BACK TO SCHOOL; Further education offer for mini fans

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), June 13, 2008

Byline: By MIKY T0YPEY

CLEAN, GREEN AND READY TO DRIVE - the Mini Cooper d

THE name is a British institution and a call is out to students to enrol as fully-fledged petrol heads.

Motoring fans visiting the 2008 British International Motor Show next month will have the chance to attend the Miniversity, being staged by Mini UK.

Some of the smartest stuff to come out of Oxford in recent years will be on show, as visitors will have access to 'The Union', an area to meet others in the Mini community.

And potential customers can take a walk through the 'Faculty of Engineering' and discover the millions of ways to personalise a new Mini, while the stand will also incorporate a quadrangle-style area on which the entire range will be displayed.

The most recent 'graduate' from Mini Plant Oxford is sure to draw crowds, as the new Mini John Cooper Works will be shown to the public for the first time on British soil.

The fastest production Mini ever will also be joined by the greenest Mini, in its Cooper D guise.

British show visitors faced with the threat of CO2 emissions-related road use taxation, spiralling fuel costs and the often catastrophic losses made in selling-on nearly new cars can head for the Institute of Minimalism, where technologies fitted to the Cooper D and other models are explained.

Minimalism technologies, which are the same as those used in BMW's EfficientDynamics systems, include Brake Energy Regeneration, Auto Start- Stop and Switch Point Display.

Andy Hearn, of Mini UK, said: "Mini has a habit of turning heads and it will be the same story at this year's show.

"Miniversity is a great concept as our stand will not only present Mini's personality, but also educate visitors on green credentials. We will show it's entirely possible to own a car that's clean, green and great to drive." Cooper D