Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Mini shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Mini offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Mini at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Mini? Wrong! If the Mini is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Mini then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Mini? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Mini and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Mini wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Mini then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Mini site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Mini, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Mini, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

{{Infobox Automobile| image = | name = Mini| manufacturer = British Motor Corporation to MG Rover Group, and Innocenti, Authi, [UK
Cowley, UK| body_style = 2-door [sedan
2-door Station wagon
2-door van
2-door Pickup truck| engine = A-series, 850–1275 Cubic metre| transmission = 4-speed manual
4-speed automatic| length = 3.05 metre (saloon) Table of Mini Facts
3.40 m (estate and commercials)| width = 1.40 m| height = 1.35 m| weight = 617 kilogram to 686 kg| wheelbase = 2.04 m (saloon)
2.14 m (estate and commercials)| successor = BMW MINI
Rover Metro| designer = Alec Issigonis-->

The Mini is a small Automobile that was produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors from 1959 to 2000. The most popular British-made car, it has since been replaced by the MINI (BMW) which was launched in 2001. The original is considered an icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout influenced a generation of car-makers.

This distinctive two-door car was designed for BMC by Sir Alec Issigonis. It was manufactured at the Longbridge plant and Cowley, Oxford plants in the United Kingdom, and later also in Spain (Authi), Australia, Belgium, Chile, Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Uruguay, Venezuela and Yugoslavia. The Mini MK1 Mini had three major updates: the Mk II, the Clubman and the Mk III. Within these was a series of variations including an estate car, a pickup truck, a van and the Mini Moke — a jeep-like buggy. The Mini Cooper and Cooper "S" were sportier versions that were successful as rally cars, winning the Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo three times.

Design and development

Designed as project ADO15 (Austin Motor Company Drawing Office project number 15), the Mini came about because of a fuel shortage. In 1956 as a result of the Suez Crisis, which reduced oil supplies, the United Kingdom saw the re-introduction of petrol rationing. Sales of large cars slumped, and there was a boom in the market for so called Bubble cars, which were mainly German in origin. Leonard Lord, the somewhat autocratic head of BMC, decreed that something had to be done and quickly. He laid down some basic design requirements: the car should be contained within a box that measured 10 × 4 × 4 Foot (unit of length) (3 × 1.2 × 1.2 m); and the passenger accommodation should occupy six feet (1.8 m) of the 10 foot (3 m) length; and the engine, for reasons of cost, should be an existing unit. Issigonis, who had been working for Alvis cars, had been recruited back to BMC in 1955 and, with his skills in designing small cars, was a natural for the task. The team that designed the Mini was remarkably small: as well as Issigonis, there was Jack Daniels, who had worked with him on the Morris Minor, Chris Kingham, who had been with him at Alvis, two engineering students and four draughtsmen. Together, by October 1957 they had designed and built the original prototype, which was affectionately named 'The Orange Box' because of its colour.

The ADO15 used a conventional BMC A-Series engine four-cylinder water-cooled engine, Engines of the ADO15 and family but departed from tradition by having it mounted Transverse engine, with the engine-oil-lubricated, four-speed transmission in the sump, and by employing front-wheel drive. Almost all small front-wheel-drive cars developed since have used a similar configuration. The radiator was mounted at the left side of the car so that the engine-mounted fan could be retained, but with reversed pitch so it blew air into the natural low pressure area under the front wing. This location saved precious vehicle length, but had the disadvantage of feeding the radiator with air that had been heated by passing over the engine.

The suspension (vehicle) system, designed by Issigonis's friend Alex Moulton at Moulton Developments Limited, used compact rubber cones instead of conventional springs. This led to a rather raw and bumpy ride, but this rigidity, together with the wheels being pushed out to the corners of the car, gave the car its famous go kart-like handling. It was initially planned to use an interconnected fluid system, similar to the one which Issigonis and Moulton were working on in the mid-1950s at Alvis, but the short development time of the car meant this was not ready in time for the Mini's launch. The system intended for the Mini was further developed to become the hydrolastic system and was first used on the Austin 1100 (launched in 1962). Ten-inch wheels were specified, so new tyres needed to be developed, the initial contract going to Dunlop Tyres.

The car was designed with sliding windows in the doors, thus allowing for storage pockets to be fitted in the space where a winding window mechanism would have been. Issigonis is said to have sized the resulting storage bins to take a bottle of his favourite Gordon's Gin. The trunk (automobile) lid was designed with the hinges at the bottom so that the car could be driven with it open to increase luggage space. On early cars the vehicle registration plate was hinged so it swung down to remain visible when the boot lid was open.

To keep labour costs down, the car was designed with quirky welding seams that are visible on the outside of the car running down the A-pillar and between the body and the floor pan. To further simplify construction, the car had external door and boot hinges.



All of these novel and elegant technical innovations resulted in a car with minimum overall dimensions yet maximised space for passengers and luggage.

Production models differed from the prototype by the addition of front and rear subframes to the Monocoque to take the suspension loads, and by turning the engine around with the carburettor at the back rather than at the front. This required an extra gear to be placed between engine and Transmission (mechanics) to reverse the engine direction. Making this a reduction gear, had the beneficial effect of reducing loads on the gearbox and preventing the rapid wear on the synchromesh which had been a problem on early prototypes. Having the carburettor at the rear helped to reduce carburetor icing, but did expose the distributor to water coming in through the grille. The engine size was reduced from 948 to 848 cc, which reduced the top speed from an unprecedented 90 Miles per hour (145 Kilometre per hour) to a more manageable (for the time) 72 mph (116 km/h) — a decision that was reversed in 1967.

Despite its utilitarian origins, the classic Mini shape had become so iconic that by the 1990s MG Rover Group, the heirs to BMC, were able to register its design as a trade mark in its own right.http://www.crossguard.info/about-us.html

The Mk I Mini — 1959 to 1967

The production version of the Mini was demonstrated to the press in April 1959, and by August several thousand cars had been produced ready for the first sales.

The name Mini did not appear by itself immediately — the first models being marketed under two of BMC's brand names, Austin and Morris. The name Austin 7 (sometimes written as SE7EN in early publicity material) recalled the popular small Austin of the 1920s and 1930s. The other name used in the United Kingdom, Morris Mini-Minor, seems to have been a play on words. The Morris Minor was a well known and successful car, with the word minor being Latin for "smaller"; so an abbreviation of the Latin word for "smallest" — minimus — was used for the new even smaller car.

