HIGH PERFORMANCE MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS MODELS DEBUT IN NY

HIGH PERFORMANCE MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS MODELS DEBUT IN NY
MINI John Cooper Work Hardtop and MINI John Cooper Works Clubman Make North
American Debut - First New Models from Recently Integrated John Cooper Works
Brand

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - March 20, 2008... MINI USA announced today the debut of
two all new performance models at the 2008 New York International Auto Show.
Following their successful World Premier in Geneva, the MINI John Cooper Works
hardtop and the MINI John Cooper Works Clubman are showcased at MINI's display
and represent the first new models from the recently integrated John Cooper
Works Brand.

In addition, pricing for both new models were announced today. The MINI John
Cooper Works hardtop will be offered at $29,200. USD. The MINI John Cooper
Works Clubman will be offered at $31,450, USD. Both prices include a $650
destination and handling charge, MINI USA's Free Full Maintenance Coverage for
3 years/ 36,000 Miles and a 4 year-50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.

For more than four decades, the name John Cooper has been synonymous with the
high-performance members of the MINI family. In January 2008, MINI and John
Cooper Works announced they would transition from being two separate entities
to merging the John Cooper Works into the MINI family as a MINI sub brand.
These are the first high-performance MINI models that will be launched under
this new MINI John Cooper Works brand and are expected to arrive in the US this
summer.

Both John Cooper Works models will feature a newly developed high-performance
version of the highly-acclaimed 1.6 liter 16-valve 4-cylinder engine with twin
scroll turbocharger and direct injection. Delivering 208 horsepower and
maximum torque of 192 ft-lb between 1,850 and 5,600 rpm, overboost torque
momentarily increases to 207 ft-lb under heavy acceleration. The revised
powerplant propels the MINI John Cooper Works from 0-60 mph in just 6.2
seconds, with the MINI John Cooper Works Clubman shadowing this figure at 6.5
seconds. Top speed comes in at 147 MPH.

Complementing the significantly upgraded engine, both John Cooper Works models
will also be equipped with an array of race-bred equipment including
high-performance brakes, sports suspension, a low-back-pressure exhaust system,
a specially-modified 6-speed manual transmission and exclusive 17-inch light
alloy rims with high-performance tires.

In addition to electrically powered-assisted steering (EPAS) with a "sports"
setting calibrated to the high-performance disposition of the John Cooper Works
models, the sophisticated standard-equipment Dynamic Stability Control System
(DSC) now incorporates Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) for the first time in a
MINI. DTC allows controllable slip on the drive wheels for optimized
performance as well as enhanced capabilities in adverse traction conditions.
Another new feature of DSC unique to the John Cooper Works models - Electronic
Differential Lock Control is activated in the DCS-Off mode, enhancing stability
and cornering ability during "sporting" driving maneuvers.

MINI in the US
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA
operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC which has been present
in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began
distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to
include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand
of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce
brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a
technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the
country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's
global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all
Z4 models and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and the upcoming X6 Sport Activity
Coupe. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through
networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
centers, 142 BMW motorcycle retailers, 82 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30
Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales
headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff
Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet
at:
www.bmwgroupna.com
www.bmwusa.com
www.miniusa.com
www.bmwmotorradusa.com
www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

Journalist note: Information about the BMW Group and its products is available
to journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following address:
www.press.bmwgroup.com. Broadcast quality video footage is available via The
NewsMarket at www.thenewsmarket.com.

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