MINI Cooper 5 Door comes to Sri Lanka refreshing memories of the 1960s
View(s):MINI Cooper 5 Door, the latest model of the legendary MINI Cooper, the dream car of the youth in the 1960s and 70s, is to be popularised among Sri Lankans again in a new a promotional drive launched by Prestige Automobile Pvt. Ltd. Prestige Automobile, authorised importer for MINI in Sri Lanka, unveiled the MINI Cooper 5 Door while showcasing the MINI 3 Door Cooper S and the MINI Countryman S, at a glittering extravaganza in Colombo recently.
The MINI cooper was first introduced in 1959 by Mini creator Alec Issigonis and sports car designer John Cooper with compact dimensions, low weight, novel configuration of engine, gearbox and drive and progressive suspension technology. This iconic MINI car was produced by British Motor Corporation (BMC) to meet the energy crisis following the Egyptian blockade of the Suez Canal which led to fuel price hikes, and petrol rationing by the British government in 1956.
The iconic car with rich British roots that is renowned for its driving fun and go-kart handling has since undergone evolutionary refinement, with the new MINI undergoing vast improvement in terms of its driving fun, quality and comfort. Over the years, its production changed hands—from BMC to British Leyland and then to the Rover Group. In 1994, BMW took over the Rover Group, which included the Mini. In October 1999, BMW unveiled the modern Mini at the Paris Auto Show. Among other changes to the car, BMW altered the brand name to MINI (in all capitals), while retaining the basic design. In 2012, BMW launched it in India. In November 2014, a new body variant was introduced with the MINI 5-door. And now it has come to Sri Lanka.
As with every other MINI, the MINI 5 Door has preserved MINI’s signature driving fun, its distinctive character and refinement of the third model generation, by incorporating enhanced practicality through extra space,” said Heinz Reuter, Chairman, Prestige Automobile at the launching ceremony of the new car.
“With more foot space, legroom and luggage space added, as well as the introduction of two rear doors and three separate back seats, the MINI 5 Door has achieved greater comfort and practicality without compromising on typical MINI go-kart handling and characteristic,” he added. The MINI 5 Door Cooper comes with a 3-cylinder engine, featuring MINI Twin Power Turbo Technology allowing for more power and efficiency. The petrol engine includes turbo charging; direct fuel injections and variable camshaft control on the intake and exhaust side in addition to a fully variable valve control.