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Mini Hatch 2021: Paddy Hopkirk Edition celebrates rally heritage

 

While the Mini is known today for its unique style and prestige, the brand is built on motorsport history – with no date more significant than their first rally win in 1964.


As Mini prepares to welcome its facelifted Hatch in the second half of 2021, the iconically British but German-owned carmaker has dropped a special edition to mark its first rally win.

Dubbed the Paddy Hopkirk Edition, this special edition is named after the driver who wielded his classic Mini Cooper S to take down far more powerful rivals and win the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964.

Mini hatch Paddy Hopkirk Edition 2021 with Paddy
Mini has revealed the Paddy Hopkirk Edition of their iconic hatchback to mark their first win at Monte Carlo Rally in 1964

Mini Australia will bring a total of 65 cars to Australia, available as a Cooper S and John Cooper Works (JCW) with three-doors, or a five-door Cooper S.

The Paddy Hopkirk Edition is expected to arrive in Australian showrooms in March and will be available exclusively in Chili Red with a white roof, with contrasting piano black inserts.

Mini hatch Paddy Hopkirk Edition 2021 bonnet
The Paddy Hopkirk Edition comes with rally-inspired features such as auxiliary headlight

Mini has embraced its rally heritage with a pair of auxiliary headlights along with a white racing stripe on the left side and iconic number 37 on the driver and passenger doors.

The Cooper S variants are also fitted with features such as an 8.8-inch touchscreen and Harman Kardon sound system with 17-inch John Cooper Works ‘Track’ wheels finished in black.

Mini hatch Paddy Hopkirk Edition 2021 side
The Paddy Hopkirk Edition is available exclusively in Cherry Red with a white roof

Under the bonnet, the Hatch Cooper S remains unchanged with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 141kW of power and 280Nm of torque. That’s coupled to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that sends power exclusively to the front wheels.

The John Cooper Works is only available in a three-door model but gains bigger 18-inch ‘Style 506’ rims in gloss black and niceties such as adaptive LED headlights and adaptive cruise control.

Mini hatch Paddy Hopkirk Edition 2021 front
Paddy Hopkirk’s number 37 is fitted to the driver and passenger doors

The beefier 170kW/320Nm turbocharged four-cylinder is matched to an eight-speed torque-converter automatic. Power is identical to the regular Cooper JCW though that car’s pace was never anything to sneeze at with a 0-100km/h time of 6.1 seconds.

Mini Australia says it will be bringing 25 examples of the three and five-door Cooper S models, and just 15 of the three-door JCW cars.

The Paddy Hopkirk limited editions are now available to order online.

Mini Hatch Paddy Hopkirk Edition: prices in Australia

All prices listed are before on-road costs.

Cooper S 3-Door: $54,800
Cooper S 5-Door: $56,400
John Cooper Works 3-door: $69,000