MINI wears Paul Smith again

MINI has renewed its partnership with British fashion designer Paul Smith through a special edition of the all-electric Cooper SE, now available in Singapore.

Priced at S$282,888, the MINI Paul Smith Edition combines the familiar design of the three-door hatchback with colors and materials associated with the British designer. MINI Asia said the edition will initially be offered on the Cooper SE, with other models expected in the coming months.

The car also continues a relationship between MINI and Smith that dates back nearly three decades, when the designer first worked on a limited edition of the original Mini.

Two exclusive exterior colors are available. Statement Grey takes inspiration from the grey used on the 1959 Mini Austin Seven, while Inspired White draws from the beige finish of the classic Mini.

Both colors come with Nottingham Green accents, a reference to Smith’s hometown in England. The color appears on the roof, side mirrors, grille surround and wheel hub covers.

Smith’s Signature Stripe also appears on the roof near the driver’s side. The car rides on 18-inch Night Spoke alloy wheels with a Dark Steel Flash finish. The MINI badges have a Black Blue treatment, while the designer’s signature appears on the rear handle strip.

The cabin carries more of Smith’s design work, although much of it is less noticeable at first glance.

Black knitted surfaces cover parts of the dashboard and door panels. The dashboard pattern takes inspiration from the striped fabrics used in Smith’s fashion collections.

Nightshade Blue sports seats use Vescin upholstery, with knitted textile sections on the shoulders and headrests. The steering wheel also receives colorful stitching based on the designer’s Signature Stripe.

The circular central display offers three Paul Smith backgrounds through the vehicle’s Personal Mode.

Some details are there simply to amuse the occupants. A handwritten “Hello” appears as a light projection on the ground when the front doors open. The door sills carry Smith’s motto, “Every day is a new beginning,” while the floor mats feature a rabbit illustration drawn by the designer.

Daren Ching, head of MINI Asia, described the special edition as a car that “makes a statement without shouting.”

Despite the changes in appearance, the electric Cooper SE retains its regular powertrain.

Its front-mounted electric motor produces 218 horsepower and 330 Newton-meters of torque. A 49.2-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery provides a driving range of up to 402 kilometers under the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure.

The electric hatchback accelerates from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 6.7 seconds and has a top speed of 170 kph.

MINI and Smith first collaborated in 1998, when the designer created a limited edition of the classic Mini with special blue paint and anthracite alloy wheels.

A year later, Smith marked the original Mini’s 40th anniversary with a one-off car decorated with 86 stripes in 26 colours.

Their partnership returned in 2021 with the MINI STRIP, a one-off project that reduced the car to what Smith considered essential.

In 2022, the MINI Recharged by Paul Smith converted a classic Mini from the 1998 edition into an electric vehicle.

The latest edition takes that relationship back to a production model available to customers.