Renowned British designer Paul Smith unveils today a new MINI project. Following the MINI STRIP model introduced nearly two years ago, Smith is now bringing to life the MINI RECHARGED. The new project starts life as a 1998 MINI Paul Smith Edition, but it swaps the traditional drivetrain for a fully electric powertrain. The engineers from ‘Recharged Heritage Limited’ were responsible for the electric conversion. The new MINI partner converted the classic Mini into an emission-free vehicle by installing a 72-kilowatt electric motor from the MINI Cooper SE.
Next, the MINI RECHARGED explores the possibilities of sustainable design by creating a minimalistic interior and removing several parts. MINI and Paul Smith left out trim parts, while the bodyshell with its bare, unclad floor pan dominates the interior, with rustic floor mats made of recycled rubber on top. Furthermore, Paul Smith’s design leaves out entire instruments in other places: a magnet next to the steering wheel accommodates the smartphone, which, apart from the speedometer, replaces almost all the old buttons and functions on the dashboard. The steering wheel in his exclusive model can be completely removed to facilitate getting in and out of the car.
“We have made a 1990s car totally relevant for today,” Smith says. “Ideas are never the problem, you can find them everywhere. The challenge is to implement them. Here it worked. A dream has come true,” he added. In 1998 he created the MINI Paul Smith Edition, limited to 1,800 vehicles. The prototype of this unique edition was painted a bright blue based on a swatch taken from one of Paul Smith’s favourite shirts.
For the purposes of exhibiting the unique design at the Salone del Mobile 2022 in Milan, the Paul Smith showroom will be designed in the striking colours of the MINI Recharged by Paul Smith.
