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Brief history of how it all began

In 2000, DK decided that it was time to replace her old Mini Cooper 1.3i (1995) with a more modern car that had the latest safety and comfort features. Top of the list was air-conditioning.

DK was not keen on the new MINI at first, and did not attend the official UK launch in July 2001. Shortly after the official UK launch, DK chanced upon an alternative website about the new MINI. The site was www.MINI2.com. 

DK visited the site for about 2 weeks, browsing the forums for information about the new MINI, before registering as a user on the site under the username of dcfkan, and started posting in the forum. Another two weeks or so went by before DK plucked up enough courage to join in the live chat in the MINI2 chat room.

In September 2001, DK visited her local MINI dealership, Carrs of Bury St. Edmunds and obtained the brochures for the new MINI. An initial, quite basic, specification for the MINI Cooper was drawn up on the day of the visit. The colours would be Chili Red with White Roof and Mirrors, and it would not be bought until April 2002 at the earliest.

In October 2001, MINI2 organised its first ever meeting, New MINI Meet 01 (NMM 01), at the British Motor Heritage Centre, Gaydon. About 50 new MINIs attended the event, as well as a few old Minis, including DK's. It was the first time DK met the regular users of the MINI2 website, and more significantly, the so-called "Usual Suspects" of the chat room. For some reason, one of the usual suspects (R50) had an acrylic colour chart with him, and DK got the idea of having a Lime Green roof rather than a White roof (fuchsia and lime green are DK's favourite colours). smiffy, another usual suspect, suggested the car should be called Apple.

Shortly after the first NMM 01, with Mr DK's blessing, DK took the plunge and placed an order for a MINI Cooper for delivery in February 2002. The car would be called Apple and would have a Chili Red body with Lime Green roof and wing mirrors. The Lime Green was chosen by DK from the MINI fashion accessories brochure (DK was later informed that the colour was called "Ford Signal Green"). Click here to see Apple's full specification.

The rest, as they say, is history!