Oxford, England  - In marking the 50th anniversary of sports car constructor John Cooper's first Formula 1 title, MINI is bringing out a special edition John Cooper Works in "Connaught green" in tribute to the legendary British racing cars of the 1950s and 1960s.

The colour theme of the racing cars is carried forward with the roof and two bonnet stripes in "pepper white" with the signature of John Cooper's son, John Michael Cooper, appearing on one of the stripes as well as on a plaque on the front fascia.

Interior features include leather seats in black with red piping. The knee-rolls and armrests are also red, and there is red stitching on the floor mats, gearshift, and handbrake lever. The sports steering wheel has an Alcantara rim, and the door grips are finished in carbon fibre to give it that extra racing feel.

The 155 kW/211 hp power unit is based on the MINI John Cooper Works Challenge that was first used in last year's racing season. Acceleration from zero to 100 km/h is in 6.5 seconds with a top speed of 238 km/h.

BMW, the parent company, lists the sales price in Germany at 38,000 euros (53,266 dollars). The edition is limited to 250 units. (dpa)