Until 1962 the cars appeared as the Austin 850 and Morris 850 in North America and France, and in Denmark as the Austin Partner (until 1964) and Morris Mascot (until 1981). The name Mini was first used to name the car in 1961, A list of early Mini advertisement material somewhat to the surprise of the Bond Cars Ltd car company (later known as Bond Cars Ltd) who had been using the name Minicar for their three-wheeled vehicles since 1949. However, legal action was somehow averted, Discussion in Bond Owners Club forums and BMC used the name Mini for the remainder of the life of the car.

In 1964 the suspension of the cars was replaced by another Moulton design, the hydrolastic system. The new suspension gave a softer ride but it also increased weight and production cost and, in the minds of many enthusiasts, spoiled the handling characteristics for which the Mini was so famous. In 1971 the original rubber suspension reappeared and was retained for the remaining life of the Mini.From October 1965 the option of an Automotive Products (AP) designed four-speed automatic transmission became available.

Although they were slow at the outset, sales were strong across most of the model lines in the 1960s, with a total of 1,190,000 Mk I's being produced. Production numbers by model The basic Mini never made money for its makers because it sold at less than its production cost. This may have been necessary in order to compete with its rivals, but it is rumoured that this was due to an accounting error. Some profits came from the popular deluxe models and from optional accessories, which included items such as seat belts, door mirrors and a radio that would be considered necessities on modern cars.

The Mini etched its place into popular culture in the 1960s with well-publicised purchases by film and music stars.

The Mk II Mini — 1967 to 1969 From 1967 to 1970, Issigonis had been designing a replacement for the Mini in the form of an experimental model called the 9X. It was shorter and more powerful than the Mini, but due to politicking inside British Leyland (which had now been formed by the merger of BMC's parent company British Motor Holdings and the Leyland Motor Corporation), the car did not reach production. It was an intriguing "might-have-been"; the car was technologically advanced, and many believe it would have been competitive up until the 1980s.

The Mk II Mini featured a redesigned front grille which remained with the car from that point on. Also, a larger rear window and numerous cosmetic changes were introduced. 429,000 Mk II Minis were made.

A bewildering variety of Mini types were made in Pamplona, Spain, by the Authi company from 1968 onwards, mostly under the Morris name.

The Mini was arguably the star of the 1969 film The Italian Job, which features a car chase in which a gang of thieves drive three Minis down staircases, through storm drains, over buildings and finally into the back of a moving bus. This film was The Italian Job (2003 film) using the MINI (BMW).

Variants The popularity of the original Mini spawned many models that targeted different markets:

The Wolseley Motor Company Hornet and Riley (automobile) Elf (1961–69) These were intended as small, luxurious cars, having a larger boot and a more sophisticated looking front. The name "Wolseley Hornet" was a revival of one first used on a Wolseley Hornet (1930), while the name "Elf" recalled the Riley Nine and Imp sports cars, also of the 1930s. Both cars went through three versions. Initially they used the 848 cc engine, changing to a single carburettor version of the Cooper's 998 cc power unit in the MkII in 1963. The MKIII facelift of 1966 brought wind-up windows and concealed door hinges two years before these were seen on the mainstream Mini. 30,912 Riley Elfs and 28,455 Wolseley Hornets were built.

The Morris Mini Traveller and the Austin Mini Countryman (1961–69, UK only) Two-door estate cars with double "barn"-style rear doors. Both were built on a slightly longer chassis of 84 inches (2.14 m) compared to 80.25 inches (2.04 m) for the saloon. The luxury models had decorative, non-structural wood inserts in the rear body which gave the car a similar appearance to the larger Morris Minor estate which had some of the look of an American-style 1950s Woodie. Approximately 108,000 Austin Mini Countrymen and 99,000 Morris Mini Travellers were built.

The Mini Van (1960–82) A commercial panel van rated at ¼-ton load capacity. Built on the longer Traveller chassis but without side windows, it proved popular in 1960s Britain as a cheaper alternative to the car as it was classed as a commercial vehicle and carried no sales tax. It was renamed as the Mini 95 in 1978, the number representing the gross vehicle weight of 0.95 tons. 521,494 were built.

The Mini Pick-up (1961–82) A pick-up truck derivative. Also built on the longer chassis but with a flatbed and a tailgate. Like the van, it was renamed as the Mini 95 in 1978. Neither the van nor the pickup had a costly chrome grille - a simple set of stamped metal slots allowed airflow into the engine compartment. 58,179 Mini pickups were built.

The Mini Moke (1964 and 1968 in the UK, 1966–82 in Australia and 1983–89 in Portugal): A bizarre utility vehicle, this jeep lookalike was first designed for the British Army. But without good ground clearance or four-wheel drive, it proved unsuitable for military use, although it enjoyed some popularity in civilian production. About 50,000 Mokes were produced. The Mini Moke featured in the cult 1967 TV series The Prisoner and has proved popular in holiday locations such as Barbados and Macau – where Mokes were used as police cars and could be rented as recently as March 2006.

The Mini Cooper and Cooper S – 1961–2000

Issigonis' friend John Cooper (car maker), owner of the Cooper Car Company, designer and builder of Formula 1 and rally cars, saw the potential of the Mini for competition. Issigonis was initially reluctant to see the Mini in the role of a performance car - but after John Cooper appealed to BMC management, the two men collaborated to create the Mini Cooper, a nimble, economical and inexpensive car. The Austin Mini Cooper and Morris Mini Cooper debuted in 1961.

The original 848 cc engine from the Morris Mini-Minor was increased to 997 cc, boosting power from 34 Horsepower to 55 bhp (25 to 41 Watt). The car featured a racing-tuned engine, twin SU carburetor, a closer-ratio gearbox and front disc brakes, uncommon at the time in a small car. One thousand units of this version were commissioned by management, intended for and designed to meet the homologation rules of Group A rally racing. The 997 cc engine was replaced by a shorter stroke 998 cc unit in 1964.

A more powerful Mini Cooper, dubbed the "S", was developed in tandem and released in 1963. Featuring a 1071 cc engine and larger servo-assisted disc brakes, 4,030 Cooper S cars were produced and sold until the model was updated in August 1964. Cooper also produced two models specifically for circuit racing, rated at 970 cc and a 1275 cc, both of which were also offered to the public. The smaller-engine model was not well received, and only 963 had been built when the model was discontinued in 1965. The 1275 cc Cooper S models continued in production until 1971.

