Topper Headon has agreed to sell his customised Mini Cooper in a bid to raise money for the Strummerville charity.
Headon was one of the members of the punk band The Clash, with the charity set up by the family of the band’s iconic frontman Joe Strummer, who died of a heart attack in 2002.
The aim of the charity is to help young people in their quest to break into the music industry and Headon has added his support by donating his Mini Cooper to a raffle.
Fans will be able to pay £10 for a ticket, with all the money gained going to the charity.
Headon said: "This car has been my pride and joy. I had it two-tone customised and it was the first car I drove when I got clean, so you can imagine I’ve been attached to it and have loved it a lot.
"But I so love the great work that Strummerville are doing, so am delighted to donate the car to be raffled."
Among the biggest hits created by The Clash are London Calling, Should I Stay or Should I Go and Rock the Casbah.
Motorists looking for a car that has a strong chance of retaining much of its value over time may wish to consider a Mini Cooper, it has been revealed.
Tim Naylor, PR manager at British Car Auctions has indicated that the vehicle range is always popular at events.
An example of the vehicle’s residual values can be gained by looking at a 1.6-litre Mini Cooper on a 07 number plate that has completed 23,000 miles.
On average this vehicle sold at auction for about 73.7 per cent of its original showroom price and the range’s popularity is expected to grow further, with the Mini Cooper recently celebrating its 50th birthday.
Mr Naylor said: "Mini has great character and massive appeal. The car is genuinely aspirational for a wide range of drivers of all ages.
"We expect to see plenty of demand at auction as people celebrate 50 years of Britain’s favourite small car."
Motorists can also expect to get 52.3 miles to the gallon from a Mini Cooper, while being able to reach a top speed of 126 miles per hour.
Over 25,000 Mini Cooper fans made the trip to Silverstone at the weekend to be a part of the Mini United 2009 festival.
Visitors from 40 countries assembled in the sun at the venue and enjoyed live performances from the likes of Paul Weller and Calvin Harris.
Meanwhile, they also got to witness fascinating car displays and stunt driving, alongside Mini challenge racing.
Furthermore, three special edition models were unveiled, one of which was the Mini 50 Mayfair.
Among the highlights of the car are the toffee-coloured leather seats, which match the knee-roll below the dashboard, the gearstick knob and the inlay on the lower section of the steering wheel.
The car also has extra headlights situated on the radiator grille on the outside, with motorists given the choice of two metallic finishes – either Hot Chocolate or Midnight Black.
Mini United 2009 ran over three days between May 22nd and 24th and was organised as a celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of the vehicle.
The Mini United festival at Silverstone was not the only event to mark the 50th anniversary of the Mini Cooper this weekend, with fans of the brand in Norfolk attending a celebration of their own.
A number of Mini Cooper owners made an appearance at Fakenham racecourse to take part in the Norfolk Mini Owner’s Club Rally, according to the Eastern Daily Press.
Among the visitors to the event was Norfolk club member Frances Graham, who has owned her Mini Cooper from new since 1965.
The 69-year-old told the publication: "The car has aged better than me. They are an interesting car because they were so different when they first came out.
"All the celebrities were driving them. The engine and drive system were different and despite the smallness of them you could get quite a lot in."
While the likes of the Beatles were known to drive around in Mini vehicles in their heyday, cars from the range remain popular with celebrities to this day.
These include Madonna, Elijah Wood and Goldie Hawn, with Madonna opting to drive the 2005 Mini Cooper S when she stays in her London home.
Mini Cooper fans flocking to the Mini United event that begins tomorrow (May 22nd) will be able to witness a one-off vehicle made especially to resemble that of late Beatle George Harrison.
When all of the Beatles were given a Mini Cooper by their band manager Brian Epstein in the 1960s, Harrison chose to paint his with a range of psychedelic images.
Now a new Mini Cooper S is being painted to mark the 50th birthday of the Mini Cooper, which will be auctioned off after the Mini United event to raise money for the Material World Foundation.
Harrison’s widow Olivia said: "George was a huge Mini fan and he would have enjoyed creating this new version.
"The fact that Mini’s anniversary celebrations will also benefit our foundation has made it an enjoyable as well as meaningful collaboration."
Harrison’s Mini also featured in the band’s 1967 television movie Magical Mystery Tour.
The Mini United festival runs at Silverstone between May 22nd and 24th and features performances by both Paul Weller and Calvin Harris among others.
Fans of the Mini Cooper range have been told of some interesting little-known facts that may be of interest to them.
