Celebrate Mini’s 60th Birthday With A Limited Edition Cooper S

Mini has unveiled a special anniversary edition Cooper S for the UK, with just 500 set to leave the Oxford factory.

The Cooper S 60 Years Edition, built in three-door hatchback guise only, is exactly what it sounds like: a tribute to the original Mini, released 60 years ago in 1959. It’s the first item of business, says the modern BMW-owned brand, in a year packed with celebrations.

Each of the 500 cars will wear a new shade called British Racing Green IV in combination with piano black exterior trim, which covers the roof, mirror caps, unique bonnet stripes and two-tone 17-inch alloy wheels in an edition-specific light-alloy design.

There are plenty of graphics, as you’d expect, with a ‘60 Years’ logo on a bonnet stripe and the side indicator surrounds, but not at the rear. It’s also projected onto the ground via the LED puddle lamps.

Inside there’s an emphasis on sporting luxury thanks to 60 Years Edition-only leather seats in Dark Cacao with very lovely green contrast piping to match the outside paintwork. The spec sheet highlight is the Navigation Plus pack with the larger of Mini’s available screens, at 8.8 inches. It brings with it Bluetooth, wireless smartphone charging and more, while the Comfort Plus pack adds luxuries like a rear-view camera and parking sensors at both ends. The headlights are the latest LED items.

This limited edition honouring the original (manual) car is automatic-only, perhaps in keeping with the more luxurious slant it has been given. Snappy shifts do at least mean a 0-62mph launch in a brisk 6.7 seconds. It’s available from March with order books opening soon, priced at £29,990 on the road.