Sales of the Mini Cooper were as follows: 64,000 Mk I Coopers with 997 or 998 cc engines; 19,000 Mk I Cooper S with 970, 1071 or 1275 cc engines; 16,000 Mk II Coopers with 998 cc engines; 6,300 Mk II Cooper S with 1275 cc engines. There were no Mk III Coopers and just 1,570 Mk III Cooper S's.

The Mini Cooper S earned acclaim with Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo victories in 1964, 1965, and 1967. Minis were initially placed first, second and third in the 1966 rally as well, but were disqualified after a controversial decision by the French judges. The disqualification related to the use of a variable resistance headlight dimming circuit in place of a dual-filament lamp. It should be noted that the Citroën DS that was eventually awarded first place had illegal white headlamps but escaped disqualification. BBC Future of Monte Carlo rally in doubt The driver of the Citroën, Pauli Toivonen, was reluctant to accept the trophy and vowed that he would never race for Citroën again. Henri Toivonen family connections BMC probably received more publicity from the disqualification than they would have gained from a victory (Reprints available from BMW Group University/MINI Team) - but had the Mini not been disqualified, it would have been the only car in history to be placed in the top three on the Monte Carlo for six consecutive years.

in 1965

{] Results for Mini. Monte Carlo Automobile Club|-! Year !! Driver !! Co-Driver !! Result|-| 1962 || Pat Moss || Ann Wisdom || Ladies' Award|-| 1963 || Rauno Aaltonen || Tony Ambrose || 3rd Place|-| rowspan="2" | 1964 || Paddy Hopkirk ] and in 1973 to Spain by Authi (Automoviles de Turismo Hispano-Ingleses), which began to produce the Innocenti Mini Cooper 1300 and the Authi Mini Cooper 1300, respectively.

A new Mini Cooper named the RSP (Rover Special Products) was briefly relaunched in 1990 to 1991, with slightly lower performance than the 1960s Cooper. It proved so popular that the new Cooper-marked Mini went into full production in late 1991. From 1992 Coopers were fitted with a Fuel injection version of the 1275 cc engine, and in 1997 a multi-point fuel injected engine was introduced, along with a front-mounted radiator and various safety improvements.

The Mini Clubman and 1275GT – 1969 to 1980

In 1969 under the ownership of British Leyland, the Mini was given a facelift by stylist Roy Haynes (designer), who had previously worked for Ford Motor Company. The restyled version was called the Mini Clubman, and has a squarer frontal look, using the same indicator/sidelight assembly as the Austin Maxi. The Mini Clubman was intended to replace the upmarket Riley and Wolseley versions. A new model, dubbed the 1275GT, was slated as the replacement for the 998 cc Mini Cooper. (The 1275 cc Mini Cooper S continued alongside the 1275GT for two years until 1971.) The Clubman Estate took over where the Countryman and Traveller left off.

The 1275GT is often incorrectly described as the "Mini Clubman 1275GT". The official name was always just the "Mini 1275GT", and it was a separate, distinct model from the Clubman (albeit, it shared the same frontal treatment as the Mini Clubman, and was launched at the same time).

In 1971, the 1275 cc Mini Cooper S was discontinued, leaving the Mini 1275GT as the only sporting mini on sale in the UK for the rest of the decade. (Innocenti in Italy, however, continued making their own version of the Mini Cooper for some time, and also in Australia during the early seventies, they made a unique Cooper with Clubman front named the Clubman GT, equipped with the twin-carb version of Cooper 1275 S.) While not nearly as quick as a 1275 Mini Cooper S, the 1275GT was cheaper to buy, run, and insure. It was the first Mini to be equipped with a tachometer. It also featured a standard-fit close-ratio gearbox. Performance of the 1275GT was lively for the time, achieving 0–60 mph in 12.9 seconds, and the excellent midrange torque offered a 30–50 mph time in top gear of only 9 seconds. The bluff front, however, meant that the model struggled to reach 90 mph. The 1275 cc A-series engine could be cheaply and easily tuned, though the cheap purchase price and prominent "sidewinder" door stripes meant that this model developed a reputation as something of a "boy-racer special" during the '70s and into the '80s.

The Mini Clubman and 1275GT were responsible for two motoring "firsts". They were the first vehicles to use a flexi printed-circuit board behind the dash instruments (universal nowadays, but technically advanced for 1969). Secondly, the 1275GT was the first vehicle to be offered with Run flat tire; from 1974 this model could be ordered with optional Dunlop Denovo tyres on 12-inch diameter rims. In the event of a puncture, the Dunlop Denovo tyre would not burst and quickly deflate, but could continue to be used safely at speeds of up to 50 mph. This was a useful safety feature, although the increased road noise and relatively poor grip of this tyre meant that many 1275GT buyers ignored this option.

Throughout the 1970s, British Leyland continued to produce the classic 1959 "round-front" design, alongside the newer Clubman and 1275GT models. On the Australian market however, all Minis gained the Clubman front, including the commercial derivatives.

The long-nose Clubman and 1275GT offered better crash safety, were better equipped, and had vastly better under-bonnet access, but they were more expensive and aerodynamically inferior to the original 1959 design. The Mini Clubman and 1275GT were replaced in 1980 by the new hatchback Austin Metro, while production of the original "round-front" mini design continued for another 20 years. At the end of Clubman and 1275GT production, 275,583 Clubman saloons, 197,606 Clubman Estates and 110,673 1275GTs had been made.

The Mk III and onwards – 1970 to 2000 The Mk III Mini had a modified bodyshell with enough alterations to see the factory code change from ADO15 to ADO20 (which it shared with the Clubman). The most obvious changes were larger doors with concealed hinges.Customer demand led to the sliding windows being replaced with winding windows – although some Australian-manufactured Mk I Minis had adopted this feature several years earlier (with opening quarterlight windows). The suspension reverted from Hydrolastic to rubber as a cost-saving measure.

Production at the Cowley, Oxford plant was ended, and the simple name Mini completely replaced the separate Austin and Morris brands.











