Mini challenges Porsche to Road Atlanta showdown

By Chelsea Cook

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

For car company Mini, the sky is the limit.

Enlarge photo

Courtesy of Global Imports Mini Mini hired an airplane to tow a banner over Porsche’s North American headquarters in Atlanta on Monday morning.

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In its second attempt to challenge Porsche to a race at Road Atlanta, Mini hired an airplane to tow a banner over Porsche’s North American headquarters in Atlanta on Monday morning.

The banner, which read, “Dear Porsche, Bring it! Love, MINI” flew over Porsche’s location on Hammond Drive.

Mini’s initial attempt, issued via video message on June 3, challenges Porsche to race its 911 Carrera S against the Mini Cooper S at Road Atlanta on June 21.

Road Atlanta is a motor sports facility located in Hall County. The facility has a 2.54 mile, 12 turn road course and hosts 320,000 visitors annually.

Mini's banner tactic was drawing a lot of attention to Mini USA's Facebook page. Amidst the hundreds of encouraging wall posts, three users posted their own photos of the spotted banner.

"We were pretty surprised to see it," said Steve Janisse, director of media relations for Porsche, whose office is located in the building.

Jim McDowell, president of Mini USA -- and formerly of Porsche -- addressed his opponent’s decline to race in a second video message. This time, he donned a T-shirt that read, “No one likes a no-show.”

Porsche president Detlev Von Platen declined Mini’s initial challenge in an e-mail to McDowell. The e-mail, which McDowell read in a video message this morning said, “Porsche does not race for fame, stunts and publicity.” Von Platen then invited Mini to come to one of his “sanctioned races where there is more at stake than T-shirts and valet parking spaces.”

So, McDowell upped the ante. He offered two Justin Beiber concert tickets and backstage passes, a membership to the salami-of-the-month club, a collection of cashmere sweaters and other tidbits of ridiculousness.

While Porsche is shrugging off the challenge as a publicity stunt, Mini said it is taking the race very seriously.

But Porsche isn’t budging.

“It’s a fun challenge, it’s lighthearted, but Porsche [races] to win on the race track and improve our cars on the road,” Janisse said.

Janisse repeated several sentiments in Von Platen’s e-mail, stating Porsche understood why Mini wanted the challenge.

“We know how they feel, we were the little guys once, too,” Janisse said.

"Of course we're the little guys!," said Rob Collini, e-commerce manager for Global Imports Mini. "They don't call us Mini for nothin'!"