MINI today announced that it will try to help customers pass the time as they wait for their new cars by sending them a puzzle. A select number, though, will get a puzzle that isn’t available in stores dues to its massive scale.
Called the “WE’RE-WORKING-HARD-TO-GET-YOU-YOUR-CAR, WAITING-IS-THE-WORST, IN-THE-MEANTIME-HAPPY-PUZZLING, MINI PUZZLE”, or the “Not So MINI” puzzle for short, the toy will feature a life-size image of the car on it.
The puzzle comes as a response to the long wait times that have become common for new cars. The MINI brand, in particular, has been hit hard, and it has been required to stop producing manual models altogether due to supply chain issues. Although just a temporary measure, it’s indicative of the difficulties the automaker faces.
Read More: MINI Halts Production Of Manual Cars As A Result Of Supply Chain Issues
“In order to secure maximum production output to meet increasing customer demand, our product offer needs to be simplified,” a spokesperson told us at the time. “This solution is the most effective way to ensure production stability so that we can continue to supply all our customers with new MINIs.”
Only “select new MINI customers on the waiting list” will receive the life-size edition of the toy, with others getting a more normally-sized puzzle instead. A company spokesperson told us that it has printed 350 examples of the full-size version and the customers who receive them will be selected at random.
“People buy a MINI because of its cheeky and fun-to-drive spirit, so we wanted to give owners something fun to do while they wait to get behind the wheel of their new MINI,” said Rah Mahtani, Brand Communications Manager, MINI USA. “The ‘Not So MINI’ puzzle is one of the ways we are showing the MINI community our appreciation as owners wait for their new vehicles. Owners and their families can enjoy building and displaying their puzzles, showcasing MINI’s iconic design, right in their home garages or living rooms.”