In the late 1970s, Innocenti introduced the Innocenti Mini, Bertone-designed hatchbacks based on the Mini platform. Bertone also created a Mini Cooper equivalent, christened the Innocenti De Tomaso, that sported a 1275 cc turbocharged engine.Reports of the Mini's imminent demise surfaced again in 1980 with the launch of the Austin Metro (badging with the word mini in all lowercase). In 1981 in New Zealand, the Mini starred in a road trip movie directed by Geoff Murphy called Goodbye Pork Pie. The Mini was beginning to fall out of favour in many export markets, and South African, Australian, and New Zealand production all stopped around this time.

Through the 1980s and 1990s the British market enjoyed numerous "special editions" of the Mini, which shifted the car from a mass-market item into a fashionable icon. It was this image that perhaps helped the Mini become such an asset for BMW, which later bought the remnants of BMC as the MG Rover Group. It was even more popular in Japan, where it was seen as a retro-cool icon, and inspired many imitators.

In 1994 under Bernd Pischetsrieder, a first cousin once removed of Issigonis, BMW took control of the Rover Group, which included the Mini, fitting an airbag to comply with European legislation.

The end of production 's Mini - A 1977 Mk IV Mini 1000By 2000 Rover was still suffering massive losses, and BMW decided to dispose of most of the company: MG (car) and Rover went to Phoenix Venture Holdings, a new British consortium; and Land Rover went to Ford. BMW retained the Mini name and the planned new model, granting Rover temporary rights to the brand and allowing it to manufacture and sell the run-out model of the old Mini. By April 2000, the range consisted of four versions: the Mini Classic Seven, the Mini Classic Cooper, the Mini Classic Cooper Sport and for overseas European markets, the Mini Knightsbridge. The last Mini (a red Cooper Sport) was built on October 4 2000 and presented to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust in December 2000. A total of 5,387,862 cars had been manufactured.

After the last of the Mini production had been sold, the 'Mini' name reverted to BMW. The new MINI (BMW) is technically unrelated to the old car but retains the classic transverse 4 cylinder, front-wheel-drive configuration and many stylistic elements.

The Mini was a cultural icon and shows up in movies such as The Bourne Identity (2002 film) (2002) as a beat-up but surprisingly capable vehicle for a car chase, or as in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) as a collectible fashion icon garaged alongside other classic sports cars. It has also featured in television shows such as Mr Bean and (as the Mini Moke) in The Prisoner.

Timeline seafront after a London to Brighton events

























Unproduced prototypes - SRV4A number of prototypes produced for vehicles based on the Mini but which never saw production are held and sometimes displayed at the British Heritage Motor Centre museum at Gaydon, Warwickshire. These included the Twini, a re-engineered four-wheel-drive Moke with two engines — one at the front and another at the back; the Austin Ant, a second attempt to produce a four-wheel-drive vehicle, this time using a transfer case; and a two-seater convertible MG edition of the Mini, cancelled due to it being perceived as competition for the MG Midget.

Exotic Minis and celebrities In the 1960s and 70s the Mini, in addition to being a cultural icon, also became a veritable 'Fashion statement#Fashion and variation'. Many celebrities of that era drove Minis that had been customised by famous United Kingdom coachbuilders. Examples include Peter Sellers' wicker side-panelled Mini built by Hooper (the Rolls-Royce Limited coachbuilder) Rolls Royce Hooper FAQ site The Mini Library which appeared in his movie A Shot in the Dark. Ringo Starr's hatchback designed by Radford who also built a Mini de Ville for Britt Ekland, Peter Sellers' wife, with a special rear estate wagon door. History on Radford website Radford also built Mini de Villes for John Lennon, Marianne Faithfull and a psychedelic version that appeared in the Beatles movie Magical Mystery Tour (film) owned by George Harrison who maintained it through the years and had it restored, including the art, prior to making an appearance with it at Goodwood Circuit as late as June 1998. Films and celebs on Radford website Marianne Faithfull drove her duo-tone de Ville to the Royal Courts of Justice to hear Mick Jagger's appeal of his drug conviction in 1967. The same year John Lennon drove his de Ville hatchback to Apple Records after hearing of Brian Epstein's death. In 1969 the Mini became an iconic part of the cult film The Italian Job. The exclusive (and expensive) Margrave and Margrave SE from Wood & Pickett should be mentioned, Wood and Pickett website found at Mayfair dealerships in Mod (lifestyle) London and elsewhere.

Niki Lauda, Enzo Ferrari and Steve McQueen all owned (and regularly drove) Mini Coopers.

Kit cars and customisation Orange (fruit) Minis.

The cheapness, simplicity and easy availability of used Minis make it an ideal candidate for body replacement. List of Mini based cars Mini-based kit cars from various small companies and individual enthusiasts. There are also numerous dramatically modified Minis such as a set of three street-legal cars made up to look like giant oranges as a promotion for the Outspan company, a Mini that was made to look like a half-timbered cottage, complete with thatch and windows with curtains. Some enthusiasts have drastically shortened or lowered their cars to make them yet smaller – others make small versions of Limousine, double-decker busses, monster trucks, motor homes and many other kinds of vehicles from used Minis.

Years after the Mini finally ended its production run, there are still ample third-party parts – both spares for restoration and performance parts for race tuning.

Given the low weight and good handling of the Mini it is also popular to do an engine swap putting in a modern, high performance engine like the Honda VTEC B16A2 or Suzuki Swift GTi and a rear mounted Yammaha R1 motorbike engine.http://www.16vminiclub.com/index.php

Awards The Mini has won many awards over the years, perhaps the most notable include: "Car of the Century" (Autocar magazine 1995), "Number One Classic Car of All Time" (Classic & Sports Car magazine 1996) and "European Car of the Century" in a worldwide Internet poll run by the prestigious Global Automotive Elections Foundation in 1999. The Mini managed second place (behind the Model T Ford) for "Global Car of the Century" in that same poll.

In the end 5.3 million Minis were sold, making it by far the most popular British car ever made.

Minis in the United States , Texas.

Between 1960 and 1967, BMC exported approximately 10,000 left-hand drive BMC Minis to the U.S. Sales were discontinued when stricter federal emission standards were imposed; BMC felt that it would be too expensive to make the Mini's engine compliant. Similar legislation was later introduced in Europe, and the A-series engine, with minor modifications, proved perfectly capable of complying with it.

