The MINI Paul Smith Cabrio arrives in Belgium, and it is pure summer fun
Two of Britain's most playful design names team up for an open-top summer
MINI is kicking off summer with something cheerful. The MINI Paul Smith Cabrio Edition, the open-top version of the brand's collaboration with British designer Paul Smith, got its Belgian premiere in the heart of Antwerp on 18 June. It is exactly the kind of joyful, detail-rich car these two names do so well together.
An Antwerp afterwork premiere
MINI Belux chose a fitting setting for the Belgian reveal: the Paul Smith boutique on the Kelderstraat in Antwerp, with an exclusive afterwork event for media and influencers on 18 June. "At MINI, we celebrate summer properly," said MINI Belux managing director Gabriel Goffoy. "This edition demonstrates that design has no limits and style can hit the road, making every drive a fashion show."
The Paul Smith touch
The exterior comes in three shades: Statement Grey, a modern reinterpretation of the 1959 Mini Austin Seven's colour, Inspired White, a contemporary take on classic Mini beige, and Midnight Black Metallic. Nottingham Green accents on the mirrors, grille trim and wheel covers nod to Paul Smith's birthplace, and the roof can be specified in Nottingham Green with signature stripes or in Jet Black. The designer's trademark striping runs across the bodywork.
The real charm, as ever with Paul Smith, is in the hidden details. The cabin uses Nuit Blue knit upholstery with subtle tone-on-tone stripes, a "Hello" light projection when you open the door, and the phrase "Every day is a new beginning" on the door sills. There is a hand-drawn rabbit motif on the floor mats and a striped textile detail on the steering wheel. These are the small, witty touches that make an owner smile every single time they get in.
Belgian range and pricing
The Paul Smith Edition is available across the MINI range, not just the Cabrio. In Belgium, the three-door Cooper C starts at €34,430 and the S at €38,680, with the five-door at €35,430 and €39,680. The Cabriolet costs €38,100 in C form and €42,100 as the S, while the electric versions are priced at €36,640 for the Cooper E and €40,640 for the SE. There is a Paul Smith MINI for almost every taste and powertrain.
AutoNext Take
Not every car has to be about lap times and power figures, and this is a perfect example of why that is a good thing. The MINI and Paul Smith partnership works because both brands understand that charm lives in the details, the rabbit on the mat, the message on the sill, the green that quietly references a designer's hometown. As an open-top summer car with a genuine sense of humour, the Paul Smith Cabrio is hard not to like. Sometimes a car just needs to make you happy, and this one clearly will.
