By Lucy Waterlow
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There's an emergency with just over a month to go till the London Olympic Games - all the gold medals have been stolen by a mysterious burglar has made their getaway through the capital on a motorbike.
Who can the country turn to to save the day? It sounds like a job for our former Olympic champions Daley Thompson, Matthew Pinsent, James Cracknell and Jonathan Edwards.
This is the scenario that has been dreamt up by Mini in an entertaining short film they've released today to celebrate their partnership with Team GB and ParalympicsGB at the 2012 Games.
Scroll for to watch the 'Britalian Job'...
Olympic heroes: From left, rowers Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell and triple jumper Jonathan Edwards star as the drivers of special edition red, white and blue Minis in pursuit of a gold thief
Cool rider: Model Jodie Kidd plays the thief on a motorbike who is pursued across London in the homage to the Italian Job
Directed by Phil Churchward, the lead director on BBC's Top Gear, the action-packed film is a homage to the classic 1969 Italian Job and includes stunts at London locations performed in red, white and blue special edition Minis.
While the original film saw the cars dart through the streets of Turin, Italy, the tribute is set against the backdrop of some of London’s most iconic landmarks including the Houses of Parliament and London Eye. In several references to the original movie, the cars are seen negotiating tight tunnels, charging down a stairs and bursting through barriers. The cars are even seen emerging from the same Park Lane basement used in the original film, and hurtling through Leadenhall Market.
Car caper: Like in the classic 1969 movie, left, the short movie shows the Minis in convoy careering down steps...
... and twisting through subway tunnels and piazzas. In today's version, right, the scene is London's Leadenhall Market rather than Turin
Climax: In the mini-film's finale, the cars leap in sync in front of the Olympic Stadium in a scene reminiscent of the original Italian Job, left
The mini-film climaxes in a dramatic stunt in which the three Minis perform a ten metre jump in close formation in front of the London Olympic Athletics Stadium, as their pursuit of the biker reaches its peak.    Â
The film stars sporting legend Daley Thompson as the mastermind behind the plot to foil the gold medal thief. He repeats Michael Caine's famous line from the 1969 movie, 'hang on a minute, I've got a great idea,' as he sends champion rowers Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell with triple jump world record holder turned broadcaster Jonathan Edwards off in pursuit of the burglar.
Javelin gold medallist Steve Backley also makes a cameo as his training session for Olympic hopefuls is interrupted by the car chase.
Don't try this at home: The motorbike stunts in the Mini film were carried out by motorcyclist Dougie Lampkin, left, an internationally renowned English motorcycle trials rider, while the stunt driving was coordinated by Paul Swift, a multiple Guinness World Record holder and seven-time British Motorsport Champion
Adding some glamour to the proceedings, model Jodie Kidd is revealed to be the thief in the end as she states she couldn't resist the lure of the gold - just like the characters in the Italian Job.
While Jodie is a keen racing driver, the motorbike stunts in the Mini film, including high speed wheelies and jumping over three cars, were carried out by motorcyclist Dougie Lampkin, an internationally renowned English motorcycle trials rider. Meanwhile, the stunt driving was coordinated by Paul Swift, a multiple Guinness World Record holder and seven-time British Motorsport Champion.
Super stunts: While Jodie Kidd is a keen racing car driver, she left the difficult riding stunts, including speeding through a subway tunnel, to the professionals
'Hang on a minute, lads, I've got a great idea': Champion decathlete Daley Thompson, left, utters the lines made famous by Michael Caine, while Briton's former number one javelin thrower Steve Backley makes a cameo appearance
Double Olympic gold medallist Daley Thompson said everyone involved had great fun filming their scenes.
'It’s been a great experience being involved in The Britalian Job â€" everyone in the cast became completely immersed in their roles and with seven Olympic Gold medals between us, we were obviously the right team for the job!' he said.
James Cracknell added: 'It was great fun making this film and London makes such a brilliant setting for an action sequence like this. Seeing London begin its transformation for the summer Games and feeling the excitement building is tremendous. Everybody involved with this film wishes Team GB and ParalympicsGB the best of luck as the Games approach.'
The London Job: The Mini films uses the capital's many landmarks as a backdrop as the city prepares for the Olympics
BMW, Mini's owner, is a sponsor of the London 2012 Games. Graham Biggs, from BMW Group UK said they hope people enjoy watching the film as much those involved enjoyed making it.
He said: 'The Italian Job is a classic and this was a great opportunity and the right time to have some fun with it in London. We wanted to make an exciting short film featuring British sporting heroes and three MINIs as the stars, in and around some of London's greatest landmarks, as the city prepares for The Games. We hope everybody enjoys it.'
Watch the Mini film here...Â
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These are not German cars... MINI is owned by BMW but they are built in the UK, in Oxford...
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Ok stop moaning about Minis being BMWS now... still awesome riding and driving.
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Shouldn't we have used British cars, ohh hang on a minute, there aren't any left, maybe they could have been driving a call centre...!
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money would have been better spent given to charity................
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The new mini is more of an executive vehicle compared to the old one.The spirit of the old mini has been completely lost with the new version.
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How ironic in German cars!!
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The picture on the left is not from the 69 original - but the 2003 remake - hence the fact they are 2002/2003 BMW minis - sorry to be petty, but the standard of editing and reporting on this website is so sloppy it's a joke, most stories are factually wrong, and most have wrong pictures or terrible spelling, or simply just rip off other websites for a story. Hope your staff get paid well for the reporting skills. Rant over... now relax and breath. P.S the mini video is good, if you like it - check out and google/youtube...'The hire starring Clive Owen' from a few years back - BMW spent a fortune and put together some amazing film directors and A list actors to film some great car stunts for short promotional films. Worth a watch if you like car chases.
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Pity they are German now!!
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This is fantastic, at last a homage to one of England's more maligned pieces of culture...the Joyrider!
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Rob Brown ....... you took the words right out of my mouth. Living a stones throw from Longbridge us locals and enthusiasts resent these stupid little cars being referred to as Mini's. Like calling a Lada a Rolls Royce.
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