Happiness is…a brand new MINI Cooper convertible, a prime location for your house and luxury furniture to complete the picture – and all that thanks to a few clicks of a mouse! Jefferson Abdoll and his family were ecstatic when they learnt they were the lucky recipients of these three incredible prizes. “My life has changed,” said Jefferson (31), a call centre agent for EuropAssist who hails from Florida in Johannesburg, on collection of the keys to his brand new wheels.The car, fully sponsored by autoFirst, was part of the first prize in the ABSA Home Buy R1 million Lifestyle competition.
“We had to register on the ABSA website and then increase our chances of winning by sending SMSs. In the end, I sent about 300 SMSs, but the cost was worth it!” he says. And we can see he means it. The smiles on the faces of his family said it all. Wife Antonette, an assistant clerk at the University of Johannesburg, mother-in-law Yolanda Africa and three-year-old Joydrienne looked on excitedly as Kyle Yannoulatos, Sales Manager at Menlyn Auto MINI, took Jefferson through the basics.
“autoFirst were thrilled to have had the opportunity to sponsor the competition,” comments an autoFirst representative. “As a company who are committed to connecting those who buy cars, with those who sell them, our sponsorship of the car was an obvious choice. And Jefferson’s reaction confirms that it was the right one.”
The 90kW 1.6 Mini Cooper Convertible, which retails at around R300 000,has gained a cult following, although not everyone who wants one can afford it, says Kyle. Its fully-mechanised fabric roof folds away neatly behind the rear seats in less than 15 seconds,while the car is one of the few that looks equally stylish with the roof up or down.
The floor and sides have been strengthened compared to the hard-top version, and the Convertible sports a strong rollover hoop behind each of the front seats.The on-board computer is easily operated by a button on the left-hand stalk, and key instrumentation includes a rev-counter and matching over-sized speedometer, both mounted directly ahead of the driver. 15-inch alloys, chrome trim and electro-hydraulic power steering complete the impressive picture.
In addition to the car, the Abdoll family also received a plot on the KwaZulu Natal South Coast, provided by Fine & Country, and furniture worth R100 000 from Rochester. Are they going to keep the prizes? Many people would prefer to have the cash in their pockets. “Yes, definitely,” Jefferson says with a grin. “At this stage, I’ll keep it all.”Not only a lucky man, but a smart one too.