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MINI TOUR 2017.
THE MINI TOUR. OUT WITH ORDINARY.
Trend hunting. Sun chasing. Outdoor adventure. Inner-city thrills. You can do it all. And you can do it in style. With the five-strong MINI line-up, you’re sure to find a car to match your lifestyle. We’re making it easier than ever to discover which MINI model is the one for you; by bringing them to your doorstep (well, almost).
We’re taking our cars on a tour of the UK – from city to coastline, top to tail – so you can get up close and personal with them. Our savvy MINI Product Geniuses will even be on hand to get you the details you need. And when you’re ready, you can hop on in to take a cruise around your local area*.
We’re adding electricity to the MINI tour from Birmingham onwards. Join us in Birmingham, Southampton or Cardiff for a chance to get up close with our first hybrid creation; the MINI Countryman Plug-in Hybrid. *at selected locations.
MEET DUKE.
We’re bringing music along on this MINI Tour; unconventional beatboxing masters Duke will be performing at selected stops along the way. Join us to catch the live performances of popular hits that pay homage to each location.
LONDON.
Hot pop-ups. High fashion. Happening artists. The first leg of the tour took us to Old Spitalfields Market in London. Diverse and eclectic. The ideal backdrop for our born-for-the-city cars. Built for touring the town and discovering urban landscapes with your friends in tow.
To bring the energetic MINI spirit to life, in a truly East London way, we invited a couple of local creators and innovators along.
HELEN ABRAHAM, WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER.
Like MINI, shutterbug Helen Abraham is a dab hand at capturing those spontaneous moments and making the most of each moment. By mixing portraiture, photojournalism and landscape, she finds the unique in each of her subject’s stories.
STEVE BEALE, CREATIVE DIRECTOR.
A feisty character with fearsome handling. This Londoner has plenty in common with the John Cooper Works range. Steve Beale is a martial arts master and creative mind. Passionate. Vibrant. Creative. We knew he’d fit right in with our crew.
MILTON KEYNES.
An urban location with a buzzing atmosphere. Milton Keynes made for the perfect stop on the MINI Tour. We took all five of the cars from our range to The Centre, where locals and shoppers were able to get up close and personal with them. They were able to sit inside the MINI Clubman to discover its luxurious interior. And got to explore the MINI Countryman’s versatile space.
The cherry on top? We invited some local creators and innovators, who manifest that unique MINI spirit, to join us for the weekend too.
CLAIRE VERY, ARTISAN BAKER.
Passionately crafted in Oxfordshire – Claire’s creations have a lot in common with our cars. All of her baked delicacies are shaped from scratch, which means they’re absolutely unique. A passion for quality, craft and character. We think Claire is a perfect fit for the Clubman.
LEEDS.
The MINI Tour stopped off at the UK’s Capital of Culture 2017. Those lucky enough to call this bustling, vibrant city home had the chance to come along and discover our five strong characters. Not only were they able to explore our range all in one place, but they were also able to take advantage of a one-on-one session with our MINI Product Geniuses too.
We also had some local like-minded, creative guests join us across the weekend, too. They were folks who embody the MINI spirit.
HULL. PHIL BENSON, ENTREPRENEUR.
Craft. Culture. Creativity. Phil, who is a cocktail bar owner and entrepreneur, has a lot in common with the MINI Clubman. Over the past 11 years, his thirst for adventure and knack for ingenuity has taken him from start up to big success.
NEWCASTLE. KERRY LOCKWOOD – INTERIOR DESIGNER.
A creative soul with great taste and a free spirit. Interior Designer Kerry is bold, bright and unique – much like the MINI Convertible. Thanks to her passion for interior style and finishing touches, we think she’ll fit right in with our MINI squad.
LIVERPOOL.
Beats and bars. Art and imagination. The vibrant, creative wonder that is Liverpool was made to be explored in a MINI and our fab five rolled into the culture-packed city as part of the MINI Tour. They were joined by Liverpudlians keen to discover the Albert Dock like never before in a MINI of their choice (the Convertible was especially popular for exploring the seafront). With troves of live music and local creators along for the ride, it was a truly magical mystery tour.
MATT BAKER, COMPOSER AND MUSICAL DIRECTOR.
A creative creature with a community spirit. Matt is bright, energetic and sociable – much like the MINI Hatch 5-door Hatch. You’ll find him set in Chester, inspiring locals of all ages to get stuck into music and drama.
GLASGOW.
Our five-strong MINI pack stopped off at one of the friendliest places on the planet: Glasgow. This is a city which is quite rightly renowned for its vibrant nightlife, stunning architecture and welcoming residents. Our MINI experts were on hand to show just what these cars can do and an inquisitive crowd joined them to discover all five MINI models.
ROLLEYGOLF.
Arnold is the founder of RolleyGolf, an innovative golf trolley designed to make navigating fairways with your clubs much easier. Embodying the spirit of the MINI Countryman, Arnold is used to following his adventurous spirit and exploring the unknown.
