MINI Cooper royalty rolls into Kelowna

One of the most well-recognized cars recently celebrated a milestone in Kelowna.

The MINI Cooper dealership on Enterprise helped mark the brands 20-year existence in Canada, with more than 300 people from around B.C., Alberta and the U.S. assembling.

On hand for the event was MINI Cooper royalty - Charlie Cooper, the grandson of John Cooper, the entrepreneur, race car builder and creator of the first MINI Cooper.

He told Kelowna10 there’s a sense of community that’s always existed with his grandfather’s creation.

“MINI is a special brand. It’s a brand that brings people together and makes people smile. It starts with the original design, and it’s gone to the design today. It’s a car that makes people smile when you look at it, but also when you drive it,” he said. “It’s just fun to drive whether you've got a three-door model or a Countryman, the way the cars are built, it’s that go-kart feeling and it’s all about smiles.”

Some of the most notable vehicles on display included the first MINI to arrive in Canada, and the first all-electric, along with the John Cooper Works line of race cars - some of the top performing cars on the track.

Cooper said some of his favourite models include his 1946 Cooper S, his fist MINI GP, and the very first one he received when he was 18.

While he couldn’t share specifics of what future models will look like, he said that there’s something special being created that he’s proud to be a part of.

“I’m close with the team, the things that came last year, the MINI Pacesetter, which was a big project about the future of the JCW [John Cooper Works] brand. The Aceman was launched recently but there’s a good product lineup. A lineup that’s exciting over the next few years,” Cooper said.

MINI was founded in in 1969. The original MINI was a line of British small cars manufactured by the British Motor Corporation, which was eventually purchased by BMW Motor Group in 2000.

According to BMW, in 2021, it sold over 300,000 units worldwide, an increase of 3.3 per cent.

Corporate Communications Manager for BMW Group Canada, Barb Pitblado, said it’s a family atmosphere with every MINI enthusiast.

“Everybody’s part of the family, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from its instant family,” she said. “So people are walking up and admiring one another’s vehicles and getting to know each other a little bit.”