Leave it to MINI to take advantage of the world stage that is the Olympics. If you are in Beijing right now, you just may see some odd rickshaws going by. You see, MINI has taken the rear ends of MINIs and converted them into the MINI Rickshaw. Very cool idea! Kudos to MINI! Full press release is below:

MINI Press Release:
Munich/Beijing. Just in time for the biggest sporting event of the year, the Olympic Games in the Chinese capital of Beijing, MINI is on top sporting form too – and is making a great start in Beijing! A very special MINI vehicle is providing passengers with a fantastic, unforgettable driving experience of a most unusual type. Locals and visitors to the games alike can move smoothly through the busy traffic in the Asian capital in a MINI Rickshaw made specially for Beijing – a typical MINI experience.

Pure muscle power drives this exciting, emission-free vehicle through the streets of the Olympic city. The MINI Rickshaw perfectly captures Beijing’s dynamic combination of tradition and progress, coupled with a touch of fantasy and individuality – as only MINI can do.

From 11 August, anyone looking for excitement who would like to explore Beijing in a slightly different way has been able to experience the mixture of bicycle and MINI Clubman in trendy club and scene districts such as the old Beijing quarter of Hu Tong. Simply get in and enjoy the typical MINI feeling in this pulsating city of a million. In addition, it is also possible to try out this unique form of transport at the local MINI dealership.

The real Chinese lucky charms and talismen on the bicycle and in the inside of the vehicle are intended not only to bring the passenger luck, but also, of course, to release positive energy for the entire Olympic Games.

Alongside Japan, China is now the most important market in Asia for MINI and one of the fastest growing markets worldwide. For the year to the end of July 2008, the BMW Group sold 2,278 MINI brand cars in China (including Hongkong/Taiwan).