The Guardian reports on some facts that are published in the book Mini: An Intimate Biography, providing some revealing insights about scenarios involving a vehicle from the Mini brand.
Among the facts announced are that racing driver Stirling Moss was once banned from driving for a year after being caught speeding in a Mini.
Furthermore, the apparent record for the number of people that can be crammed into a Mini is 66, while the largest ever line of Mini drivers to form a convoy is thought to be 299.
Finally, actor Kevin Spacey, famous for roles in films including American Beauty and Usual Suspects, once apparently paid $130,000 to own the last classic Mini Cooper to be built.
One of the vehicles open to motorists in the Mini Cooper range is the Mini Cooper Clubman, which has a top speed of 125 miles per hour and generates CO2 emissions of 132g/km.
Mini fans may be excited to know that a new vehicle is being added to the manufacturer’s fleet, with a Graphite edition available under selected Mini guises.
Mini Cooper supporters will be able to take advantage of a vehicle under the Graphite umbrella, while it will also be available under the Mini One guise.
Features of the Mini Cooper Graphite that may appeal to motorists include a piano black interior, dark silver metallic paint, white indicator lenses and the choice of either black or white bonnet stripes.
Orders for all vehicles in the Mini Graphite range are currently being taken at UK dealerships, with finance deals available.
It is expected that the first owners of a vehicle from the Mini Graphite range will be among those in attendance at the Mini United festival which takes place towards the end of this month.
The event is being held at Silverstone between May 22nd and 24th, with Paul Weller and Calvin Harris named as the festival’s starring acts.
Weller is also well-known for his association with acts including The Jam and The Style Council.
Those behind the Mini Cooper range have called on motorists to show their loyalty to Britain when they trade in their vehicles under the new scrappage scheme.
Mini UK will be taking part in the government’s scrappage scheme, meaning that motorists who scrap their vehicles that are over ten years old will be given a £2,000 discount off the cost of a participating vehicle.
And Mini has called on motorists to choose a car that is British built, such as the Mini Hatch, Mini Clubman or the all-new Mini Convertible.
Andy Hearn, Mini UK general manager, said: "With close to 150 UK dealers and manufacturing bases in Oxford, Swindon and Hams Hall, I am certain that British people will recognise the importance of Mini to the UK economy, particularly as this year we are celebrating half a century of Mini in Britain."
Buyers of the Mini Cooper Hatch will benefit from a vehicle that can accelerate from zero to 62 miles per hour in 9.1 seconds and a fuel consumption of 52.3 miles to the gallon.
With the government proposing to lower urban speed limits to 20 miles per hour in some areas, this could be of benefit to cars travelling behind a Mini Cooper, according to a reviewer.
After test-driving the Mini Cooper Convertible 1.6, Giles Smith states in the Times that this will offer Mini Cooper drivers the optimum time to drop their top or put it up.
He remarks that the new roof mechanism can either be lowered or raised at speeds of up to 20 miles per hour in 15 seconds and thus could be done in these areas rather than when it is suitable to pull over and stop.
As well as the impressive roof, Mr Smith also comments that Mini has tried to enhance its appeal to men through the inclusion of a new gadget.
Mini drivers are now able to benefit from a device called the Openometer, which allows an individual to precisely know the number of miles and the amount of time the car has been driven with the roof down.
However, Mr Smith believes that although the feature is "clever and amusing", it goes against the light-hearted and free-spirited notion of what driving a convertible is meant to be like.
The Mini Cooper Convertible has a top speed of 123 miles per hour and generates 137g/km of carbon dioxide.
Motorists choosing to buy a Mini Cooper Clubman will be gaining a vehicle that has a "funky" look on the inside, according to one reviewer.
Writing for the Dumfries and Galloway Standard, Patrick James indicates that there are many strong elements to the Clubman’s interior.
He remarks that the vehicle is "deceptively spacious", as both the driver and passengers can travel in comfort with good amounts of both head and leg room.
Furthermore, he highlights that the Mini Cooper has "firm and supportive" seats, with the flick switches and other buttons giving the impressions of cars of old.
Mr James also states that those motorists who are unsure of whether BMW has succeeded in moving the Mini into the 21st century, only have to look at the sales figures.
He concludes that the "Mini has never been more popular", as buyers are realising that they are benefiting from a car that has charm and holds its value.
The Mini Cooper Clubman has a top speed of 125 miles per hour, while generating 132g/km of CO2.
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