MINI USA LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE FILM SERIES: 'HAMMER AND COOP'

Six action-packed viral videos featuring young Hollywood talent to debut over
the next month

New York, NY - February 17, 2007... Following a number of mysterious
appearances on movie screens and billboards across the country, today MINI USA
finally offered an answer to the burning question: Who are "Hammer and Coop"?!
MINI USA officially unveiled the project - a highly stylized series of
web-based films about a new action hero ("Hammer") and his souped-up sidekick
("Coop") - on the website www.hammerandcoop.com. Each webisode promises action,
adventure and intrigue, and is sure to keep online audiences riveted to their
computer screens. All six films, which will be rolled-out over the next month,
were directed by Todd Phillips (Old School, Starsky and Hutch) and starring
actor Bryan Callen.

The first two "webisodes" of the viral series debuted online today to coincide
with the launch of the new 2007 MINI. Over the next month, the following four
will be released - in addition to a mock music video for Asia's "Heat of the
Moment," a popular 80s song featured in the last webisode of the series. All of
the films were approached with the same level of enthusiasm as any Hollywood
endeavor - hiring a cast and crew of over 70 people, including top actors, a
world-famous director, and professional stunt men. From February 22 through
March 23, cinema trailers will be showing in nearly 1900 theaters nationwide.

"MINI is so much more than a brand; it is a lifestyle," said Jim McDowell, Vice
President of MINI USA. "MINI enthusiasts embody the same sense of creativity,
passion, fun, and lust for life that went into the making of these films. MINI
owners are also a highly interactive online community, so we are looking
forward to the reaction from people around the country, who will undoubtedly
enjoy these films and share them with friends."

The nationwide campaign also includes an array of unique and fun creative
components. In addition to the visually engaging billboards that will be
unveiled in Miami, Los Angeles and New York City, the creative team of Butler,
Shine, Stern and Partners (MINI USA's ad agency) has worked with MINI to create
movie posters, print ads, a MySpace page, YouTube strategy, and a number of fun
accessories for purchase online - including iron-on logos for tee-shirts,
vintage lunchboxes, and gear inspired by the series.

"Working with MINI USA allows us to stretch creatively and expand on concepts
that other, more conservative companies might shy away from," said John Butler,
Executive Creative Director and Founding Partner at Butler, Shine, Stern and
Partners, MINI USA's ad agency. "The result is always very fun and interactive
- in a nutshell, very MINI."

The "Hammer and Coop" campaign also involves groundbreaking media partnerships,
including a Rolling Stone flip-issue due to hit newsstands in early March. The
magazine's first-ever flip-issue will feature "Hammer & Coop" on both the back
and front cover, in addition to 10 full-color pages within the magazine. The
March issues of popular men's magazines MAXIM, Stuff, and Blender will feature
"Hammer and Coop" in an 8-page fashion spread, styled and shot by world-famous
fashion director Stan Williams - and in addition, Premiere magazine has also
created a faux cover for their March issue, including 5 pages of editorial
coverage written and designed by magazine staff. And for the first time in the
magazine's history, Men's Health will integrate the campaign into their
highly-read monthly workout poster.

"For the next six weeks, as the webisodes launch and more of the plot is
revealed, audiences will get to know the real story behind Hammer and Coop,"
said Trudy Hardy, Marketing Manager for MINI USA. "The goal is to effectively
engage consumers in the brand by offering an ongoing, interactive dialogue that
will keep them coming back for more and interested in future MINI projects."

The campaign will also have a prominent place in the viral community,
leveraging unique partnerships with digital media in addition to print and
broadcast. Starting this month, "Hammer and Coop" will have a solid presence
on popular online sites Second Life, MySpace and YouTube. The characters will
be incorporated into Second Life's "online society" on March 15, the trailer
and video components will be available on YouTube after February 20, and a
custom profile has been created for "Hammer & Coop" on the popular social
networking site MySpace. In addition, advertising content will be available on
podcasts and mobile phones (through iPod Infuse and Mobile Video on Demand).