MINI USA’s Exclusive GP Delivery Program

Sections: Events Apr 19th, 2006 74 Comments

We’ve got full details on the GP devliery program MINI USA announced last week. MINI will be building just enough of these cars in July to allow each dealer to submit one customer to participate in this unique Delivery Program. Since production does not resume on the GP until September, customers who participate will have bragging rights to be among the 80 of the first owners.

The GP Delivery Program Highlights

The GP customer will be able to choose between a West Coast or and East Coast Delivery, on a first come, first served basis. These exclusive events will bookend the MINI Takes the State cross country rally.

West Coast Program

This program will take place in beautiful Monterey, California during the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races where Cooper is the feature Marque. Participants will take delivery of their car during a hand-over ceremony at the Laguna Seca Race track. This program takes place August 17th through August 21 st and includes:

A 4 night stay at the Hyatt Regency, Monterey www.monterey.hyatt.com (August 17-21).
Welcome reception (Evening of August 17th).
Delivery Ceremony, including lunch with MINI executives (August 18).
Dinner at a unique location- we have to have some surprises (August 18).
Passes to the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile races, including food and drinks at MINI BBQ island (August 19-20).
A Parade lap at the world famous Laguna Seca Raceway (August 19).
Access to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (August 20).
Participation in the MINI Takes the States Road Rally kick-off California Beach Party (August 21). Participants are encouraged to join the Road Rally.

East Coast Program

This program will take place in Jersey City, New Jersey at a location overlooking the majestic Hudson River and the New York Skyline. Participants will take delivery of their car during a hand-over ceremony at Exchange Place Plaza. This program takes place from Saturday, September 2nd through Monday, September 4th and includes:

A 4 night stay at the Hyatt Regency, Jersey City www.jerseycity.hyatt.com (Sept 2-4).
Welcome dinner a a unique location (Evening of September 2nd).
Delivery Ceremony, including brunch with MINI executives (Sept 3rd).
Participation in the MINI Takes the States wrap party (Sept 3rd).
passes to the Rolex Vintage Festival at Lime Rock Park www.limerock.com/events_rolex.htm including food and drinks at the MINI tent (Sept 4th). Participants are encourage to join the Rally to Lime Rock.
Parade lap at Lime Rock (Sept 4th).

The Cost

We will be offering the West Coast Program at a cost of $2,000 and the East Coast Program at a cost of $800 for each participant, including 1 guest. These programs do not include transportation to the event. The fee will be non-refundable payment by your selected customer to our Event Management Company.

Due to transportation times, the West Coast Program will only be available for 45 lucky (soon to be) owners.

We’ll have more information on the GP delivery program in the coming days and weeks.

Related: MotoringFile GP Articles (via search)

Comments are closed.

Written By: Gabe

radiationman

Why is this move by MINI tacky? It’s simple…

Some people heard about the possibility that they could get the car delivered to them in a special ceremony at the Monterey Historics… Without any other details or information, they ran to their dealership and signed up to get the car, assuming that MINI was going to give them a free trip to CA just for buying the car.

Since they can’t get the free vacation that they assumed they were getting, those very same people are grumpy, upset, and now running to their dealership to cancel their hoped for 31k vacation errr MINI.

Which of course makes the rest of us sit back and wonder just why they thought they should order a GP in the first place….
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com Dave

How about a MINI equivalent to Trek Travel which has premium vacation offerings to Asia, Europe, and Central America. Trek bicycles takes care of the hotels, meals, route planning, and provides high end and expertly maintained bicycles. The MINI equivalent wouldn’t necessarily have to be European delivery of your new MINI, but maybe something more along the lines of driving in the alps with a JCW for a week.

I’d certainly be interested in a trip like that (hint hint).
http://www.mightyminiz.com Doug

I believe that MINI is trying to make it special… For themselves.

If they cut the rate in half then it’d be an envious adventure.

I can get discounts and rate near cost or half alone, myself. Even entry into events for $0. Now, one would think, that a BIG OLE corporation like MINIUSA would have some pull, some iddy biddy influence over admission, lodging, etc… to help their CUSTOMER, attend their own Selfserving event.

The arguement that MINI does not need the PR is absurd. If they did not, then why do they BOTHER?

