MINI GETS MINI-ER FOR LONDON GAMES

As the name implies, MINI cars are compact, but the brand known for thinking laterally has come up with a cracker mini idea in London.

As part of its partnership with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games BMW is supplying a range of full electric, zero emission vehicles including 40 MINI Es (BMW owns the MINI brand).

They're doing a sterling job, shuttling athletes and officials between venues, having already supported the Olympic Torch Relay convoy on its trek around the UK.

Now a fleet of quarter scale, remote-control versions has been brought in to service as the track and field events get underway from this weekend.

Three 'Mini MINIs' will be used in the main Olympic Stadium to ferry javelins, discuses, hammers and shots back from the field in the throwing events.

The 7.5Kw hatches were designed and built to a specification agreed by the London organising committee, and each is expected to cover around 6000 metres a day in four hour shifts. They measure 1.1m long, 500mm wide, 400mm high, and can carry a load of up to 8kg, which equates to a single discus, hammer or shot, or a pair of javelins.