This year's Life Ball Mini, created by the designer responsible for the fashion show's opening event, is due to be auctioned on eBay from Thursday, June 5.

The total proceeds from the auction will be donated, as always, to Life Ball and to projects aimed at combating HIV/AIDS. So far, the auction of the "Life Ball MINIs" - transformed by such fashion icons as Diesel, Missoni, Ferré and Versace - has raised a total of 260,000 Euros.

In 2008, it was the turn of British lingerie label Agent Provocateur, which has created a unique Mini Cooper Clubman.

Agent Provocateur founder Joseph Corre said: "The new shape is so reminiscent of the old English Mini police van that we were immediately inspired to create an Agent Provocateur styled interior that you really would want to get banged up in.

"A classic yet suped up exterior in Agent Provocateur signature pink and black colours complete with pink flashing light and inside.....the most seductive prison cell with hand to wall cuffs and blacked out windows and iron bars."

The car was revealed last month at the Life Ball in Vienna, escorted by four models in 'British policemen's uniforms', and with Sophie Ellis Bextor in the passenger seat.

BMW Group is a member of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GBC).