Despite this, a small band of enthusiasts keep the legacy of the original car alive in the U.S., where cars more than 25 years old are generally exempt from emissions regulations. Minis that were originally sold in the U.S. are becoming hard to find, so most of the restored Minis now running in the U.S. have been imported by individual enthusiasts – typically from Australia or New Zealand where the climate has limited the amount of rust formation and cars are available for relatively low prices. There is increasing difficulty in finding cars that are old enough to meet the 25 year emissions exemption and yet are still in a reasonable condition. This has led some unscrupulous importers into employing the Ship of Theseus, in which they place the vehicle identification number (VIN) plates from older cars onto Minis that are less than 25 years old – claiming that the car was "repaired" by replacing every single part with the exception of the VIN plate. Such vehicles are termed "re-VINs" and are surprisingly common.

The new MINI Cooper S and Mk III classic Mini.

When production of the classic Mini ceased in 2000, BMW (the new owner of the brand) announced the successor to the Mini – which is variously called the "BMW MINI" or the "New MINI". The brand name for the new car is MINI (written in capital letters).{{cite web| url = http://www.bmweducation.co.uk/coFacts/view.asp?docID=17&topicID=3| title = BMW Operations and Production: Can you tell me more about the MINI?| publisher = BMW| accessdate = 2006-05-01-->

Some Mini enthusiasts reject the claim that the MINI as the natural successor of the original car - others simply dislike it - yet others were amongst the first to buy the new MINI when it was launched. There are many reasons offered for the negative point of view. One notion is that the classic Mini could have continued in viable production for many more years had it not been 'killed off' to make way for the MINI. The new MINI is larger than the classic Mini. It is around 55 cm longer, 30 cm wider, weighing 1050 kg rather than 650 kg. That, together with the departure from the spartan minimalism of the original, has proven objectionable to some enthusiasts. Others resent the manner in which BMW took the Mini brand name from the MG Rover Group. However, many Mini owners take the opposite view and embrace the new car as a logical succession of the original and view it as the only way the concept could have continued in the light of modern safety, emissions and manufacturing principles. Some Mini clubs go so far as to ban MINIs from their club meetings - others actively seek car enthusiasts from both camps. This spectrum of attitudes has been noted with other retro-car releases such as the Volkswagen Beetle and is far from being unique to the Mini community.

On 3rd April 2007, the one millionth MINI rolled out of the Oxford Plant after six years of production - just one month longer than it took the classic Mini to reach the same total in March 1965.

See also

References External links



{{Infobox Automobile| image = | name = Mini| manufacturer = British Motor Corporation to MG Rover Group, and Innocenti, Authi, [UK
Cowley, UK| body_style = 2-door [sedan
2-door Station wagon
2-door van
2-door Pickup truck| engine = A-series, 850–1275 Cubic metre| transmission = 4-speed manual
4-speed automatic| length = 3.05 metre (saloon) Table of Mini Facts
3.40 m (estate and commercials)| width = 1.40 m| height = 1.35 m| weight = 617 kilogram to 686 kg| wheelbase = 2.04 m (saloon)
2.14 m (estate and commercials)| successor = BMW MINI
Rover Metro| designer = Alec Issigonis-->

The Mini is a small Automobile that was produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors from 1959 to 2000. The most popular British-made car, it has since been replaced by the MINI (BMW) which was launched in 2001. The original is considered an icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout influenced a generation of car-makers.

This distinctive two-door car was designed for BMC by Sir Alec Issigonis. It was manufactured at the Longbridge plant and Cowley, Oxford plants in the United Kingdom, and later also in Spain (Authi), Australia, Belgium, Chile, Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Uruguay, Venezuela and Yugoslavia. The Mini MK1 Mini had three major updates: the Mk II, the Clubman and the Mk III. Within these was a series of variations including an estate car, a pickup truck, a van and the Mini Moke — a jeep-like buggy. The Mini Cooper and Cooper "S" were sportier versions that were successful as rally cars, winning the Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo three times.

Design and development

Designed as project ADO15 (Austin Motor Company Drawing Office project number 15), the Mini came about because of a fuel shortage. In 1956 as a result of the Suez Crisis, which reduced oil supplies, the United Kingdom saw the re-introduction of petrol rationing. Sales of large cars slumped, and there was a boom in the market for so called Bubble cars, which were mainly German in origin. Leonard Lord, the somewhat autocratic head of BMC, decreed that something had to be done and quickly. He laid down some basic design requirements: the car should be contained within a box that measured 10 × 4 × 4 Foot (unit of length) (3 × 1.2 × 1.2 m); and the passenger accommodation should occupy six feet (1.8 m) of the 10 foot (3 m) length; and the engine, for reasons of cost, should be an existing unit. Issigonis, who had been working for Alvis cars, had been recruited back to BMC in 1955 and, with his skills in designing small cars, was a natural for the task. The team that designed the Mini was remarkably small: as well as Issigonis, there was Jack Daniels, who had worked with him on the Morris Minor, Chris Kingham, who had been with him at Alvis, two engineering students and four draughtsmen. Together, by October 1957 they had designed and built the original prototype, which was affectionately named 'The Orange Box' because of its colour.

The ADO15 used a conventional BMC A-Series engine four-cylinder water-cooled engine, Engines of the ADO15 and family but departed from tradition by having it mounted Transverse engine, with the engine-oil-lubricated, four-speed transmission in the sump, and by employing front-wheel drive. Almost all small front-wheel-drive cars developed since have used a similar configuration. The radiator was mounted at the left side of the car so that the engine-mounted fan could be retained, but with reversed pitch so it blew air into the natural low pressure area under the front wing. This location saved precious vehicle length, but had the disadvantage of feeding the radiator with air that had been heated by passing over the engine.

The suspension (vehicle) system, designed by Issigonis's friend Alex Moulton at Moulton Developments Limited, used compact rubber cones instead of conventional springs. This led to a rather raw and bumpy ride, but this rigidity, together with the wheels being pushed out to the corners of the car, gave the car its famous go kart-like handling. It was initially planned to use an interconnected fluid system, similar to the one which Issigonis and Moulton were working on in the mid-1950s at Alvis, but the short development time of the car meant this was not ready in time for the Mini's launch. The system intended for the Mini was further developed to become the hydrolastic system and was first used on the Austin 1100 (launched in 1962). Ten-inch wheels were specified, so new tyres needed to be developed, the initial contract going to Dunlop Tyres.

