The following information is from an internal document circulated within MINI. I had planned on releasing it tomorrow when the car was officially released but due to pictures and information being leaked elsewhere I'm going to go ahead and release the article:

Forty years ago this year, the Beatles performed on the Ed Sullivan show marking the start of the British invasion, and, across the pond, another British icon was making it’s mark in racing history.

It was January 1964 when Mini driver Patrick Hopkirk, a young Northern Irishman from Belfast, and his navigator, Henry Liddon, set out on the Monte Carlo Rally from the Russian city of Minsk. They were up against the likes of the V8-powered Ford Falcons, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SE, a Volvo 544, as well as a number of fine-handling Citroens.

And when the dust settled at the finish line, a small red David with a white roof proudly showed its tailpipe to all those high-powered Goliaths, clinching overall victory in the Monte Carlo Rally. And in this “big bang”, the tiny little car immediately became a legend: The “giant killer” Mini Cooper S.

Driving the Mini Cooper S in the Monte Carlo Rally back in 1964, Patrick “Paddy” Hopkirk re-wrote the rules and so changed motorsport history.

The Mini recipe for success has remained basically unchanged since 1959: sufficient space for four people, not one gram of extra fat, plenty of muscle from the engine, lots of character and a truly sporting attitude – no car has remained as faithful to its principles over a long period of 40 years as the MINI.

Forty years later, it is precisely this character which gives the MINI Cooper S its enormous popularity. While retaining the ingenious “wheels at four corners” concept, the MINI Cooper S comes with the most modern automotive technology within its engine bay and, indeed, throughout the entire body of the car, ensuring maximum driving pleasure and optimum occupant safety. Engine power of 163 hp and maximum torque of 155 lb-ft give this exclusive driving machine a top speed of 135 mph, with acceleration from 0–60 in 6.9 seconds.

And to fully commemorate Paddy’s great victory, MINI USA is taking the MINI Cooper S and offering 1,000 Monte Carlo Rally Commemorative Editions, also known as the MC40.

The MC40 evokes the original MINI Cooper S that Paddy drove wearing the famous 33EJB and unmistakable number 37. In addition to the already winning platform, all 1,000 cars will be identically built in Chili Red with the signature white roof , red leather-trimmed sports seats (like the original), a John Cooper Works REAL Carbon Fiber Dash, Auxiliary Driving Lights, Chrome Grill, Mirrors, and Boot Trim, Special 17″ wheels fitted with all season runflats, Auxiliary Gauges, and a matte chrome gear knob with a special inlay.

Although pricing has not yet been released, this great commemorative vehicle will debut on February 4th at the Chicago Auto Show. The first 80 cars will be produced in Feburary at the Oxford plant with final touches being applied at the Ports. Once the vehicles are completed at the port, one vehicle per dealer will be assigned in March with the remainder being evenly built until June. Each car will come with a plaque with Paddy Hopkirk’s engraved autograph and will be individually numbered from 1 to 1,000.

I'll have a full, hands-on review of the car posted by tomorrow evening.