From the early iterations of the MINI with white contrast roofs painted to stand out at the rally competitions of the 1960s, to the range of new Special Edition MINIs of today, MINIs have served as a unique canvas for motorsport competitors, celebrities and owners to express their individual creative spirit with myriad customization capabilities. To highlight the extent of this creative spirit, MINI USA recently sent out a message to MINI fans and owners calling for them to share their own customized MINIs through a social media outreach campaign.
Following the community-wide search for the most compelling customized MINI vehicles, MINI USA shared the stories of five owners and their customization journeys earlier this month. The search took place over two months on social media, with the automaker calling for MINI owners to submit photos and descriptions of their vehicle with the hashtag #MINICUSTOMIZED. Five creative MINI owners were selected based on the strength of their vehicle’s customization story, the visual appeal of said customizations, and the strength of any under-the-hood modifications.
“It’s always a joy to see MINI’s feisty and eccentric identity translate so fluidly to our owners, and these five members of the MINI community perfectly encapsulate our signature creative spirit,” said Rah Mahtani, Brand Communications Manager, MINI USA. “We hope that this series inspires other existing and potential MINI owners to express themselves through their vehicle in fun and exciting ways.”
The five MINI owners that were recognized have made a wide range of customizations, each based on their own distinct inspirations and goals.
Andy Lee’s Top Gear fandom informs his taste in cars, and when he saw the potential to modify a MINI Clubman online, he fell in love right away. Andy got his hands on a 2011 MINI Cooper S Clubman five years ago, and performance is the name of the game with his customizations. According to Andy, no other MINI sounds like his, and his air ride suspension gives the MINI Clubman versatility for riding low and slow or attacking a steep mountain road. Further modifications, both aesthetic and performance-related, include a rebuilt turbo, remanufactured engine, 3rd Gen headlights, and custom blue plaid interior accents.
What Dave Skinner thought was a MINI Countryman parked at a local dealership turned out to be a rare 2014 MINI Cooper S Paceman, and he had to have it. Once the MINI Paceman made it to his garage, Dave went to work with customizations. A pink and black Union Jack graphic sprawls over the side of the vehicle, paying homage to MINI’s heritage with a bit of a twist. Meanwhile the car’s name, “Lexi,” is printed on a sticker and laid over the rear MINI badge. The Paceman is also fitted with aftermarket wheels, with plans to add white and pink powder coating to them in the near future.
Chuck Davis first caught sight of a MINI Coupe in the spring of 2016, and within the week became the proud owner of a 2013 MINI Cooper S Coupe. The vehicle’s design had stopped him dead in his tracks and led him to turn his own vehicle into an eye-catching speedster with a modification list pricing out at over $10,000. Among his external customizations, Chuck added backward #44 stickers so he could take his R58S on the track in addition to white stripes with red trim. Additional modifications include Koni yellow adjustable struts, Eibach lowering springs, a Hotchkiss 25.5 mm rear sway bar along with 4 camber control arms, a complete Willwood brake kit with 2-piece rotors, and a set of Rennline track mats.
Zreston Costello grew up always wanting something unique to drive. While others opted for the same sports cars with the same design choices, Zreston embraced the stand-out size, speed, and modification possibilities of his MINI Cooper S F55. With the immediate goal of turning heads, he put together a combination of various red decals across the exterior, as well as modified OEM rims, to complement the vehicle’s Volcanic Orange body paint. Performance-wise, Zreston carried out ECU, Stage 1, and Stage 2 tuning with plans for further enhancements on the way that will make his MINI stand out for its power in addition to its appearance.
David Schofield’s MINI journey began in 2006, with he and his wife having owned a total of six MINI vehicles, including his current 2019 Cooper S Convertible. His most obvious customization is the car’s custom stripe running over the Union Jack convertible roof, while 17” Neuspeed wheels, dark grey Union Jack scuttles, checkered mirror caps, and a stubby antenna round out its exterior customizations. David also made practical modifications to the convertible’s interior, installing a solid stainless steel shift knob and e-brake handle from Whalen Shift Machine, and a Cravenspeed phone mount.
Their stories were featured from April 4-20 in a series of posts across MINI USA’s social media channels. Click the above links to read them alongside photography of their customized vehicles.
