Kansas City Man Wins MINI Convertible Challenge for Most Hours Clocked Top-Down

Easily the biggest gimmick on the new MINI convertible models is the Openometer. The what? Well, the Openometer is a gauge just like all the other gauges you might find on a car’s dash, but on the MINI convertible models it measures how long the owner has driven with the top down.

To help promote the car and make the experience all the more enjoyable for owners, MINI launched the Open One Challenge where 400 drivers competed to record the most top-down miles. MINI has just announced the winner as David Loveall from Kansas City, Missouri. Over fifth months last year Loveall drove 555.55 hours top-down, visiting 48 states and driving such roads as Route 66.

As a reward for his adventures Loveall wins a trip to the MINI factory in Oxford, England.

“Owners like David are what make the MINI brand great,” said Jim McDowell, Vice President, MINI USA. “The fact that he won this contest with 128 hours more than the runner up is a testament to his enthusiasm for his MINI, and is a great representation of the community that surrounds the brand.”

And proving that it’s not the destination, but the journey, Loveall commented that, “I took on the challenge for the story I’d get to tell. My MINI Cooper Convertible is the first car I have ever bought, and the experiences I have had within the first year of owning it have been amazing.”

Photos of all the MINI Open One Challenge and rankings can be found at http://www.theopenone.com/home.

Official release after the jump:

PRESS RELEASE

MINI USA Crowns Winner of Open One Challenge

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – February 3, 2010… After five months of motoring in his MINI Cooper Convertible with the top down as part of MINI USA’s Open One Challenge, David Loveall has proven that neither rain, snow nor blistering sunshine can deter his ‘open’ spirit. Loveall is the grand prize winner in MINI’s Open One Challenge, a contest to determine who could accumulate the most top-down motoring hours.

Enduring every type of weather Mother Nature could throw at him between August and December 2009, Loveall motored for 555.55 hours with his MINI Cooper Convertible’s top wide open. To reward Loveall’s dedication to sharing MINI’s open philosophy, MINI will present him with a trip for two people to travel to Oxford, England and a visit to the MINI plant where the MINI Cooper Convertible is built.

“Owners like David are what make the MINI brand great,” said Jim McDowell, Vice President, MINI USA. “The fact that he won this contest with 128 hours more than the runner up is a testament to his enthusiasm for his MINI, and is a great representation of the community that surrounds the brand.”

In addition to the grand prize, Loveall also took home $1,000 in gift cards by placing in the top three rankings all five months of the contest (1st place four times, and 3rd place one time).

As a digital forensic examiner, Loveall travels a great deal. He used the Open One Challenge as an opportunity to see the country and experience his new MINI in a whole new way. During his five-month motoring tour, Loveall and his Interchange Yellow MINI Cooper Convertible visited each of the 48 continental states, shying away from mega freeways and focusing on the classic roads of our motoring forefathers… like Route 66 and his notable favorite, US 50, widely considered the loneliest road in America. Not only did David drive these roads he lived them, often camping with his tent and sleeping bag along the way.

“I took on the challenge for the story I’d get to tell,” said Loveall. “My MINI Cooper Convertible is the first car I have ever bought, and the experiences I have had within the first year of owning it have been amazing.”

There were over 400 MINI owners who registered on the Open One Challenge website. The monthly tallies for participants were measured to the minute with the MINI Convertible’s newest instrument, the Openometer. It is devices such as the Openometer that enable MINI to connect with the owner community, and offer more than just a vehicle to get from point A to point B. Commitment to customers and making them feel like they are truly part of the MINI family is a priority for MINI.

MINI customers who entered the contest were asked to personalize a profile page with photos of their Open Motoring experience. Photos of all the participants’ journeys, along with the final monthly and overall rankings can be found at http://www.theopenone.com/home. Loveall’s profile can be found at http://theopenone.com/profile/view/davel137.

MINI representatives will present Loveall with the grand prize at Baron MINI (9000 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Merriam, Kansas) at 10 AM on February 4. Media are welcome.