Woodcliff Lake, NJ (April 16, 2009) – In a year when most auto sales have shifted into low gear, MINI is moving full speed ahead to introduce its zippy, eco-efficient models to the Philadelphia metropolitan area.  Proving that motoring is fun – even if you don’t have a motor – MINI today announced that it is signing on as the automotive sponsor of the TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championship, Philadelphia’s annual kick-off event to summer that draws some 300,000 fans.  This year’s June 7^th event will mark the 25^th running of the nation’s top cycling classic, and a special MINI Cooper pace car will lead the pack for both the men’s and women’s international races.

The eight MINI vehicles, to be put into service during the six-hour, 156-mile men’s race and the two-and-a-half hour, 55-mile women’s Liberty Classic, will be provided by two Philadelphia-area dealers – MINI of the Main Line in Bala Cynwyd and Otto’s MINI of West Chester.  MINI will be represented by all model types, including the MINI Cooper, MINI Cooper S, MINI Cooper Clubman, and the all-new MINI Cooper Convertible, along the 14.4-mile race course that stretches from the city’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway to its hillside neighborhood of Manayunk.

“What better way for us to showcase MINI’s style, go-kart-like handling and unmatched maneuverability than in front of an audience of more than 300,000 cycling fans in the heart of Philadelphia,” said Gerry Matthew, Regional Business Manager for MINI USA.  “Cycling fans have a lot in common with MINI fans, and we’re delighted to be supporting this iconic race in what will be a very visible way.”

“We are thrilled to participate in this great Philadelphia tradition,” Matthews continued. “This is a terrific event to highlight our cars in a venue where the exposure is huge and the MINI Coopers are perfectly suited to tasks they’ll perform.”

Race officials and members of the press, a limited number of key sponsors, guests of the race, and VIP spectators also will get their turns to spin around the course in a specially designated fleet of MINI Cooper Convertibles for exclusive “up close and personal” rides.  For the first time this year, race-goers will have a chance to win the highly sought-after experience of the VIP rides through a special promotion.

“Quick, maneuverable cars are critical to the race, which makes the MINI Cooper a natural for this role,” said Jerry Casale, chief operating officer for the Pro Cycling Tour.  “They’ll be more than capable of setting the pace and keeping race officials and members of the press close to the action.”

Throughout its 25-year history, the Philadelphia International Cycling Championship has been a cornerstone of American professional cycling and is the only bike race in the U.S. that takes over a major city for six hours and draws crowds of 300,000-plus.  The event will welcome 400 professional cyclists from 23 countries, close to 1,000 amateur cyclists in ancillary events, and some 50 exhibitors, including MINI with a vehicle display, for the all-new, two-day Cycling & Lifestyle EXPO presented by Bicycling Magazine.   

For more information about MINI, visit: www.MINIUSA.COM. For additional information about the 25^th Philadelphia International Cycling Championship, please visit: www.procyclingtour.com.

MINI in the US

MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group.  In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC which has been present in the United States since 1975.  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.  The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sport Activity Coupes.  The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 142 BMW motorcycle retailers, 83 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at:

www.bmwgroupna.com

www.bmwusa.com

www.bmwmotorcycles.com

www.miniusa.com

www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

Information about the BMW Group and its products is available to journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following address: www.press.bmwgroup.com.  Broadcast quality video footage is available via The NewsMarket at www.thenewsmarket.com.

For further information on the TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championship, visit www.procyclingtour.com.

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Pro Cycling Tour

The TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championship is owned and managed by PCT Pennsylvania, LLC, an affiliate of Pro Cycling Tour, LLC, of Audubon, Penn.  Pro Cycling Tour is dedicated to the development and management of quality cycling events and programs in the United States.  For the latest news on company activities, go to: www.procylingtour.com

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