▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁B MW ▁released ▁a ▁fac el ift ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁M ini ▁Hard top ▁as ▁a ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁model - year ▁vehicle . ▁ ▁From ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁the ▁M ini ▁was ▁export ed ▁to ▁Japan ▁and ▁sold ▁at ▁Japanese ▁B MW ▁deal ers hips ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Yan ase ▁locations . ▁The ▁car ▁comp lied ▁with ▁Japanese ▁Government ▁dimension ▁reg ulations ▁and ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁the ▁M ini ▁coinc ided ▁with ▁several ▁vehicles ▁in ▁Japan ▁that ▁exhib ited ▁a ▁retro ▁look ▁that ▁Japanese ▁car ▁companies ▁were ▁offering . ▁ ▁The ▁names ▁Cooper ▁and ▁Cooper ▁S ▁are ▁the ▁names ▁used ▁for ▁the ▁sport ier ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁classic ▁M ini , ▁which ▁in ▁turn ▁come ▁from ▁the ▁invol vement ▁of ▁John ▁Cooper ▁and ▁the ▁Cooper ▁Car ▁Company . ▁The ▁Cooper ▁her itage ▁is ▁further ▁emphas ised ▁with ▁the ▁John ▁Cooper ▁Works ▁( J C W ) ▁range ▁of ▁tun ing ▁options . ▁The ▁John ▁Cooper ▁Works ▁company ▁also ▁created ▁a ▁higher ▁spec ▁model ▁of ▁the ▁M ini ▁Cooper ▁S , ▁the ▁M ini ▁Cooper ▁S ▁Works . ▁It ▁has ▁a ▁higher ▁volume ▁exhaust ▁and ▁air ▁filter , ▁and ▁u pr ated ▁ ▁bra kes ▁and ▁ ▁susp ension , ▁and ▁different ▁ ▁whe els ▁from ▁the ▁S ▁models . ▁ ▁A ▁race - prep ared ▁version , ▁with ▁rear - w heel ▁drive , ▁called ▁the ▁M ini ▁Cooper ▁S 3 , ▁competed ▁in ▁the ▁Bel car ▁championship