The car was designed with sliding windows in the doors, thus allowing for storage pockets to be fitted in the space where a winding window mechanism would have been. Issigonis is said to have sized the resulting storage bins to take a bottle of his favourite Gordon's Gin. The trunk (automobile) lid was designed with the hinges at the bottom so that the car could be driven with it open to increase luggage space. On early cars the vehicle registration plate was hinged so it swung down to remain visible when the boot lid was open.

To keep labour costs down, the car was designed with quirky welding seams that are visible on the outside of the car running down the A-pillar and between the body and the floor pan. To further simplify construction, the car had external door and boot hinges.



All of these novel and elegant technical innovations resulted in a car with minimum overall dimensions yet maximised space for passengers and luggage.

Production models differed from the prototype by the addition of front and rear subframes to the Monocoque to take the suspension loads, and by turning the engine around with the carburettor at the back rather than at the front. This required an extra gear to be placed between engine and Transmission (mechanics) to reverse the engine direction. Making this a reduction gear, had the beneficial effect of reducing loads on the gearbox and preventing the rapid wear on the synchromesh which had been a problem on early prototypes. Having the carburettor at the rear helped to reduce carburetor icing, but did expose the distributor to water coming in through the grille. The engine size was reduced from 948 to 848 cc, which reduced the top speed from an unprecedented 90 Miles per hour (145 Kilometre per hour) to a more manageable (for the time) 72 mph (116 km/h) — a decision that was reversed in 1967.

Despite its utilitarian origins, the classic Mini shape had become so iconic that by the 1990s MG Rover Group, the heirs to BMC, were able to register its design as a trade mark in its own right.http://www.crossguard.info/about-us.html

The Mk I Mini — 1959 to 1967

The production version of the Mini was demonstrated to the press in April 1959, and by August several thousand cars had been produced ready for the first sales.

The name Mini did not appear by itself immediately — the first models being marketed under two of BMC's brand names, Austin and Morris. The name Austin 7 (sometimes written as SE7EN in early publicity material) recalled the popular small Austin of the 1920s and 1930s. The other name used in the United Kingdom, Morris Mini-Minor, seems to have been a play on words. The Morris Minor was a well known and successful car, with the word minor being Latin for "smaller"; so an abbreviation of the Latin word for "smallest" — minimus — was used for the new even smaller car.

Until 1962 the cars appeared as the Austin 850 and Morris 850 in North America and France, and in Denmark as the Austin Partner (until 1964) and Morris Mascot (until 1981). The name Mini was first used to name the car in 1961, A list of early Mini advertisement material somewhat to the surprise of the Bond Cars Ltd car company (later known as Bond Cars Ltd) who had been using the name Minicar for their three-wheeled vehicles since 1949. However, legal action was somehow averted, Discussion in Bond Owners Club forums and BMC used the name Mini for the remainder of the life of the car.

In 1964 the suspension of the cars was replaced by another Moulton design, the hydrolastic system. The new suspension gave a softer ride but it also increased weight and production cost and, in the minds of many enthusiasts, spoiled the handling characteristics for which the Mini was so famous. In 1971 the original rubber suspension reappeared and was retained for the remaining life of the Mini.From October 1965 the option of an Automotive Products (AP) designed four-speed automatic transmission became available.

Although they were slow at the outset, sales were strong across most of the model lines in the 1960s, with a total of 1,190,000 Mk I's being produced. Production numbers by model The basic Mini never made money for its makers because it sold at less than its production cost. This may have been necessary in order to compete with its rivals, but it is rumoured that this was due to an accounting error. Some profits came from the popular deluxe models and from optional accessories, which included items such as seat belts, door mirrors and a radio that would be considered necessities on modern cars.

The Mini etched its place into popular culture in the 1960s with well-publicised purchases by film and music stars.

The Mk II Mini — 1967 to 1969 From 1967 to 1970, Issigonis had been designing a replacement for the Mini in the form of an experimental model called the 9X. It was shorter and more powerful than the Mini, but due to politicking inside British Leyland (which had now been formed by the merger of BMC's parent company British Motor Holdings and the Leyland Motor Corporation), the car did not reach production. It was an intriguing "might-have-been"; the car was technologically advanced, and many believe it would have been competitive up until the 1980s.

The Mk II Mini featured a redesigned front grille which remained with the car from that point on. Also, a larger rear window and numerous cosmetic changes were introduced. 429,000 Mk II Minis were made.

A bewildering variety of Mini types were made in Pamplona, Spain, by the Authi company from 1968 onwards, mostly under the Morris name.

The Mini was arguably the star of the 1969 film The Italian Job, which features a car chase in which a gang of thieves drive three Minis down staircases, through storm drains, over buildings and finally into the back of a moving bus. This film was The Italian Job (2003 film) using the MINI (BMW).

Variants The popularity of the original Mini spawned many models that targeted different markets:

The Wolseley Motor Company Hornet and Riley (automobile) Elf (1961–69) These were intended as small, luxurious cars, having a larger boot and a more sophisticated looking front. The name "Wolseley Hornet" was a revival of one first used on a Wolseley Hornet (1930), while the name "Elf" recalled the Riley Nine and Imp sports cars, also of the 1930s. Both cars went through three versions. Initially they used the 848 cc engine, changing to a single carburettor version of the Cooper's 998 cc power unit in the MkII in 1963. The MKIII facelift of 1966 brought wind-up windows and concealed door hinges two years before these were seen on the mainstream Mini. 30,912 Riley Elfs and 28,455 Wolseley Hornets were built.

The Morris Mini Traveller and the Austin Mini Countryman (1961–69, UK only) Two-door estate cars with double "barn"-style rear doors. Both were built on a slightly longer chassis of 84 inches (2.14 m) compared to 80.25 inches (2.04 m) for the saloon. The luxury models had decorative, non-structural wood inserts in the rear body which gave the car a similar appearance to the larger Morris Minor estate which had some of the look of an American-style 1950s Woodie. Approximately 108,000 Austin Mini Countrymen and 99,000 Morris Mini Travellers were built.

The Mini Van (1960–82) A commercial panel van rated at ¼-ton load capacity. Built on the longer Traveller chassis but without side windows, it proved popular in 1960s Britain as a cheaper alternative to the car as it was classed as a commercial vehicle and carried no sales tax. It was renamed as the Mini 95 in 1978, the number representing the gross vehicle weight of 0.95 tons. 521,494 were built.

