Mini Pat Moss Edition showcases flower power

LEOW JU-LEN

THE first person to win an international rally event in a Mini was, in fact, a woman. To celebrate the feat, Mini has adorned its sporty hatchbacks with the winning driver’s name, along with various styling features such as a roof painted in 3 different colours, blending smoothly from one to the next.

Mini is only building 800 Pat Moss Editions of its Cooper S hatchback, just 5 of which are bound for Singapore. The brand is showcasing it at VivoCity until Aug 10, alongside other special edition cars. With names like Untold, Untamed and Resolute, these are tarted up versions of the brand’s zippy machines, intended to emphasise the British marque’s playful sense of fashion.

The Pat Moss Edition is a reminder of Mini’s sporting credentials, however. A tulip motif on the car recalls Moss’ victory in the 1962 Dutch rally, a 2,500 km race from the Netherlands to the French Riviera and back. The win might be the only one for a 3-person team in rallying history, since co-driver Ann Wisdom was pregnant at the time.

With Wisdom on her side, Moss was crowned European Ladies’ Rally Champion 5 times. Her older brother, Sir Stirling Moss, never clinched a title in his own racing field, the Formula 1 championship, despite driving for the likes of Mercedes and Maserati. Perhaps, he would have had more luck with a Mini in rallying.