SIZE DOES NOT COUNT: Diminutive 11' 10" MINI Cooper Welcomed to the U.S.

NEW YORK, March 26 -- The MINI Cooper's first-time availability in America was celebrated today with dazzling stunt driving and the announcement of its starring role in the new Austin Powers film.

With the same quirky, cheeky excitement that made the original Mini a legend, the diminutive 11' 10`` MINI Cooper burst upon the American scene today with high-speed parallel parking and two-wheel driving stunts executed by famed stunt driver Russ Swift. The display highlighted the car's exceptional handling and maneuverability. Swift, who has been performing MINI stunts for years in Europe, executed the stunts to welcome MINI to the United States the day before the New York Auto Show.

MINI's handling and performance will also be showcased this summer, this time on the big screen, as MINI makes its film debut in New Line Cinema's new Austin Powers film. Austin Powers and MINI team up for some of the most dazzling chase scenes yet, with MINI racing and cornering at high speeds through the unlikeliest of places. MINI's size, speed and maneuverability promise to create a whole new type of car chase in the world of film. And it will prove once and for all that, in the words of Nigel Powers (Austin's father, played by Michael Caine, of MINI's Italian Job fame), ``it's not size that matters, baby, but how you use it.''

The original Mini was a British classic with 5.3 million sold and was voted 'European Car of the Century'. The MINI earned legendary status in the 1960s as a favorite of celebrities from the Beatles and David Bowie to Peter Sellers and the Queen of England. The spunky little car also inspired fashion designer Mary Quant to create her famed mini skirt.

The modern development of a genuine classic, new MINIs are now available to eager American drivers who have established fan clubs and web sites for the car that, until this month, had not been available in this country. The new MINIs will be sold at approximately 70 dealerships throughout the country.

Building on the classic Mini style, the new MINI Cooper offers the very latest technology, and is one of the most advanced cars of its size in the world. It was designed for handling and performance, and is extremely safe with a body shell rigidity two to three times greater than the norm for cars of its size, and features an array of new technology such as Dynamic Stability Control and six airbags.

The new 115 horsepower MINI Cooper and 163 horsepower MINI Cooper S have created a completely new market in the US: the small car, premium car segment. The engine is a 16 valve, 1.6 liter unit and will be available with an optional automatic transmission. The base Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price for the MINI Cooper is $16,850 and $19,850 for the Cooper S.

Austin Powers III is directed by Jay Roach and written by Mike Myers and Michael McCullers. The film is produced by Mike Myers, John Lyons and Eric McLeod along with co-producer Gregg Taylor. For more information, log on to http://www.austinpowers.com

Founded in 1967, New Line Cinema is the entertainment industry's leading independent producer and distributor of theatrical motion pictures. New Line licenses its films to ancillary markets including cable and broadcast television as well as to international venues. The company, which is a subsidiary of AOL Time Warner Inc., operates several divisions including in- house theatrical distribution, marketing, home video, television, acquisitions, production, licensing and merchandising units.

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