Retro style and modern materials give the new Mini Ray plenty of style to turn heads. One of the noticeable features when driving the new Mini Ray is the extra special quirkiness and likeability of the car’s interior. Straight away the speedometer is prominent in the centre of the car’s dash. Rimmed with chrome and boasting black numbers on a white background, the speedo is clear to read and cool to look at. All the passengers can glance at the speedo, so you won’t need a cruise control unit on this wee joker! Plenty of circular dials and gadgets are scattered about the Mini Ray cabin and dashboard in a well ordered and balanced kind of way to add visual appeal and plenty of fun.

Upholstery finish is superb, and the likeable feel and contouring on the Mini Ray seats is pleasing to one’s body shape. They are good seats to sit in, and they are also noticeably comfortable for long periods at the wheel. When you buy a Mini Ray, you can opt for many customising features to suit your tastes. As far as the fabric for the seats goes, there is a wide range of cloth, cloth with leather, and leather options. Use of twin colours on the seats and surrounding surfaces make for a very appealing combination. A chunky steering wheel gives a great driving feel, and the link between the driver, steering wheel and gear lever is close to perfect. This driving satisfaction is married to great steering feedback, so the overall driving experience of the Mini Ray is brilliant and fun.

Lots of options for luxury and technological items are also available. You’ll find that the Mini Ray can come equipped with the entertainment and navigation functions displayed at the bottom of the central speedometer dial. The orange/red digital read outs look very stylish and sophisticated. Electric windows and a powerful air conditioning unit come as standard Mini Ray features. You can opt for the up-market Hi-Fi sound system which really tickles the ear of any musician. Then there is the standard stereo package which gives great audible sound, anyway, possibly leaving you wondering why you bothered spending extra on the up-market sounds.

You’ve got 50:50 split folding rear seats which give the Mini Ray a practical edge to the car’s cabin space. Imagine a holiday for two in one of these little head-turners, as the 160 litres with the rear seats up can be transformed into 680 litres with the rear seats down. What else can two do in that space?

Glance your eyes over the Mini Ray exterior, and the car has to rate as one of the best looking small hatches money can buy. And with the Mini Ray you won’t have to fork out too much ‘dosh’ because the base pricing is excellent and very competitive. With nothing coming close, except maybe a Suzuki Swift Sport, you are guaranteed that the sporty Mini Ray appearance will draw plenty of attention. It’s special. It’s as simple as that. Chrome trim about the exterior gives that extra bit of class – sadly lacking on many small hatch rivals. I don’t know why it is that bland colour coded plastic bumpers and rounded overweight lines are appealing to the masses.

Engine response is great. With the Mini Ray you’ll have plenty of fun with the flexible and willing 1.6-litre, petrol motor. Rated at 72 kW @ 6000 rpm, there is response aplenty. In manual form you’ll find that the Ray can perform the 0-100 km/h dash in 10.5 seconds. The auto also gets along nicely, and takes a smidgeon over 12 seconds for the same test. The top speed for both variants gets you into well over 180 km/h for the manual variant, and a smidgeon over 180 km/h for the auto variant. Smooth willing autos, like the one in the Mini Ray, means that driving is relaxed and well taken care of. Excellent fuel economy puts the Mini Ray at the top of its class. And if you are concerned for the environment, then the 127 g/km (manual) and 156 g/km (auto) is light on the emissions results for the Mini Ray.

As you would expect with the BMW owned and designed Mini Ray the cars safety is off the top shelf. Active safety features – Active Stability Control, ABS, EBD Dynamic Stability Control, Cornering Control and Traction Control – give the FWD Mini Ray the edge over the competition. Such controlled steering, excellent brakes and road holding are hallmarks of Mini. Add to that an array of airbags, actively turning bi Xenon headlights, and a very rigid and strong safety shell, and the Mini Ray is a super, safe bet.

Private Fleet prides themselves in attaining a beaut price for new car buyers. The Mini Ray has an extensive new car warranty and after service deals, so setting yourself up with a Mini Ray of your choice is as easy as can be.

The current model series includes the:

• Mini Ray manual
• Mini Ray auto

For any more information on the Mini Ray, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quotes requests out to our national network of Mini dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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