MINI HATCH TRIUMPHS AT AUTO EXPRESS NEW CAR AWARDS 2015

• MINI 3-door Hatch wins Best Premium Small Car at magazine’s annual New Car Awards
• Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief at Auto Express says: “few cars have the charm of a MINI either behind the wheel or anywhere in fact.”

The MINI Cooper 3-door Hatch has been awarded Best Premium Small Car by Auto Express at the magazine’s annual New Car Awards last night.

Presented by Auto Express’ editor-in-chief at London’s Grand Connaught Rooms, the MINI Hatch resisted stiff competition to retain its position as the best Premium Small Car on the market, one year after the car was crowned Auto Express Car of the Year 2014.

Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief, Auto Express said: “Last year’s Car of the Year continues to impress. We love the fact you can get a high quality car in a small, affordable package, while few cars have the charm of a MINI either from behind the wheel or anywhere in fact.”

Worldwide, year-to-date sales of the MINI 3-door Hatch have grown over 16% year-on-year, highlighting the continued and growing popularity of this important model for the MINI brand.

Starting at £13,935, the MINI 3-door Hatch is packed with style and technology. The car is more spacious than before, finished to an even higher standard and provides the driver with a more dynamic and performance-oriented experience than ever. First-for-class features such as LED headlamps and Emergency Calling (E-Call), as well as a suite of advanced three and four-cylinder engines will ensure that it stays ahead of its rivals for years to come.

In September 2014, the MINI 3-door Hatch was, for the first time, joined by a larger 5-door sibling. Sporting two extra rear doors, improved rear legroom, a practical third rear seat and a larger boot, MINI 5-door Hatch has been a runaway success. Year to date, 6,444 examples of this new model have been delivered to UK customers, proving that there really is a MINI Hatch for everyone.

For further information on the MINI Hatch, please see www.mini.co.uk.

Ends

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With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 30 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

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MINI Press Office Contacts:

Sarah Morris                       MINI Media Relations Executive
Tel: 07815 370 747             Email: Sarah.Morris@mini.co.uk

Chris Overall                       MINI Media Relations Manager
Tel:  07815 370 990            Email: Chris.Overall@mini.co.uk

Piers Scott                           General Manager, Product and Internal Communications

Tel: 07815 378 190             Email: Piers.Scott@bmw.co.uk

Graham Biggs                     Corporate Communications Director

Tel: 07815 376 867             Email:  Graham.Biggs@bmw.co.uk

Media website:                    www.press.bmwgroup.co.uk
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