Film cameras whirred and photo cameras clicked as Mario Testino unveiled the Life Ball MINI 2007, designed by him, on Saturday, 26 May at the official Life Ball press conference in the Hotel Imperial, with the help of Sharon Stone and Nadja Auermann.

The first official appearance of the unique car that’s fizzing with fun was spectacular: Testino himself drove his MINI through a guard of honour of 40,000 people across the Life Ball’s red carpet in front of the Rathausplatz and shared the glory with a host of glittering VIPs. From stars like the No Angels and Anja Platzer, soon to be voted “Germany’s Next Top Model”, through the Scissor Sisters and Grammy-winner Mya up to Hollywood greats like Sharon Stone and O.C. California star Adam Brody they had all come to visit this spectacular event in Vienna.

Auction in aid of LifeBall on ebay.at from 31 May to 10 June 2007

The unique Life Ball MINI will once again be auctioned on eBay, as it is every year. The auction starts on Thursday, 31 May and then MINI fans all over the world have the opportunity to buy this uniquely fiery vehicle. The deadline for all those who want to purchase the Testino MINI is thus 10 June. The proceeds from the auction will be given to Life Ball, as always.

The 15th Life Ball was a festival of superlatives. The gods looked favourably on the Life Ball this year and pampered the often sparsely clad visitors with a delightfully warm summer night. After the stunning two-hour opening show at Vienna’s Rathausplatz, the 4,000 people who had managed to obtain tickets to the Life Ball itself carried on celebrating into the early morning hours inside the City Hall.

The celebrations had actually started the evening before in “Le Meridien”, the official Life Ball Hotel. Gery Keszler was able to welcome top model Nadja Auermann, Mario Testino, colourful designer duo Heatherette, “Playmate of the Century” Gitta Saxx, comedian Dirk Bach, Hubertus von Hohenlohe, swimming star Markus Rogan, and Austrian actress Doris Schretzmayer and her US colleague Alan Cumming.

For all those MINI fans who couldn’t be there in person, there was plenty going on at Josef-Meinrad-Platz too: the “Double D”, a 1961 double-decker bus that has been converted into a lifestyle/event bus, was parked opposite the “Red Ribbon”, captivating the hearts of MINI fans and curious passers by. Inside the legendary double-decker, visitors could admire and purchase accessories and essentials from the current MINI Collection.

There was also a fairy-tale atmosphere and plenty happening on the Fairytale Stage. In line with the Life Ball motto of “Once upon a time”, MINI fans, passers by and visitors were able to take on the role of fabulous fairy-tale figures and immortalise themselves in a MINI picture.

The Life Ball MINI 2007 is being auctioned worldwide on eBay (www.ebay.at) from 31 May to 10 June 2007.