According to the site German Car Scene MINI has come up with yet another Special Edition, the Rauno Aaltonen. Named after the 1967 Monte Carlo Rally winner Rauno Aaltonen, this special edition can be specified in both Cooper and Cooper S guise but is only available with Chili Red paintwork. Visually, the MINI Rauno Aaltonen wears a white air intake, with matching stripes on the front and rear. This theme continues down the flanks and side scuttles, blending into chequerboard decals, while the 17-inch ‘Infinite Stream Spoke’ complete the exterior. The interior gets a specially badged leather-trimmed steering wheel, while the speedometer features a red outer ring and image of the original Flying Finn’s signature. A nice touch – included in the price of the Cooper S – is a day learning to drive on ice at the rally school owned by Rauno and his son Tino Aaltonen.
Now I wonder if we will see this in the US as most folks on this side of the pond have no idea who Rauno is unless we are MINI-crazed. Very nice little bits of color. As an added bonus on this new model, all interior switches have been labled with a Dyno machine and red punch tape.