Adventures await in the brand-new Mini Coopers joining The British Collection from Hertz. After hours of focused, detailed work by the Hertz’s in-house creative agency, Engine from Adjust Your Set (AYS), and vehicle wrapping company Yiannimize, the Minis are ready to enter the world.
Robert Waddilove, Creative Director of Engine, explains: “Whilst Mini's are now owned by BMW, they remain an iconic part of British history and culture, and we wanted to celebrate that by creating unique wraps across three Mini Coopers.
We started by using the three colours of the Union Jack, with a red, a white and a blue car. From there we used these as canvases to integrate British cultural and historical references throughout the three cars. There isn’t a clear Scottish, Welsh or English car, but they all feature a mix of references and relevant country specific iconography from the three countries in a photomontage, graffiti style.”
Welcome to London
The red Mini is the brainchild of Engine designer Oscar Mitchell-Higgs. The inspiration came from the idea of marrying modern and traditional British culture and showcasing key elements of London. This is most clearly illustrated by the Beefeater with tattoos of a rose and a small British Bulldog on his neck.
Oscar says: “This is my favourite Mini design.”
The car is an amalgamation of imagery from around Britain. Look closely and you’ll find the Queen’s favourite flower, a primrose, as well as her Majesty’s likeness from the £5 note. The Welsh Dragon, the British flag and the trusty British bulldog also make an appearance.
The Red Arrows influenced the look and feel of the bonnet of the car, with a familiar flight formation taking centre stage, but with a slight adjustment. Three of the planes have been replaced with Minis.
A circuit around the car also reveals parts of the London skyline, including the Shard, Big Ben and Tower Bridge.
A celebration of rebels
The white Mini was designed by Engine senior designer, Jessica Parenti. The David Bowie album ‘Rebel Rebel’ served as the initial inspiration for this car. A glance reveals the words themselves, as well as the familiar red lightning bolt.
Scotland makes an appearance with two horses inspired by the Kelpies featuring prominently on one side, as well as a tartan design that wraps around the car. Look closely and you will notice a nod to the British film A Clockwork Orange too.
The ‘Q’ from the movie Quadrophenia, appears on the opposite side of the car, emphasising youth culture of the 1960s. This compliments the appearance of the time-travelling Tardis from Dr Who, which first made an appearance on British TV-screens in 1963.
British designer Mary Quant’s iconic flower motif features on the car, including a yellow flower on the bonnet, accompanying the image of Blackpool Tower.
Jessica adds: “On the boot of the car, we have Big Ben. It’s very distinctive, because when you think of London, the first thing you think of is Big Ben. So, anyone driving behind has an element of time – one of the first things you think of when you’re sitting in traffic.”
An ocean of inspiration
Oscar lent his creativity to the blue Mini, with water and coastal towns serving as inspiration for the design. James Bond’s Lotus from the underwater car scene in The Spy Who Loved Me cruises along the bonnet, while the surfer on the side represents the surfing culture in Bournemouth, Cornwall and Rhossili in South Wales.
A flowing blue tartan features prominently in the design, alluding not only water, but Scotland too, with the Scottish flag woven into the design, as well as the appearance of the Loch Ness monster.
The unity of Britain is found in the Celtic pattern, while a traditional red telephone box and the Liverpool skyline help finish the design.
Lastly, the cars wouldn’t be complete without at least one reference to one of Britain’s most famous export, The Beatles, with a yellow submarine appearing on the blue Mini.
Check out the video on YouTube to see the cars come to life and read our other blog on The British Collection Minis to learn about the designs.
Book one of The British Collection Minis now on hertz.co.uk.
Catch them if you can!