It just seems like consumer rape hidden in a shiny box.

I’m sure some dolt will pay the $2k to feel special.
http://www.wezensky.com dickdavid

Some people heard about the possibility that they could get the car delivered to them in a special ceremony at the Monterey HistoricsÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦ Without any other details or information, they ran to their dealership and signed up to get the car, assuming that MINI was going to give them a free trip to CA just for buying the car.

We all know what happens when we assume things…

Honestly, I don’t think folks were lining up to get a GP for the free vacation. It’s an awesome, limited edition car at a very reasonable price.

The event is just an added value that folks will either buy into or not.

Besides, nobody, anywhere reported that this event would be free. Admittedly, there is an initial sticker shock with the price, but given the value of the event, well worth it.
Nathaniel Salzman

Some people heard about the possibility that they could get the car delivered to them in a special ceremony at the Monterey HistoricsÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦ Without any other details or information, they ran to their dealership and signed up to get the car, assuming that MINI was going to give them a free trip to CA just for buying the car.

Are you kidding me? Who plops down $30,000+ on a MINI with no back seat because it might mean a free trip to California? And at what point did MINI even infer that the California delivery event would be free? If those individuals are now so dissuaded that they no longer want the car, then good riddance and those GPs can go to people who truly want the car on its merits.

But If anyone is interested, I’ll gladly sell them my deed to the Brooklyn Bridge. And it WILL include an all-expense paid trip to New York to take delivery.
Nathaniel Salzman

Ha! dickdavid beat me to it.
http://www.wezensky.com dickdavid

Ha! dickdavid beat me to it.

Yeah, but yours reads better. ;-)
http://www.alldigitalnyc.com drew

i’m stunned.

not to beat a dead horse, but what the hell is wrong with everyone today???

the gp – and mini in general – is all about performance, fun, racing heritage…you know!

so how is it that having an event at the country’s most exclusive auto gathering to take delivery of mini’s most exclusive car tacky? or greedy? or bad in any way shape or form?

geez guys – take it easy!
http://dbmini.us DB

I believe that MINI is trying to make it specialÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦ For themselves.

Last time I checked, MINI, and BMW for that matter, are in the business of making money. Well, they are in the business of making cars, which in turn makes money. While I think it would be cool if it were free, I honestly don’t think that MINI has a budget large enough to be able to afford such an effort.

I’m not getting a GP, but if I were, I would be dumb enough to shell out the 2K for the California delivery option just because it sounds like fun and I would be one of the first in the US to get to drive the new GP!

Now, if this were a General Motors event…;)

not to beat a dead horse, but what the hell is wrong with everyone today???

Amen! I’m done, I really just wanted to be able to take a jab at GM :)
badburro

Doug, do you have a deposit down for a GP???

I wonder how many that are complaining here on MF actually have a deposit on a GP.
Craig

There are people who are planning to buy this car as an investment. How much value do you think it will add if you and your GP were one of the 45 to participate in the ENTIRE event. I daresay that this could add significant value with this as part of it’s provenance. How cool would it be to the future owner to be able to show a photo journal of the entire event from CA to CT?
http://toddsmods.com/blog Todd

There are people who are planning to buy this car as an investment. How much value do you think it will add if you and your GP were one of the 45 to participate in the ENTIRE event. I daresay that this could add significant value with this as part of itÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s provenance. How cool would it be to the future owner to be able to show a photo journal of the entire event from CA to CT?

Craig – Shhhhh! Don’t give anyone any wild ideas.

BTW – you had to know something like that was in the works by someone, oh, I don’t know, with a MINI podcast maybe????

We’ll just have to see if I am one of the select few who gets to go.

And I don’t mean that I’m buying my GP as an investment. I fully intend for it to keep its value – after all it is a MINI. : )
Justin Johnson

Add me to the list of people who would pay the $2,000 if I were getting a GP. And I’m on the east coast.

