THIS "never-seen-before" Mini is the latest "weapon in the armoury" at Croydon Fire Station.
It is dwarfed when parked next to its big brother, the fire engine, weighing ten times less, while it packs just four fire extinguishers and no hose.
Although the Mini will be no inferno battler, it will be deployed to put out small blazes, such as bin fires.
And it is the London Fire Brigade's new answer to having a vehicle on standby at community events.
Borough fire commander Chris Bigland put in a bid for the Mini after their successful use at the 2012 London Olympics, making Croydon the first borough to receive one.
He said: "It's a fantastic new addition to the fleet. It's like nothing that's ever been seen before – anywhere.
"People may think that when they see a fire engine it's going to a fire or an accident, but we do much, much more than just fighting fires.
"This vehicle is just the newest weapon in the armoury to help us keep the people of London safe.
"Although we are using this Mini locally for Crossfire, our Community Safety Team, it will join for community events like the London Marathon or Notting Hill Carnival. By using these new vehicles we can attend small scale incidents without causing large scale disruption. This was proven during the Olympics."
Firefighters at Croydon Fire Station, in Old Town, have yet to test drive the car, which arrived in the borough last week.
But it has been well-received. "We're the envy of other boroughs, being the first to get one," said Mr Bigland.
The Mini is the latest addition to Croydon's fleet, which is one of the largest across London as it is one of five specialist rescue stations.
It carries four extinguishers, two fire crew from the Crossfire Community fire team and a defibrillator for helping people breathe at the scene of an incident.
Also at Croydon Fire Station's disposal are two fire engines, a fire rescue unit and three urban search and rescue lorries with five attachable pods and a Bobcat rubble clearance vehicle.
It can also call on a command unit from Woodside Fire Station, where the Mini will be permanently based.
