Mini: Turn back-seat driver off at will

Mini's 50 Mayfair (left) and 50 Camden want to talk to you. Photo / Supplied

Forget back-seat drivers - when the Mini Camden arrives next month it's the car that'll lecture you.

The limited edition Mini - just 25 will be sold in NZ - was built to celebrate 50 years of Mini, and it features exclusive paint and trim.

But it also has what Mini calls Mission Control - a system that provides the driver with situation-dependent information by talking to you ...

Getting near freezing? The car will pipe up to tell you. Driving frugally? The car congratulates you.

Door open, seatbelt unfastened, fuel getting low? The chatter continues to let you know.

Mini says the system suits this car's personality and delivers direct interaction with the car. Sounds to us as if it's all one-way - the car talks to you, but you can't talk back!

You aren't able to change the voice - or voices, for it's a male and female tag team at work. But unlike conventional back-seat drivers you can switch it off.

Mission Control comes alongside a Harman Kardon audio system and a sporty trim for the car.

The Mini 50 Camden will be joined by the equally limited edition 50 Mayfair, both priced from $42,900.