The UK’s Prince Harry weds Meghan Markle this weekend, and to celebrate the upcoming Royal Wedding, MINI has created a one-off Cooper S designed specifically to commemorate the special occasion and to be donated to the couple’s charity for public auction.
The ‘Royal MINI’ is finished in a predominantly Crystal White shade, but with an intricate roof featuring a hand-made, multi-coloured graphic. Several layers had to be applied by hand on the roof to combine elements of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s national flags: Union Jack and Stars & Stripes.
There are other not-so-subtle touches throughout the exterior and interior, like the 3D printed strips on the side, saying 'M loves H', as well as the 'Just Married' graphic that lights up the floor when a door is opened. While the date of the wedding is immortalized with a graphic on the dashboard. The bespoke graphic seen on the roof has also been applied inside the fully customized cabin for the door trim strips, into the head restraints, and also behind the steering wheel.
The ‘Royal MINI’ started off its life as a MINI Cooper S. Beyond the fancy paintwork and 3D-printing fun, it’s still powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4 cylinder motor that produces 141kw and 280nm, whilst being hooked up to a new 7-speed automatic transmission.
“As an iconic British brand with almost 60 years of history in the UK, we are pleased to mark the royal wedding with this special charitable gift,” says Oliver Heilmer, Head of MINI Design.
Following the wedding on the 19th May, the special MINI will be handed over to the Children’s HIV Association (CHIVA) to be auctioned off.
