Top Auto Manufacturer Offers Garmin® on New Cabriolet

Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced that its automotive OEM division is further developing its two year relationship with MINI, by offering a new generation of navigation products for the acclaimed MINI range. The brand new MINI cabriolet with Garmin navigation system will be on display at Garmin’s CeBIT exhibit (Hall 15, Stand D08) in Hannover, Germany, March 3-8, 2009.

The new original MINI accessory mount fits the interior of all left and right hand drive MINI’s manufactured after 2006. All wiring is hidden within the mount, providing a neat, integrated appearance. Once Garmin’s nuvi 255 is attached to the custom mount, the nüvi will look like part of the original dash. Like all new products for cars, the mount has been thoroughly tested and meets all crash test requirements. It will be available from MINI approved dealers.

“This is one of the most inventive installations of our devices yet, not only due to the swivel mount capability, but also because of the forward compatibility with new Garmin models,” said Roger Jollis, Garmin’s director of OEM and mobile marketing. “Individuality and choice is important for MINI customers and we hope this solution will meet those needs.”

The new installation kit has been designed to fit with the car’s dashboard, and thanks to an elegant design, the driver is able to alter the viewing position by rotating the mount around the tachometer.  As you would expect from Garmin, the unit can be extracted from the mount and used in pedestrian mode outside of the vehicle.  Furthermore, the mount may be used with other Garmin portable navigation devices, enabling MINI customers to keep pace with the latest advances from Garmin.

MINI customers are known for their loyalty and love for the MINI brand so Garmin has also developed a unique SD card that fits into the side of the nüvi 255. The data card contains specially designed MINI content including an official start-up MINI splash screen, a range of MINI vehicle icons, MINI wallpapers and an exhaustive list of MINI dealer networks (Europe dealers only), which will enable MINI drivers to access contact details for dealerships and navigate to them at the touch of a button.

Garmin’s nüvi 255 has a wide range of functions to suit every navigation need including millions of POI’s and a “Where Am I?” safety feature providing precise details of the user’s location, key local services, emergency response contacts and directions to the nearest hospital, police or fuel station.

Currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, Garmin has pioneered navigation and communication devices that enrich people’s lives.  Garmin’s market breadth in the GPS industry is second to none having developed innovative products and established market leadership position in each of the markets it serves, including automotive, aviation, marine, fitness and outdoor recreation. Garmin achieved the worldwide number one spot for mobile navigation devices in 2007 by more than doubling its shipments on 2006 and increasing its market share.

The brand new MINI cabriolet with Garmin navigation can be seen at CeBIT, March 3-8, 2009, in Hannover, Germany. Garmin’s navigation system will be available in MINI’s worldwide, with first availability in Europe.

About Garmin
Garmin International Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation. Since 1989, this group of companies has designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications – most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmin’s products serve automotive, mobile, wireless, outdoor recreation, marine, aviation, and OEM applications. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.