Mini Digs Deep into Its Heritage for the New Cooper 1499 GT

From Car and Driver

• Based on the standard Cooper Hardtop, the 1499 GT special edition model adds racy appearance items pilfered from the John Cooper Works parts bin.

• Inspiration for the car's design is courtesy of the 1275 GT model from 1969, which intended to offer buyers "Cheap Thrills" according to Mini's advertising campaign at the time.

• Only 150 1499 GTs will make their way stateside and only 30 of them will feature the coveted six-speed manual transmission; the rest get a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

The Mini brand is no stranger to special and limited edition models of its Cooper models, having done over 50 such exercises since 2001. The company's latest is the 1499 GT, which pays homage to an affordable performance model from the brand's past: the 1275 GT. The 1969 original was powered by a 60-hp 1275-cc four-cylinder engine and needed 13.3-seconds to reach 60 mph, but it offered driving enjoyment without a massive price tag.