Anniversary editions are popular with consumers and automakers, but they typically follow a predictable pattern. However, Mini is mixing things up by honoring the 61st anniversary of their win at the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally.

That’s a weird anniversary to celebrate, but the company is marking the occasion by unveiling the new 1965 Victory Edition. Based on the Cooper, the model features a Chili Red exterior with a full-length white body stripe and a white “52” graphic on both sides of the vehicle.

More: Mini’s New Paul Smith Edition Nails Understated Cool

They’re joined by a Glaced or panoramic glass roof and a “1965” sticker on the C-pillar. The model also sports 18-inch alloy wheels in either a black or two-tone design.

The upgrades extend to the cabin, which has been adorned with special door sill plates and a sport steering wheel featuring 1965 badging. Elsewhere, there’s two-tone accents, 52 graphics, and a special storage box in the center console. Buyers will also find a ‘hidden’ door sticker noting Timo Mäkinen’s win at the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally in a Cooper S.

Multiple Engine Options

Three different powertrains are available as the Cooper S 1965 Victory Edition has a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder pumping out 201 hp (150 kW / 204 PS) and 221 lb-ft (300 Nm) of torque. It enables the model to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 6.6 seconds.

Customers can also get a JCW variant, which has an upgraded 2.0-liter turbo producing 228 hp (170 kW / 231 PS) and 280 lb-ft (380 Nm) of torque. This lowers the dash to 62 mph (100 km/h) to 6.1 seconds.

If that’s too slow, the John Cooper Works Electric hits 62 mph (100 km/h) in 5.9 seconds thanks to a beefy motor producing 255 hp (190 kW / 258 PS). The model is also notable for having a 49.2 kWh battery pack and a range of 226-250 miles (364-402 km) in the United Kingdom.

The special edition will be launched later this year and offered in an assortment of different markets. However, Americans will only get the JCW variant and it’ll cost $46,220 before a $1,175 destination fee.

Europe’s new car market didn’t exactly start the 2026 race in a flurry of smokey wheelspins. Registrations across the EU, UK, and EFTA slipped 3.5 percent year-on-year to 961,382 units in January. But beneath that soggy headline number, one brand was busy throwing its own party.

And it wasn’t Tesla. Across the EU, UK, and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) regions combined, Tesla registrations dropped 17.0 percent to 8,075 cars in January. That left the American EV giant with a 0.8 percent market share, down from 1.0 percent a year earlier, according to data from industry body ACEA.

It was also Tesla’s 13th consecutive month of declining sales in Europe, a reminder that this is no short-lived dip.

Also: Tesla’s Sales Collapsed By Nearly 90% In The Land Of EVs

BYD, meanwhile, went into overdrive with its mix of EVs and hybrids. The Chinese brand shifted 18,242 cars across the same region, an impressive increase of 165.0 percent year-on-year (175 percent in the EU alone), and its share climbed to 1.9 percent, more than double Tesla’s slice of the pie.

Dacia’s Fall From Glory

Tesla was far from the only automaker to take a beating in January. Renault Group also had a bruising month, its sales falling 15.0 percent to 83,201 units. That is a slide not too far off Tesla’s in percentage terms, though the Renault brand itself was up 4.4 percent. It was Renault-owned Dacia’s disastrous 35 percent drop that ruined the overall picture.

BMW (down 8.7 percent) and the VW brand (down 11.2 percent) were also left licking their wounds, while sister companies Mini (up 11.2 percent) and Skoda (up 10.1 percent) gleefully rubbed salt in them.

One In Five Cars Now An EV

On the powertrain front, the shift to electrification keeps gathering pace. Sales of battery electric cars climbed 13.9 percent, meaning they now account for 19.3 percent of the EU market in January, up from 14.9 percent a year earlier. And plug-in hybrids climbed 32.2 percent while petrol registrations plunged 25.7 percent and diesel slid 22.0 percent.

Country by country, the picture was mixed. Germany and France both saw total registrations fall 6.6 percent, but their EV registrations jumped by 23.8 and 52.1 percent, respectively. And Norway, always an EV bellwether, endured a dramatic 76.3 percent drop in overall registrations, mostly due to the end of government incentives.

European Car Sales

ACEA: Figures for EU + UK + EFTA

Electric vehicle technology advances quickly and models tend to get outdated relatively fast. To avoid this, a number of companies make significant changes just a few years after launch.

More: 2025 Mini Countryman Makes For An Electrifying Crossover

We can add Mini to this list as they’ve unveiled an improved Countryman E. While the crossover was introduced less than three years ago, the latest version has significantly improved range thanks to a larger 65.2 kWh battery pack and a new silicon carbide inverter, which minimizes power losses.

The model also benefits from new front axle wheel bearings that reduce rolling resistance and help to improve overall efficiency.

Thanks to these changes, the Countryman E now has a WLTP range of up to 311 miles (501 km). For comparison, the current model has a smaller 64.6 kWh battery and a range of up to 287 miles (462 km). That doesn’t sound like much of an improvement, but it’s an 8.4 percent increase.

The Countryman SE ALL4 benefits from the upgrades as well and this allows for a range of up to 290 miles (467 km). That’s 21.7 miles (35 km) more than its predecessor.

The updated Countryman will be available in Europe this March and will presumably come stateside shortly thereafter. While that remains to be seen, the US-spec Countryman SE ALL4 starts at $45,200 and has a dual-motor all-wheel drive system producing 308 hp (230 kW / 312 PS) and 364 lb-ft (493 Nm) of torque.

This enables the electric crossover to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 5.4 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h). Buyers can also expect a modest EPA range of up to 212 miles (341 km).