How to lose your head and keep your cool

"A complete departure from the expected, it grabs your attention from the very first second," says brand communications manager Roger Fitzsimons.

In fact, it almost doesn't show the car at all - at least not for the first 20 seconds: "It's all about building an iconic brand," according to Fitzsimons.

He may be right. Do we really need to see another car driving through a leafy lane at dusk? Judging by the incredible consumer response Mini's had, probably not.

The opening sequence of a man leaping slow-motion Matrix-style through the air before landing in a gorgeous hot orange MINI Cooper S convertible, has both a cinematic and intriguing quality which has viewers hooked.