If you’d like to put your Mini through its paces, combining a holiday in Italy, and all for a good cause – look no further!

Knowing how many motorists are fanatical Mini adventurers, whether they own an iconic Mini One or the modern day BMW MINI, I wanted to tell as many women as possible that registration has just opened for the Italian Job Touring Event 2012 which is taking place in Italy between 26 October and 3 November this year.

In case you haven’t heard about this before (and I must confess I hadn’t until recently) every year up to 100 Mini and classic car enthusiasts head for Italy where the Italian Job adventure rally (it’s not a race…) is held.

This year the Jobbers (as participants are known) start their adventure in Rome, spending ten days driving on roads their cars will love and through the beautiful unspoilt Italian countryside. The Job ends in Turin this year and you can put your car through its paces on the challenging Mugello racing circuit and Turin’s famous Lingotto Roof test track; surely one of the most memorable scenes in the 60s film we all know and love.

The event is sanctioned by the Italian Automobile Club and is best described as a navigational rally which challenges Jobbers’ driving skills and navigational ability. Points are deducted for errors of skill, precision or timekeeping and the winning team is the one with the fewest number of these penalties, rather than the one that drove the fastest!

Mike Cooper (whose father is Formula One constructor champion John Cooper; the famous Mini Cooper S racing car) is a patron of the Italian Job rally and speaks from experience when he says
“This brilliant event is a must for anyone mad about Minis (old or new) like me. It’s fun, it’s challenging but most of all it’s a great way to raise money for the vital work Variety does with children and young people across the UK.”

I thought this might appeal to female drivers and their families who share a love of Minis, Italy and helping others. This year’s target is to raise £100,000 this year for Variety, the charity that supports children who are sick, disabled or disadvantaged.

To find out more and hopefully to sign up for this year’s event see the Italian Job website. Please spread the word too, especially if you know potential Mini Jobbers who mightn’t find out about this event otherwise.

FOXY

PS: No you won’t be expected to blow the doors off at any stage…haha.