2015 Mini Cooper S does best gymkhana impersonation in Malaysia
Fri, 18 Apr 2014Mini Malaysia wants you - at least those of you in Southeast Asia - to know that the new Mini has a riptide of adrenaline and sharp teeth underneath its larger, more ergonomically efficient exterior. To make the point it enlisted the aid of Putrajaya roads, local agency Saatchi & Saatchi Arachnid and four local action sports stars: Fizzy, Shuk, Rizlan and Nasa.
A bog standard Mini Cooper S is the star, its 192-horsepower engine and rollcage-free cabin reinforcing the message that you can do the same thing in a model right off the showroom floor... if you happen to have the same skills as Ivan Khong, the Malaysian Gymkhana Champion behind the wheel. You can read the backstory in the press release and watch how it all comes together in the video below.
Men vs. MINI: MINI Malaysia Pits Man Against Machine in New Online Video by Saatchi & Saatchi Arachnid
17 April 2014 -- In conjunction with the launch of the New 2014 MINI (F56) cars, MINI Malaysia celebrates the uprated power and legendary go-kart agility of its new models in an action-packed online video that pits man against MINI. Conceptualised by Saatchi & Saatchi Arachnid, the web video nudges MINI towards an edgier, performance-oriented demeanour.
In a first for the automotive brand, the MINI Cooper F56 competes against four extreme stuntmen in a battle waged on land, water and air. Each stunt person performs a range of tricks and manoeuvers, with the MINI matching their skill on the road.
The stunt, filmed in Putrajaya, Malaysia, used a stock showroom-spec car completely devoid of any modifications driven by Ivan Khong, a rally driver, performance driving instructor and Malaysian Gymkhana Champion. The online video was filmed over two days without camera tricks, using only a Sony F700, two Canon 5D MK3s, ten GoPro cameras and two drone-mounted cameras.
The stuntmen featured are:
• Fizzy: A Top 10 Asian Extreme Sports Championship BMX freestyle rider
• Shuk: Malaysia's first pro Flyboard performer and instructor
• Rizlan: A Paramotor pilot and member of Malaysia's pioneer North Pole Free Fall Expedition
• Nasa: Skydiver and BASE jumper with over 200 jumps to date
The video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-5CoPMPau0
By Jonathon Ramsey
See also: Mini lifts veil on refreshed Countryman in New York, 2014 Mini John Cooper Works Countryman All4, 2015 Mini Countryman getting mild facelift for NY.