London. Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly
Circus – what’s the best way to start a tour in the MINI Cooper SE
Convertible through a major city with nine million inhabitants and
such a wealth of history? With “Courage”. This important quality for
real change has been commemorated since 2018 by one of the newest
statues in historic London in honour of women’s rights activist Dame
Millicent Garrett Fawcett. She was one of the driving forces for
women’s suffrage. “Courage calls for courage everywhere” it
says on the banner the figure of the first monument to a woman in
Parliament Square in London is holding. It stands for social
participation and equality.
Vibrant city brimming with diversity.
The centrally located, spacious square right next to the seat of
the British Parliament in the Palace of Westminster gives us another
brief opportunity for recharging. From here, we head east across the
legendary 252-metre long Westminster Bridge in the MINI Cooper SE
Convertible (power consumption combined: 17.2 kWh/100 km according to
WLTP; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km) right into the
breathtaking atmosphere of London’s South Bank on the other side of
the Thames.
At the centre of the 1.7-kilometre stretch of waterfront there is the
Queen Elizabeth Hall, alongside the Royal Festival Hall and the Royal
National Theatre. While a daily programme of classical, jazz and
avant-garde concerts delights audiences in the upper part of the foyer
building, the vibrant heart of London’s subculture pulsates in the
basement. After all, the city’s best-known skateboarding area has been
located here since the 1970s. Next door, London’s creative scene
celebrates the city’s urban art made famous by Banksy with the
colourful graffiti tunnel on Leake Street.
Historical and contemporary structures in exciting contrast
Passing the reconstruction of Shakespeare’s famous Globe
Theatre, the route leads across London Bridge to the other side of the
river again. On the bridge, the textile soft top of the MINI Cooper SE
Convertible with its typical Union Jack design silently lowers to
reveal an ever brightening English sky. Here in the east of the city,
the enchanted church ruins of St Dunstan-in-the-East create an
exciting contrast between history and modernity. The park is
considered to be an insider’s tip and is located in and around the
nave and offers a special place for the MINI passengers to rest and
fill up their spent energy.
The MINI Cooper SE Convertible no longer has to do this in the
classic sense we know from combustion engines. Instead, the 135 kW/184
hp electric motor favours agile and easily controllable handling and
allows for 201 kilometres of locally emission-free open-air driving
pleasure according to the WLTP test cycle.
A stop at the London Sky Garden is a good idea to enjoy a view over
the city on the Thames that is as goods from a convertible. London’s
highest garden is located on the 35th floor of a skyscraper called
“Walkie-Talkie” because of its distinctive shape. Admission
is free and guarantees a fantastic view of the city, where you can
already spot the next sightseeing attractions.
Looking west, St Paul’s Cathedral, in the middle of Europe’s largest
financial centre – the borough of City of London – is easily
recognisable as one of the largest churches in the world. In the
centre of the 158-metre-long cathedral there is the 750 ton roof
lantern suspended at a height of 111 metres. 111 metres correspond to
exactly 365 feet, i.e. one foot for each day of the year.
Before this eventful day draws to a close, a spot in front of the
magnificently lit Somerset House guarantees a spectacular view of the
sea of lights at night along the Thames. Home to cultural pioneers,
Somerset House links up creativity and art with society. Part of the
neoclassical building belongs to King’s College, one of the most
prestigious higher education institutions in the world.
London doesn’t sleep, it shines.
On the opposite side of the river, the buildings lit up in
bright colours and the iconic London Eye are already reflected in the
water of the Thames. At 135 metres high and with its 32
floor-to-ceiling glass gondolas, on a clear day you can see 40
kilometres away to the royals’ Windsor Castle outside London.
For today, however, a glance from the sports seats of the open MINI
Cooper SE Convertible into the clear night sky over London is enough
to let all the great impressions pass in review. And already dream of
the next day full of open-air go-kart feeling in this electrifying metropolis.
In case of queries, please contact:
Corporate Communications
Julian Kisch, Press Spokesperson Product Communications
MINI
Phone: +49-89-382-38072
E-mail: julian.kisch@mini.com
Andreas Lampka, Head of Communications MINI
Phone:
+49-89-382-23662
E-mail andreas.lampka@mini.com
MINI Cooper SE Convertible (combined fuel consumption: 0.0 l/100
km; combined power consumption: 17.2 (WLTP) kWh/100 km; combined CO2
emissions: 0 g/km)
