A couple of years back, we shared some scoop photos of a prototype MINI with styling elements from Rolls Royce models. A company spokesman had then confirmed that the car was real, but to the dismay of many fans, he said that it was a one-off for a special dealer event. If you happened to like the idea of a Rolls-Royce-flavored MINI we have some good news for you as the British company will premiere a special edition model at the upcoming Shanghai Auto Show next week.
The limited production model is called “Mini Inspired by Goodwood”, with the name paying tribute to Rolls Royce’s headquarters. Only 1,000 examples of the special Mini will be built at the British firm’s Oxford plant, with first deliveries to take place in the spring of 2012.
Offered exclusively as a three-door hatchback, the Rolls Royce-inspired Mini is based on the Cooper S model and comes with a 1.6-liter twin-scroll turbocharged engine pumping out 184HP and 240Nm (177 lb-ft) of peak torque for a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 7.0 seconds and combined fuel consumption of 5.8lt/100km (40.6 mpg US).
Developed under the guidance of the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars designer team, the Mini Inspired by Goodwood features bespoke styling cues and trim options. On the outside, the Rolls Royce treatment translates to an exclusive Diamond Black metallic hue or alternatively, an optional Reef Blue metallic, 17-inch light alloy wheels sporting a multi-spoke design, and of course, the necessary logos. 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 without the air scoop.
The cabin is where Rolls Royce design team spent most of their time dressing up the Mini’s interior with select materials and trim. The dashboard, including the surrounds of the central instrument and the air vents, the centre 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 co lour Cornsilk. The dashboard and doorhandle surfaces, which are manufactured in Goodwood, are trimmed in Walnut Burr veneers.
Other highlights include the black nappa leather dashboard top, Leather Cornsilk door linings, Piano Black surface finishes for the buttons, Cashmere roof linings, a Rolls Royce inspired typeface for the instruments and lambswool floor mats.
Standard equipment features include 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.
Pricing details are to be released at a later date, but expect to pay a hefty premium over the standard Mini Cooper S.
