MINI – George Harrison Homage

The original Mini will be forever associated with the Swinging Sixties. Launched in 1959, just as the new decade that changed the world was about to be born, the Mini was probably the first ‘Classless’ car, driven by everyone from Bin Men to Royalty.

Apart from the Mini nothing is more redolent of the ’60s than the Beatles – the band who changed the world. And these two sixties icons came together in 1966 when the Beatles manager, Brian Epstein, presented each of the Fab Four with a Mini Cooper S – as a thank-you for making him a wealthy man!

With the big MINI United Festival looming ( May 22nd-24th at Silverstone ) MINI has re-created one of those original Minis to be auctioned in aid of charity. They’ve chosen the most distinctive – George Harrison’s. With George’s penchant for all things psychedelic he had his Mini customised with all manner of psychedelia and Indian symbols, including Yantras and Sanskrit Mantras. So individual was George’s Mini that it featured in the Beatles’ film Magical Mystery Tour.

With the help of George’s widow Olivia, MINI has created a brand new version of the original Mini, which will be presented to Olivia Harrison to be auctioned in aid of George’s Charity – The Material World Charitable Foundation.

Olivia Harrison said:

George was a huge MINI fan and he would have enjoyed creating this new version. The fact that MINI’s anniversary celebrations will also benefit our Foundation has made it an enjoyable as well as meaningful collaboration.

So if you want to get a peek at the new George Harrison MINI, pop along to Silverstone next week.

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