the air scoop of the MINI Cooper S, it boasts a harmoniously flowing surface which underlines the stylishly elegant appearance of the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD. There are also high-class aluminum badges stamped with the lettering “MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD†on the side indicator surrounds above the front wheel arches and on the door sills. Another badge, also featuring the legend “One of 1000â€, can be found on the centre console in front of the gearshift lever (or selector lever, if the automatic gearbox is specified). Beyond the signature features of the special-edition model, the standard equipment fitted in the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD also meets the highest expectations of a premium car. The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD’s range of high-quality equipment offered as standard also includes Xenon Adaptive Headlights, Park Distance Control, automatic air conditioning, an onboard computer and the audio system Radio MINI Visual Boost, which includes the Harman Kardon hi-fi speaker system. Twin-scroll turbocharged engine delivers customary MINI driving fun. The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD is powered by a turbocharged l.6-liter four-cylinder engine that was featured for the first time in the 2011 MINI Cooper S. The MINI Cooper S engine ensures that the hallmark MINI driving fun and imposing power reserves are available on tap. The engine includes a Twin Scroll turbocharger, direct injection and variable valve control. The 1.6-liter drive unit generates 181 hp and maximum torque of 240 Newton meters (177 lb-ft), which can be raised to 260 Newton meters (192 lb-ft) using the Overboost function. The most efficient engine in its displacement class combines its outstanding power development with exceptionally low fuel consumption and emissions figures. The sprint from 0 to 60 mph is all over in 6.6 seconds, while its EPA fuel economy ratings are 35 mpg highway / 27 mpg city / 30 mpg combined (manual transmission). As an alternative to the standard six-speed manual gearbox, the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD can also be ordered as an option with a six-speed automatic. Inspired by Goodwood, built in Oxford. The exterior and interior features specially developed for the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD embody the inimitable style of Rolls-Royce Design. From the initial inspiration, the selection of materials and the detailed preparation of the color concept, to the fine-tuning of the production process to ensure unimpeachable quality standards, the entire development process in Goodwood was carried out in close collaboration with the MINI plant in Oxford and the BMW Group’s development center in Munich. The special-edition car will be built at the Oxford MINI plant, where the MINI Hardtop, MINI Clubman and MINI Convertible are also produced for the global market. Bred from the finest of stock: The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD. The British origins of the two brands, their shared belief in meeting the individual needs and desires of their customers, and the creative pooling of ideas between the various brands at BMW Group Design provided the fuel for the collaboration between Rolls-Royce and MINI. At the Rolls-Royce headquarters in Goodwood, southern England, Rolls-Royce interior designer Alan Sheppard has overseen the emergence of a MINI which reproduces the hallmark majestic allure of the historic luxury brand and an interior ambience born of exquisite materials and outstanding workmanship in a representative of the small car community for the first time. The exclusive status of the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD is rooted in a materials and color concept which reflects the unmistakable and globally unique Rolls-Royce style not only in its individual component parts, but also in the configuration put together for the special-edition model.
When I heard Goodwood I thought they would be honoring the racing circuit where Mini's had so much sucess. Instead we are presented with another limited edition Mini that has no bearing or history related to Mini. Just another toy for rich people!
When I heard "Goodwood", I heard it in the Beavis & Butthead voice that occasionally runs rampant inside my head... It IS a beautiful piece of craftmanship...I wonder what the MSRP will be.
You know...if the scoopless design brings in more airflow, you have to wonder if they'd end up doing away with the traditional "S" scoop.
It's a Mini with Rolls Royce touch surfaces and a bit cushier a place to park your derrière... not much else changed really.....
That's what I first noticed. A scoopless S! So is the inter-cooler it front mounted? Is there a diverter for a top mounted I? Curious. Motor On! Chris
So that's why all those RR apprentices were recently hired. They are all toiling over at the Oxford plant with their white gloves working on the Goodwood MINI edition. And they thought they would get to assemble the RR Phantom....
I really like the way they kept the interior to a consistent color, rather then the normal mix of black or gray, along with something else. Lovely job. The fact that nobody would know it was an "S", except from the rear, would be a deal breaker for some. It is like a justa (front) followed by an "S" (read), which is as it should be. Jim
That dash is most likely going to have issues. Being it's leather covered, they need to have a separate leather patch that covers the blow-out panel when the air bag discharges. That leather panel will need to be glued to the top of the blow-out panel. There isn't as good "long term" glue that will with stand the large temperature swings baking under the front windshield. Gluing leather or anything to a plastic dash that out-gases (plasticizers) from heat exposure is going to be a tough act. At some point it's going to start lifting and separating from the dash. Not good on a.... what $35K to $40K MINI???
Reminds me of the MG 1100 Princess (Vanden Plas) that I once owned. The cockpit was all comfort as you would expect from a coachbuilder, and the underpinnings were all MG. It had walnut-veneer dashboard and Connolly Leather upholstery. In the back of the front seats were picnic tables. Actually looked like a small Rolls. Somewhere I have pictures of me and my friend lifting the engine out of engine bay. We strapped the engine to a 4x4 piece of lumber and lifted it out. He on one end and me on the other. Ah youth!! ....Les
I'm assuming we won't see 'GOODWOOD' on any custom license plates, thanks to the BMV censors....I can see the combinations starting to form.... GUDWUD, maybe?
I think this is a move in the right direction but would really like to see this with a JCW badge and upping the HP (250 to 300 HP). Make it more in a class of a BMW M3; otherwise IMO it's just an over priced "S." If you're going to pay upwards of 50K then a few more Ks won't make a difference.
Not a part of MINI heritage? Hmmmm.... What about the Riley Elf? This is right in the same line as that (just taken to a modern extreme)
Agreed. I would rather MINI make the JCW come stripped down and not allow adding a bunch of non-sporty luxury items... No Nav, no sunroof, no lounge leather, etc... more GP-like. That's just me, though.