Mini takes to the field for London 2012

Although there’s no motorsport in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Mini will be making an appearance during the track and field events in the Olympic stadium.

A fleet of three remote-controlled, quarter-scale Mini Cooper JCWs are charged with retrieving javelins, discus, shot and hammer, and will cover around 6000 metres per day while on duty. Each ‘mini Mini’ has a potential payload of 8kg, and will be operated by specially-trained ‘Games Makers’.

It's a nifty sidestepping of the strict commercial rules at the Games, whereby product placement is banned. But as a major sponsor, BMW has somehow managed to persuade the Olympic organisers to allow the baby Mini on the track and field events.

By