The Mini Pick-up (1961–82) A pick-up truck derivative. Also built on the longer chassis but with a flatbed and a tailgate. Like the van, it was renamed as the Mini 95 in 1978. Neither the van nor the pickup had a costly chrome grille - a simple set of stamped metal slots allowed airflow into the engine compartment. 58,179 Mini pickups were built.

The Mini Moke (1964 and 1968 in the UK, 1966–82 in Australia and 1983–89 in Portugal): A bizarre utility vehicle, this jeep lookalike was first designed for the British Army. But without good ground clearance or four-wheel drive, it proved unsuitable for military use, although it enjoyed some popularity in civilian production. About 50,000 Mokes were produced. The Mini Moke featured in the cult 1967 TV series The Prisoner and has proved popular in holiday locations such as Barbados and Macau – where Mokes were used as police cars and could be rented as recently as March 2006.

The Mini Cooper and Cooper S – 1961–2000

Issigonis' friend John Cooper (car maker), owner of the Cooper Car Company, designer and builder of Formula 1 and rally cars, saw the potential of the Mini for competition. Issigonis was initially reluctant to see the Mini in the role of a performance car - but after John Cooper appealed to BMC management, the two men collaborated to create the Mini Cooper, a nimble, economical and inexpensive car. The Austin Mini Cooper and Morris Mini Cooper debuted in 1961.

The original 848 cc engine from the Morris Mini-Minor was increased to 997 cc, boosting power from 34 Horsepower to 55 bhp (25 to 41 Watt). The car featured a racing-tuned engine, twin SU carburetor, a closer-ratio gearbox and front disc brakes, uncommon at the time in a small car. One thousand units of this version were commissioned by management, intended for and designed to meet the homologation rules of Group A rally racing. The 997 cc engine was replaced by a shorter stroke 998 cc unit in 1964.

A more powerful Mini Cooper, dubbed the "S", was developed in tandem and released in 1963. Featuring a 1071 cc engine and larger servo-assisted disc brakes, 4,030 Cooper S cars were produced and sold until the model was updated in August 1964. Cooper also produced two models specifically for circuit racing, rated at 970 cc and a 1275 cc, both of which were also offered to the public. The smaller-engine model was not well received, and only 963 had been built when the model was discontinued in 1965. The 1275 cc Cooper S models continued in production until 1971.

Sales of the Mini Cooper were as follows: 64,000 Mk I Coopers with 997 or 998 cc engines; 19,000 Mk I Cooper S with 970, 1071 or 1275 cc engines; 16,000 Mk II Coopers with 998 cc engines; 6,300 Mk II Cooper S with 1275 cc engines. There were no Mk III Coopers and just 1,570 Mk III Cooper S's.

The Mini Cooper S earned acclaim with Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo victories in 1964, 1965, and 1967. Minis were initially placed first, second and third in the 1966 rally as well, but were disqualified after a controversial decision by the French judges. The disqualification related to the use of a variable resistance headlight dimming circuit in place of a dual-filament lamp. It should be noted that the Citroën DS that was eventually awarded first place had illegal white headlamps but escaped disqualification. BBC Future of Monte Carlo rally in doubt The driver of the Citroën, Pauli Toivonen, was reluctant to accept the trophy and vowed that he would never race for Citroën again. Henri Toivonen family connections BMC probably received more publicity from the disqualification than they would have gained from a victory (Reprints available from BMW Group University/MINI Team) - but had the Mini not been disqualified, it would have been the only car in history to be placed in the top three on the Monte Carlo for six consecutive years.

in 1965

{] Results for Mini. Monte Carlo Automobile Club|-! Year !! Driver !! Co-Driver !! Result|-| 1962 || Pat Moss || Ann Wisdom || Ladies' Award|-| 1963 || Rauno Aaltonen || Tony Ambrose || 3rd Place|-| rowspan="2" | 1964 || Paddy Hopkirk ] and in 1973 to Spain by Authi (Automoviles de Turismo Hispano-Ingleses), which began to produce the Innocenti Mini Cooper 1300 and the Authi Mini Cooper 1300, respectively.

A new Mini Cooper named the RSP (Rover Special Products) was briefly relaunched in 1990 to 1991, with slightly lower performance than the 1960s Cooper. It proved so popular that the new Cooper-marked Mini went into full production in late 1991. From 1992 Coopers were fitted with a Fuel injection version of the 1275 cc engine, and in 1997 a multi-point fuel injected engine was introduced, along with a front-mounted radiator and various safety improvements.

The Mini Clubman and 1275GT – 1969 to 1980

In 1969 under the ownership of British Leyland, the Mini was given a facelift by stylist Roy Haynes (designer), who had previously worked for Ford Motor Company. The restyled version was called the Mini Clubman, and has a squarer frontal look, using the same indicator/sidelight assembly as the Austin Maxi. The Mini Clubman was intended to replace the upmarket Riley and Wolseley versions. A new model, dubbed the 1275GT, was slated as the replacement for the 998 cc Mini Cooper. (The 1275 cc Mini Cooper S continued alongside the 1275GT for two years until 1971.) The Clubman Estate took over where the Countryman and Traveller left off.

The 1275GT is often incorrectly described as the "Mini Clubman 1275GT". The official name was always just the "Mini 1275GT", and it was a separate, distinct model from the Clubman (albeit, it shared the same frontal treatment as the Mini Clubman, and was launched at the same time).

In 1971, the 1275 cc Mini Cooper S was discontinued, leaving the Mini 1275GT as the only sporting mini on sale in the UK for the rest of the decade. (Innocenti in Italy, however, continued making their own version of the Mini Cooper for some time, and also in Australia during the early seventies, they made a unique Cooper with Clubman front named the Clubman GT, equipped with the twin-carb version of Cooper 1275 S.) While not nearly as quick as a 1275 Mini Cooper S, the 1275GT was cheaper to buy, run, and insure. It was the first Mini to be equipped with a tachometer. It also featured a standard-fit close-ratio gearbox. Performance of the 1275GT was lively for the time, achieving 0–60 mph in 12.9 seconds, and the excellent midrange torque offered a 30–50 mph time in top gear of only 9 seconds. The bluff front, however, meant that the model struggled to reach 90 mph. The 1275 cc A-series engine could be cheaply and easily tuned, though the cheap purchase price and prominent "sidewinder" door stripes meant that this model developed a reputation as something of a "boy-racer special" during the '70s and into the '80s.

