Mini Inspired By Goodwood. Image: BMW Group
If two automakers were ever at opposite ends of the automotive spectrum, they’d be Mini and Rolls-Royce. Mini makes compact but amusing hatchbacks for the great unwashed masses, while Rolls-Royce builds luxurious motorcars for the well-heeled. You probably wouldn’t want to park a Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe on the streets of Manhattan overnight, but on the other hand you wouldn’t want to roll up to Monte Carlo’s Hotel de Paris in a Mini Cooper. It’s all about expectations, I suppose.
Image: BMW Group
At least it was until Mini announced the Mini Inspired By Goodwood model, to debut at next week’s Shanghai Auto Show. Named for Rolls-Royce’s hometown, the Goodwood is built under the watchful eye of Rolls-Royce advisors. It gets Rolls-Royce paint (Diamond Black Metallic), a Rolls-Royce inspired interior (in their proprietary color, Cornsilk), and it even gets the Cooper S engine, good for 181 horsepower. As alluring as the outside may be, the inside comes close to over-the-top. Mats are made from thick lambswool, just like on Rolls-Royce models. The Walnut Burr dash is topped with black Nappa leather, just like on a Rolls. Even the switchgear has gone upscale, and now features a piano black finish.
Image: BMW Group
There’s no word on what markets will get the Goodwood Mini, or what the price will be (hint: a LOT higher than a base Cooper S). Mini says the car will see production, and they insist that only 1,000 will be built for all markets. Unlike the Aston-Martin Cygnet, which requires prior Aston ownership to “qualify” for purchase, no such rules exist with the Goodwood Mini. Sure it’ll be expensive, but it’s be the closest that most of us can come to buying a Rolls Royce.
Source: Mini
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
