Mini Anniversary Edition celebrates 60 years of John Cooper Works
The automaker celebrates the man who lent both his name and his passion for speed to the classic Mini Cooper with 740 limited-edition examples.
- North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year (NACTOY) Awards Juror
Only 740 examples will be built, all wearing the number 74 on their doors.
Mini is celebrating 60 years of John Cooper Works performance cars and the racing family that has lent its name to the brand with a limited run of Anniversary Edition models, the company announced Friday.
The Cooper family's involvement with Mini can be traced back to 1961 when racing pioneer and legend John Cooper had the brilliant idea that the classic Mini would be a lot more fun with more power and bigger brakes. He dubbed his creation the Mini Cooper, followed that up with the even more powerful Mini Cooper S and the rest is racing history. Another great John Cooper idea was the mid-engine chassis configuration that Formula 1 still uses today.
Anniversary Edition models will be offered for the Cooper, the Cooper S and, of course, the 228-horsepower John Cooper Works variants of the current Mini Hardtop two-door. Global production will be limited to 740 examples, a nod to the number 74 worn during Mini's first racetrack victory.
Likewise, the special edition will also wear the number 74 graphic on its hood, blending subtly into the British Racing Green or Midnight Black metallic paint. John Cooper Works models will also be available in a unique Rebel Green hue. All examples will also boast a contrasting white roof, hood stripes, mirror caps, door handles and light surrounds with glossy black trim for the remaining exterior accents. A sport suspension and 18-inch John Cooper Works Circuit Spoke two-tone wheels complete the exterior design.
The Cooper name and the brand's trademark red circle can be found all over the Anniversary Edition.
Inside, you'll find John Cooper Works sport seats and a cabin trimmed with a carbon black and anthracite theme. Cooper badges adorn the Nappa leather sport steering wheel, as well as the door sills and C-pillars. Peek into the driver's door frame to find a handwritten "1 of 740" plate and, on the dashboard, the signatures of John Cooper and his son Mike and grandson Charlie, both of whom continue the family's partnership with Mini and the JCW brand.
Pricing and availability have not yet been announced.