collectible of the day: 2007 Product Brief.

2007 PRODUCT BRIEF. MINI COOPER AND MINI COOPER S HATCH.

The Product Brief is for the Motoring Advisors to describe in detail the MINI vehicles and to highlight the new features.

From 2007 we have this dealer-only, spiral-bound product brief brochure.  The 136 pages contain information, facts, and comparisons to competitors.

The back page [...]

collectible of the day: MINI CHALLENGE backpack

Now that you have your MINI CHALLENGE hat, MINI CHALLENGE seat cushion, MINI binoculars, MINI stopwatch, MINI CHALLENGE earplugs, and MINI CHALLENGE pen, you need something to carry it all in.

Our final MINI CHALLENGE collectible in the series is this MINI CHALLENGE backpack.

This heavy-duty backpack has the MINI logo, MINI CHALLENGE checker [...]

collectible of the day: THE OTHER MINI ads

MINI USA’s ad agency Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners created an extensive series of print ads for the introduction of the MINI Clubman.  One of those was a five-page ad with three family portraits followed by a two-page spread with a Hot Chocolate MINI Clubman:

[...]

MINI Countryman vs. Nissan Juke

Auto Express has a review of the MINI Countryman against what they call the Countryman’s “closest rival”, the Nissan Juke.  Here’s some of what they say about the MINI Countryman:

Rounded-off square lights are designed to make the face more masculine, and blend with chunky looks and an aggressive take on the car’s grille.

However, [...]

collectible of the day: Thermos Mug

Offered in the very first MotoringGear catalog in 2002, the MINI Thermos Mug is a stainless steel and orange plastic mug. The mug has the MINI logo and “MINIUSA.COM” printed on it and includes a lid.

It came in two sizes: a 4 3/4″ size to fit the front cupholders and a 6″ size [...]

collectible of the day: MINI Countryman preview sheet

THE NEXT BIG THING IN MINI.

Above we have the first piece of printed marketing for the forthcoming MINI Countryman.  The MINI Countryman preview sheet is a two-sided brochure with an overview of the three MINI Countryman models: Cooper, Cooper S, and Cooper S ALL4.  The front says [...]

RSR Motorsports wins the Garden State 250

RSR Motorsports won its first GRAND-AM series race in the Garden State 250 in New Jersey.  The new in-house built 198 MINI Cooper S driven by Randy Smalley and Owen Trinkler got the win in the ST class.

Next, Sarah Cattaneo and VJ Mirzayan finished seventh in the 197 MINI Cooper S.

Finally, Craig Conway, [...]

collectible of the day: MINI CHALLENGE pen

We continue with our series of MINI CHALLENGE souvenir items.  Today we have a MINI CHALLENGE pen.  This black plastic pen has “MINI CHALLENGE” and the MINI CHALLENGE checker pattern in white.

See all of the MINI CHALLENGE collectibles.

collectible of the day: Owners Workshop Manual for the MINI

Back in February we featured the MINI Cooper Service Manual by Bentley Publishers.  That book was very thick and very detailed.

Today we have the Haynes Owners Workshop Manual for the MINI by Randall Martynn.  Although this book is in hardcover, the 143 pages are printed on almost newspaper-like paper with only black and [...]

collectible of the day: Kinsmart die-cast keychains

Some of the best die-cast MINIs were actually keychains.  These Kinsmart MINI Cooper die-cast keychains were made in 1:56 scale and featured “pull back action”.  They have nice detailing and came in six colors:

Pure Silver / Black British Racing Green / White Liquid Yellow / White Black / White Chili Red / White Indi [...]