In honor of the Northern Irish rally driver Patrick “Paddy” Hopkirk and his historic rally winning model, MINI is launching the Paddy Hopkirk Edition. It is a limited edition of 100 cars that are available to order in the UK. The Paddy Hopkirk Edition is based on a MINI Cooper S 3-door Hatch and features a special edition ‘Chili Red’ paintwork contrasting with a white roof and prominently displaying the famous starting number 37 livery.
It was at the legendary Monte Carlo Rally in 1964 that Patrick “Paddy” Hopkirk drove the MINI Cooper S number 37 to victory. Despite the significantly greater engine power of his competitors, Hopkirk, with his English co-pilot Henry Liddon, conquered the odds in a momentous win.
The awe-inspiring win in Monte Carlo made Paddy Hopkirk an instant celebrity as he became UK’s most famous rally driver overnight. The victory also opened the doors for the classic MINI as it was elevated from a simple crowd-pleaser and outsider to a motor racing legend. It also wasn’t a stand-alone victory as Timo Mäkinen and Rauno Aaltonen, Hopkirk’s Finnish teammates went on to claim two more victories to the title collection in the MINI Cooper S 37 in 1965 and 1967.
The Monte Carlo Rally winning streak is a source of inspiration for MINI fans to this day. The MINI Paddy Hopkirk Edition will give fans the opportunity to express their passion for MINI racing. In honor of the historic rally winner, the edition model also prominently displays the car’s start number 37 on the driver and passenger doors. It is also equipped with a 17-inch John Cooper Works light-alloy wheels in Track Spoke Black design.
The Paddy Hopkirk Edition also has numerous dark color accents including the frame and horizontal brace of the radiator grill that are finished in high-gloss black, as are the inserts for the lower air intakes, door handles, bonnet opening, fuel filler flat, tailgate handle, as well as the MINI logos at the front and rear. The motorsport-inspired Alcantara John Cooper Works steering wheel is featured on the inside.
The 37 also appears on the side scuttles. Other exterior features include stickers with the “Paddy Hopkirk Monte Carlo” inscription, as well as a single white bonnet stripe on the driver’s side showing Hopkirk’s signature. The famous number plate of the 1964 Monte Carlo winner, 33 EJB, is also displayed on the bonnet strip using 3D effect graphics.
The decorative trim strip which forms part of the Piano Black high-gloss interior surface on the passenger side also bears Hopkirk’s signature. The MINI LED “Paddy Hopkirk” entry sills are also another exclusive design feature.
The MINI Paddy Hopkirk Edition includes the MINI Navigation Pack and Comfort Pack, including the auxiliary headlights in Piano Black. Other additions are the key cap with the start number 37, as well as the Waistline Finisher in Piano Black for the trim strips between the greenhouse and the body.
Priced at £27,405 RRP, the MINI Paddy Hopkirk Edition is now available to order at retailers in the UK. Deliveries to customers will begin November 2020.
[Source: MINI]