Can any MINI show up at Lime Rock for the event there?
Vanwall
Sadly, tanstaafl applies here. A hundred grand or so is a still hundred grand or so, any way you look at it, and MINI is still a price-point kinda car. While not everyone can shmooz their way into a free set-up at Monterey & PB, and if this was left up to the individual to make their own arrangements it could be pretty expensive for some folks, it might be nice if MINI mitigated the travel costs for those who have far to go and are willing to shell out for the festivities.
```
               BCNU,
              Rob in Dago
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Karla

After reading through some of the posts, if it were a free event, MINIUSA would need to hire extra staff just to deal with …

-Can I bring my kids?

-I can’t get there for the first two nights but I want to be there for the last two nights.

-I need a room with queen beds on the first floor.

-Who will meet me at the airport? I arrive on American flight #123 at 4:10 PM. I think it arrives in San Jose. Or is it San Francisco?

-I have an allergy to feather beds. What kind of beds do they have.

-Do I get a free key chain?

-You didn’t ask for my t-shirt size.

-I’ll need a special meal.
http://www.detailingconcepts.com matt

commentary from a GP buyer.

i’m on the list at my dealer and have been asked to do the West-Coast delivery.

i have at this point declined, largely due to time and fiscal constraints. things may change soon, but i don’t count chickens.

i feel the experience is worth the 2 G’s. if i had the 2k (+ etc) to drop on this and the week or so of time, I would go.

i also feel MINI could have done much better for their customers, either by charging less or providing more (car transport option – air-fare).

given the exclusivity of the events involved, and the relative lack of control (screening process) of the 45(90) attendees, a fair bit of ‘handling’ will be unavoidable – being shuffled from place to place by PR reps.

in my estimation, the experience will still be a value and have considerable utility for those who partake, if not the best MINI USA could have done.
http://metroplexmini.org/forum Diego

Having placed an order on a GP this past weekend I feel the need to chime in. I really don’t understand why so many people are calling MINI out as cheap or tacky. Do you guys seriously expect everything involving MINI to be perfect or in this case, free? The bottom line is the MINI is still a business. As MINI owners, I think we SHOULD expect more out of our brand than xyz car brand, but there are also limits to what we should expect.

This is AN OPTION. This is not intended to make anyone feel less. On the same day I ordered my GP my dad ordered my brother and sister a Cooper….with CVT. Does that make them less in my eyes because they only have a Cooper and it’s not manual? Of course not! We’re all happy to be part of the MINI family. I thought the uniqueness of each MINI was one of the main draws to this brand? Think of this package as (I reiterate) an option that can add another degree of uniqueness to your MINI experience.

This is all considering….IF you were lucky enough to even be first on your dealership’s order list and you have this option financially and timewise.

Fact of the matter is, to even be the first on the list is kind of a matter or luck — it depends on your individual financial situation, how soon you were able to contact the dealer, how soon the dealer responded to you, etc.

There’s no need to feel bitter. It is what it is, first come, first serve. Tis a market economy after all. (And no I am not going on this trip as I am car #5 at my dealership)
MINIAC

There are people who are planning to buy this car as an investment. How much value do you think it will add if you and your GP were one of the 45 to participate in the ENTIRE event.

$0 … value will be dependent on condition and mileage.
Charles

I’m invited by my dealer as of today and am thinking of the East coast dates. It seems to me it would be fun on either coast. (But I don’t see how one can get four nights at the Hotel if it runs from the 2nd through the 4th – that’s three nights.) On the 4th the party moves to Lime Rock, from which one would start the drive back to the midwest with one night on the road. $800 – includes a guest? Hmmm. thinking about it.

International Autos in Milwaukee has one not spoken for. – they have been allotted five GPs.
Radiationman

Are you kidding me? Who plops down $30,000+ on a MINI with no back seat because it might mean a free trip to California?

Apparently the person who made comment number 5 for starters and declared that MINIUSA was being “Tacky”

And for the person who made this remark:

IÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢m sure some dolt will pay the $2k to feel special

Nice… Way to diminish your point…

While I personally am not getting a GP, and am not sure I would spend the money for such an event, all I have to say to those who attend is more power to you and enjoy…
O(=^=)OCapn

As Diego said “This is AN OPTION”

One thing that I am surprised that nobody mentioned at all is I ASSume that if you get your car with an earlier production date it will have a lower limited edition number. So if you take this option your car would have the potential to be worth more.

How many of you would pay 2k more to have a production number under 0100? Look at it this way, plus you get to do some traveling!

(I thought it would be a free meal at least.)

‘Yes!’
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