Magazine_October_2023

PARTNER
MINI
BIG
partner
LOVE
Coert-Jan Krietemeijer
CEO MINI Nederland
Aartsen may use big trucks to transport our
fruit and vegetables, but when it comes to
moving our people, we choose MINI.
A vital partner in this regard is MINI Nederland:
in conjunction with the dealer, they ensure
that our MINIs are just as nonstopfresh as
every other business unit. ‘What got me
excited is the fact that there is an Aartsen
MINI that drives 10,000 km across Europe to
visit farmers and cultivators. I think it's a great
story that really reflects the MINI ethos’,
says Coert-Jan Krietemeijer,
head of MINI Nederland.
for
MINI
Personality and culture
‘Businesses readily connect with us and often discover a synergy
with MINI that reflects their brand and company culture. What appeals
to people is the fact that you can completely put together your
own MINI, it's an extension of your personality and your workplace
culture. Just look at the Aartsen models, which are all nonstopfresh
in terms of their colour and appearance. MINI offers so many ways to
personalise your car from tip to tail, both inside and out. The lighting
can also be adjusted to suit your mood, for example. And in the new
MINI models, you can even display your own photos on the unique
round OLED screen inside the car.’
The three fundamentals
‘MINI's success is based on three fundamentals: the go-kart
feeling, digitalisation, and sustainability. Taking the first of these:
I always have a smile on my face when I drive a MINI. The go-kart
feeling is amazing, and provides a lot of enjoyment. That's how MINI
began, and it hasn't changed. That is especially true of our electric
models, where the battery is installed below the floor, creating a
lower centre of gravity and enhancing the go-kart feeling even more.’
The future is electric
‘Currently around 25% of MINI models sold in the Netherlands are
electric. Next year that will be 50%, and from 2030 onwards all new
models will be 100% electric. Speaking of culture: the Netherlands
is already a leader when it comes to electric cars. The electric
MINI convertible has been a huge success here in the Netherlands.
This year we will be unveiling two new models: a fully electric MINI
Cooper as the most compact, and a fully electric MINI Countryman
as the largest model. And 2024 will see the release of a completely
new intermediate model: the electric MINI Aceman.’
Sustainable choices
‘Our sustainability choices are not limited to just electric cars,
but are also reflected in our use of materials. We work with vegan
leather in the interior, make increasing use of recycled materials
(for elements such as the parcel shelf), and we have greatly reduced
the amount of chrome we use, since the chroming process generates
a lot of pollution. The production process itself is also becoming
more and more sustainable. Since 2014, our site in Oxford has
generated energy using a staggering 11,500 solar panels, and the
heat produced when painting the cars is reused to heat the building.
These are some of the ways that we at MINI are working towards
sustainability, and constantly trying to keep our carbon footprint
to a minimum.’
British roots
‘MINI currently benefits from the fact that we are part of the BMW
Group, with all of its sustainability regulations that also extend to
the supply chain. But we do retain our own independent, distinctive
culture and trademark English identity. On my desk there is a sketch
of the very first MINI Classic designed by Sir Alec Issigonis, which
remains our inspiration to this day. These roots are still visible in our
compact models, the interior, and the use of intelligent innovations.
All models still have the same round clock and characteristic switches.
And although the clock in the newest models is an OLED screen
– the first round OLED screen in the world, incidentally – it is still
typically and uniquely MINI. Just like the taillights in the shape of
the Union Jack.’
Big Love
‘The culture of MINI can actually be summed up in just two words:
Big Love. Love for the planet, for people, and for our sustainable
and inclusive future. At MINI we believe in positive change, and are
open to everybody. One big believer in the Big Love philosophy is
spoken-word artist Sophia Thakur, who has written spoken-word
poems for the new upcoming MINI models. The poem she wrote
for the MINI Cooper is called ‘The Icon,’ and if there’s one word
that describes the Cooper, it's certainly “iconic”!’
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