BREW LAB.
Tom and Dave have put their passion for quality and craft into opening Brew Lab, a coffee bar with a difference. Just like the MINI Clubman, their entrepreneurial spirit and eye for detail brings like-minded people together, whether it’s to improve their barista skills or to enjoy a cup of exceptional coffee.
BIRMINGHAM.
Science. Technology. Creativity. Birmingham boasts a long history of innovation and we dived into it all at the buzzing Bullring shopping centre, with an award-winning line-up led by experimental beatboxers DUKE. Before the tour arrived here we’d taken to the streets of Manchester, a city which has spawned more rock stars than any other in Britain. We also headed to Cheltenham, renowned for its cultural festivals and stylish spots to eat, drink and stay and hit the streets of Nottingham. With its links to the iconic tale of Robin Hood, what better place to have made yourself part of the MINI legend?
MANCHESTER. BUCKETS & SPADES.
Matthew Pike has been on a quest to compile all things creative since 2011. That’s when he started up successful menswear blog Buckets & Spades. Fashion. Design. Life. His visual diary is crammed with inspiring images and impactful ideas. This is perfectly complimented by the MINI Convertible – a stylish look all year, that really comes to life in the summer – it’s a joyful way to break out of a style rut and experience something new.
NOTTINGHAM. DOUGHNOTTS.
Megan and Wade are all about fresh doughnuts and fresher ideas. They hit upon their winning formula in 2015 when they started making and selling them in a host of fantastic flavours. Having raised the profile of this sweet treat to a whole new level, they now sell over 10,000 a week, handmade for wholesale, bakeries and events. Like the spacious but stylish MINI Clubman, we love these entrepreneurs for changing perceptions and thinking outside the (doughnut) box.
LEAMINGTON SPA. ED TRAVERS, DUKE.
Three unique voices and one guitar. For such a stripped-back band, Duke have a seriously big sound and a knack for putting a twist on popular tunes. Founder Ed Travers started beatboxing at the tender age of twelve, and since forming Duke has shared a stage with the likes of Prince and Amy Winehouse. His fresh approach to a much-loved format make him ideally suited to the new MINI Countryman Plug-in Hybrid – both are forward thinking and a little unconventional, but great performers.
SOUTHAMPTON.
Sea. Shopping. Sun. Southampton has it all. And it was the perfect spot to showcase the five car MINI range. It was an electrifying weekend thanks to the new MINI Countryman Plug-in Hybrid joining the line up. Before our convoy made it to its final destination, Westquay, our cars added extra colour to the streets of Brighton. This stylish city was the perfect place for crowds to soak up the style and design of MINI. The convoy also made its way around Winchester, home of the UK’s largest farmer’s market.
BRIGHTON. THE JACK EXPERIENCE.
Travel. Technology. Favourite books and fashion looks. The Jack Experience is the brainchild of Brighton-based Jack Edwards. An outlet for Jack’s passion for writing, the site was designed to suit his personality down to a T. His curiosity to see what’s round the next corner and try something new is perfectly matched by the 5-Door hatch, the ideal travel companion. So, where to next?
WINCHESTER. HANNAH’S.
Having transformed an old scout hut into Winchester’s #1 B&B, Hannah knows all about reinvention. After stripping the roof to its rafters, she lovingly brought the ramshackle old building back to life. Today’s guests can enjoy a bespoke experience, while relaxing in true style. This sense of individualism is mirrored by the Clubman. All the charm of premium quality, with a practicality designed to get things done. Just like Hannah.
CARDIFF.
The Welsh capital played host for our final stop on the MINI Tour. Guests stopped by to soak up the sights and sounds of this distinctive city while discovering our unique range. Before we made it to St David’s Dewi Sant shopping centre, the MINI Tour spread its spirit around some of the UK’s most iconic hotspots. First, we took to the streets of Newquay, home of the Boardmasters surfing championship. Then we explored Bristol, a city that’s famous for both heritage and culture. The perfect end to a jam-packed, fun-filled tour.
BRISTOL. BEING LITTLE.
A Bristol girl first and foremost, Lyzi’s also on the short side. Indeed, her website, Being Little, is all about this fact. It’s full of fashion, art and insights into what it’s like to be her and how writing her blog has boosted her confidence. To help inspire other potential bloggers Lyzi frequently organises events and contributes to fashion features and the MINI 3-Door Hatch is the perfect car for Lyzi to discover the best of any city. It seems good things really do come in small packages.
NEWQUAY. LUKE DILLON.
Luke’s a professional surfer living in Newquay, and one of the most exciting British athletes to emerge in recent years. Having won his first title aged just nine, he went on to hold every English and British surfing title during his teens. Just like the MINI Countryman his passion is for the great outdoors and his journey to the very top of his sport is sure to inspire anyone thinking about hitting the waves to grab a board and start paddling.
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