The MINI John Cooper Works dons its finest attire with the 1965 Victory Edition special edition

Year after year, the Monte Carlo Rally always leaves us with images worth remembering; it is, after all, one of the oldest motoring events, first held in 1911. Over all these years, many brands have achieved glory in this demanding event, among them MINI, which in 1965 won the rally with the Cooper S driven by Timo Mäkinen and his co-driver Paul Easter, .

That small city car in sheep’s clothing was praised at the time for its innovative technology, performance and agility in extreme weather conditions, qualities that MINI now wishes to replicate and modernise in the new 1965 Victory Edition special edition. This edition will be exclusively linked to the MINI John Cooper Works, both in its combustion-engined version and in its electric version.

Aesthetically, the exterior of both models pays tribute to the legendary colours of motorsport in the 1960s, with the bodywork finished in Chili Red combined with a white stripe running lengthwise. This latter colour is also used for the graphic with the number 52 on the sides, a nod to the number carried by the winning Cooper S in 1965, and a date sticker on the C-pillar marks the year. Fitted with 18-inch wheels in the two-tone JCW Lap Spoke design, or the JCW Mastery Spoke design in black for the electric variant, both with floating hubs and the JCW valve caps painted in the specific colour combination. The exterior is finished off with a panoramic roof.

Moving inside this 1965 Victory Edition, opening the doors reveals a sill that features a trim with the inscription “1965” in white on a red and black background, along with a dedication inside the door giving details about the rally. The upholstery features typical JCW colours, such as anthracite grey paired with details like red and light grey topstitching, as well as unique touches such as the 1965 on the steering wheel and centre console, or the number 52 on the key fob.

As mentioned, the 1965 Victory Edition will be associated with the John Cooper Works versions. Opting for the combustion engine, it features a four-cylinder, 2,000 cc block with TwinPower Turbo technology and BMW, delivering 231 CV and 381 Nm of torque, managed through the sporty dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The fully electric version produces 258 CV and 350 Nm of torque.

For the time being, the price of this special edition for Spain is unknown, although MINI has confirmed that the John Cooper Works 1965 Victory Edition will be available on the European market from July.