SEPTEMBER sees the arrival of three new MINIS. They join the hatchback range adding the One Seven, Cooper Park Lane and the Cooper S Checkmate.

Since the MINI was relaunched four years ago, fans have been able to take advantage of some special option packages, given the rather unusual names of Salt, Pepper and Chilli.

These same options are offered with the three newcomers, except that they are second to even more equipment designed to encourage new owners the chance to personalise their car.

For example, the One Seven, priced from £12,565, is dressed in an exclusive metallic paint given the name Solar Red, with matching Seven cloth and interior trim, together with special Seven decals and 15-inch spoke alloy wheels. But it is the equipment normally available as an option for the MINI range and fitted as standard on the One Seven that gives the new model a real leg up - items such as automatic stability control and traction, sports leather steering wheel, rear spoiler, special floor mats, passenger seat height adjustment, storage equipment pack, front foglights, manual air conditioning, on board computer, interior lights pack and white indicators.

The £15,260 Cooper Park Lane also offers an exclusive metallic paint, called royal grey and designed to match the special leather and interior trim, together with the "Park Lane" decals, silver roof, two-tone sports leather steering wheel, 16-inch spoke alloy wheels and eye-catching silver bonnet stripes.

Park Lane carries similar MINI options as standard as the One Seven plus automatic air conditioning, chrome mirror caps and front sports seats.

The Cooper S is the flagship of the three, and the Checkmate carries a price ticket of £17,635. Once again there is a special metallic paint coat, this one called Space blue, and the standard equipment includes a cloth/leather interior trim, Checkmate decals, silver roof and mirror caps, three-spoke two-tone sports leather steering wheel, 17-inch spoke alloys and silver bonnet stripe. As well as the MINI options provided as standard on all the models, the Checkmate also takes onboard limited slip differential, anthracite headlining and xenon headlights.

The three newcomers join seven other models: the MINI One, Cooper, Cooper S, One D (for diesel), One convertible, Cooper convertible and Cooper S convertible, all giving sales in the UK a huge boost, matched across the world with more than 90,000 cars sold so far this year.

Dealer: Castle MINI, Berkeley Park, Clifton Moorgate, York (01904 479995); Malton MINI, York Road, Malton (01653 600700).

Updated: 11:14 Friday, July 29, 2005