MINI USA and RIDEMAKERZ Team Up To Debut Smallest MINI Ever

MINI USA and RIDEMAKERZ Team Up To Debut Smallest MINI Ever

Companies Announce Joint Holiday Donation Guaranteeing 2,000 MINI RIDEZ to Toys for Tots; Invite Public to Donate As Well

'Tween' Sensation Jansen Panettiere, and Children from Madison Square Boys & Girls Club and Latino Pastoral Action Center Family Life Academy Charter School are the First to Build Their Own RIDEMAKERZ MINI Cooper S

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- MINI USA and RIDEMAKERZ have teamed up to create the smallest MINI ever -- the RIDEMAKERZ MINI -- a 12- inch, completely customizable toy replica of the iconic MINI Cooper S -- and have guaranteed a holiday donation of 2,000 of the new toy MINIs to Toys for Tots -- the companies jointly announced today at an event celebrating the launch of the new MINI RIDE.

Joined by "tween" sensation Jansen Panettiere (star of the Nickelodeon movie "The Last Day of Summer" and the upcoming film "The Perfect Game") more than 30 kids, ages 8-10, from the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club and the Latino Pastoral Action Center Family Life Academy Charter School in the Bronx, New York, are the first to build the new MINI RIDEZ. In addition the two companies presented 100 of the pint-sized cars to eight uniformed members of the U.S. Marines, who received the donation on behalf of Toys for Tots. Following the donation ceremony, MINI of Manhattan became "Santa's workshop," outfitted like a traditional RIDEMAKERZ retail shop featuring "zones" where kids -- with the help of Panettiere and the U.S. Marines -- were able to create their very own one-of-a-kind MINI RIDE.

The partnership between MINI USA, automaker of the iconic and uniquely customizable line of passenger cars that made small cars cool, and RIDEMAKERZ, the innovative new toy retailer whose concept of allowing kids the hands-on experience of customizing one-of-a-kind RIDEZ was inspired by the successful Build-A-Bear Workshop(R), underscores the companies' shared commitment to delivering products and experiences that reflect fun and creativity.

"We are delighted to have partnered with RIDEMAKERZ -- a company that, like MINI, values innovation and individualization and embodies those qualities in its products," said Jim McDowell, Vice President of MINI USA. "We think everyone -- adults and kids alike -- should have the opportunity to experience the imagination and passion of MINI. That's why we're encouraging all individuals to donate a MINI RIDE of their own to someone in need this holiday season."

To donate a RIDE to Toys for Tots, consumers can visit a RIDEMAKERZ Shop, now through December 13th, or go online to www.RIDEMAKERZ.com/mini, now through December 31st. Consumers wishing to purchase and donate a MINI RIDE online can simply click on "Give the Gift of MINI," which will allow them to choose a RIDE and have it shipped directly to Toys for Tots organizations around the country. As a part of MINI's Motoring Hearts program - which encourages MINI owners and enthusiasts to give back to their favorite charities - this initiative promises to help deliver the creativity and fun of the RIDEMAKERZ MINI to numerous underprivileged children this holiday season.

"The RIDEMAKERZ experience is designed to provide choice, unleash creativity, foster confidence, encourage collaboration and instill a sense of community. These are our core values -- or what we call The Five C'Z of RZ. MINI's focus on customization, shared sense of adventure and contagious spirit of fun make the partnership and the opportunity to participate in the Toys for Tots donation a perfect fit with RIDEMAKERZ," says Larry Andreini, ZEO of RIDEMAKERZ. "With more than 649,000,000 possible ways to customize a RIDE, we are excited to be giving kids the gift of creativity -- and the smallest MINI ever -- just in time for the holidays."

MINI RIDEZ Kids of All Ages Can Enjoy

The RIDEMAKERZ MINI guarantees a distinctive and truly one-of-a-kind holiday gift for kids and car enthusiasts of all ages. Tapping into America's love of cars and the massive car-customizing movement, RIDEMAKERZ invites guests, or "customizers" into the ultimate car-customizing Shop where they can CHOOZE, SONICIZE, MOTORIZE, MOBILIZE, CUSTOMIZE, PERSONALIZE and CRUIZE(TM) one-of-a-kind RIDEZ. The cars can be tricked out with a variety of performance and styling options so that no two MINI RIDEZ are alike. The companies also will offer a limited quantity of special Launch Edition MINI RIDEZ, customized with innovative graphics by renowned car customizer and MINI enthusiast Fireball Tim.

Available in four colors -- Chili Red, Hot Orange, Laser Blue and Asphalt Black -- and priced at either $22 or $25, the RIDEMAKERZ MINIs are available online at www.RIDEMAKERZ.COM, as well as at four RIDEMAKERZ Shop locations: Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach, SC, the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN, the Spotsylvania Towne Center in Spotsylvania, VA and Castleton Square Mall in Indianapolis (additional RIDEMAKERZ Shop locations will launch in Spring 2008).

RIDEMAKERZ(R)

RIDEMAKERZ mission is to have great fun making cool RIDEZ -- with the ultimate vision of contributing to the positive development of kidz. Inspired by Build-A-Bear Workshop(R), a partner and investor in the concept, RIDEMAKERZ is about the joy and fun of creating something great, something artistic, something unique and original. Visit www.RIDEMAKERZ.COM for more information.

MINI in the United States

MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC which has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls- Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all Z4 models and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 142 BMW motorcycle retailers, 82 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at:

www.bmwgroupna.com

www.bmwusa.com

www.bmwmotorcycles.com

www.miniusa.com

www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

Journalist note: Information about the BMW Group and its products is available to journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following address: www.press.bmwgroup.com.

Broadcast quality video footage is available via The NewsMarket at www.thenewsmarket.com.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: MINI USA

CONTACT: Andrew S. Cutler, MINI Communications Manager of MINI USA,
+1-201-307-3784, andrew.cutler@miniusa.com; or Jeff Bachmann of Blick and
Staff Communications for RIDEMAKERZ, +1-314-471-8344, jeffb@blickandstaff.com

Web site:

http://www.miniusa.com/
http://www.ridemakerz.com/

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