The Mini Clubman and 1275GT were responsible for two motoring "firsts". They were the first vehicles to use a flexi printed-circuit board behind the dash instruments (universal nowadays, but technically advanced for 1969). Secondly, the 1275GT was the first vehicle to be offered with Run flat tire; from 1974 this model could be ordered with optional Dunlop Denovo tyres on 12-inch diameter rims. In the event of a puncture, the Dunlop Denovo tyre would not burst and quickly deflate, but could continue to be used safely at speeds of up to 50 mph. This was a useful safety feature, although the increased road noise and relatively poor grip of this tyre meant that many 1275GT buyers ignored this option.

Throughout the 1970s, British Leyland continued to produce the classic 1959 "round-front" design, alongside the newer Clubman and 1275GT models. On the Australian market however, all Minis gained the Clubman front, including the commercial derivatives.

The long-nose Clubman and 1275GT offered better crash safety, were better equipped, and had vastly better under-bonnet access, but they were more expensive and aerodynamically inferior to the original 1959 design. The Mini Clubman and 1275GT were replaced in 1980 by the new hatchback Austin Metro, while production of the original "round-front" mini design continued for another 20 years. At the end of Clubman and 1275GT production, 275,583 Clubman saloons, 197,606 Clubman Estates and 110,673 1275GTs had been made.

The Mk III and onwards – 1970 to 2000 The Mk III Mini had a modified bodyshell with enough alterations to see the factory code change from ADO15 to ADO20 (which it shared with the Clubman). The most obvious changes were larger doors with concealed hinges.Customer demand led to the sliding windows being replaced with winding windows – although some Australian-manufactured Mk I Minis had adopted this feature several years earlier (with opening quarterlight windows). The suspension reverted from Hydrolastic to rubber as a cost-saving measure.

Production at the Cowley, Oxford plant was ended, and the simple name Mini completely replaced the separate Austin and Morris brands.











In the late 1970s, Innocenti introduced the Innocenti Mini, Bertone-designed hatchbacks based on the Mini platform. Bertone also created a Mini Cooper equivalent, christened the Innocenti De Tomaso, that sported a 1275 cc turbocharged engine.Reports of the Mini's imminent demise surfaced again in 1980 with the launch of the Austin Metro (badging with the word mini in all lowercase). In 1981 in New Zealand, the Mini starred in a road trip movie directed by Geoff Murphy called Goodbye Pork Pie. The Mini was beginning to fall out of favour in many export markets, and South African, Australian, and New Zealand production all stopped around this time.

Through the 1980s and 1990s the British market enjoyed numerous "special editions" of the Mini, which shifted the car from a mass-market item into a fashionable icon. It was this image that perhaps helped the Mini become such an asset for BMW, which later bought the remnants of BMC as the MG Rover Group. It was even more popular in Japan, where it was seen as a retro-cool icon, and inspired many imitators.

In 1994 under Bernd Pischetsrieder, a first cousin once removed of Issigonis, BMW took control of the Rover Group, which included the Mini, fitting an airbag to comply with European legislation.

The end of production 's Mini - A 1977 Mk IV Mini 1000By 2000 Rover was still suffering massive losses, and BMW decided to dispose of most of the company: MG (car) and Rover went to Phoenix Venture Holdings, a new British consortium; and Land Rover went to Ford. BMW retained the Mini name and the planned new model, granting Rover temporary rights to the brand and allowing it to manufacture and sell the run-out model of the old Mini. By April 2000, the range consisted of four versions: the Mini Classic Seven, the Mini Classic Cooper, the Mini Classic Cooper Sport and for overseas European markets, the Mini Knightsbridge. The last Mini (a red Cooper Sport) was built on October 4 2000 and presented to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust in December 2000. A total of 5,387,862 cars had been manufactured.

After the last of the Mini production had been sold, the 'Mini' name reverted to BMW. The new MINI (BMW) is technically unrelated to the old car but retains the classic transverse 4 cylinder, front-wheel-drive configuration and many stylistic elements.

The Mini was a cultural icon and shows up in movies such as The Bourne Identity (2002 film) (2002) as a beat-up but surprisingly capable vehicle for a car chase, or as in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) as a collectible fashion icon garaged alongside other classic sports cars. It has also featured in television shows such as Mr Bean and (as the Mini Moke) in The Prisoner.

Timeline seafront after a London to Brighton events

























Unproduced prototypes - SRV4A number of prototypes produced for vehicles based on the Mini but which never saw production are held and sometimes displayed at the British Heritage Motor Centre museum at Gaydon, Warwickshire. These included the Twini, a re-engineered four-wheel-drive Moke with two engines — one at the front and another at the back; the Austin Ant, a second attempt to produce a four-wheel-drive vehicle, this time using a transfer case; and a two-seater convertible MG edition of the Mini, cancelled due to it being perceived as competition for the MG Midget.

Exotic Minis and celebrities In the 1960s and 70s the Mini, in addition to being a cultural icon, also became a veritable 'Fashion statement#Fashion and variation'. Many celebrities of that era drove Minis that had been customised by famous United Kingdom coachbuilders. Examples include Peter Sellers' wicker side-panelled Mini built by Hooper (the Rolls-Royce Limited coachbuilder) Rolls Royce Hooper FAQ site The Mini Library which appeared in his movie A Shot in the Dark. Ringo Starr's hatchback designed by Radford who also built a Mini de Ville for Britt Ekland, Peter Sellers' wife, with a special rear estate wagon door. History on Radford website Radford also built Mini de Villes for John Lennon, Marianne Faithfull and a psychedelic version that appeared in the Beatles movie Magical Mystery Tour (film) owned by George Harrison who maintained it through the years and had it restored, including the art, prior to making an appearance with it at Goodwood Circuit as late as June 1998. Films and celebs on Radford website Marianne Faithfull drove her duo-tone de Ville to the Royal Courts of Justice to hear Mick Jagger's appeal of his drug conviction in 1967. The same year John Lennon drove his de Ville hatchback to Apple Records after hearing of Brian Epstein's death. In 1969 the Mini became an iconic part of the cult film The Italian Job. The exclusive (and expensive) Margrave and Margrave SE from Wood & Pickett should be mentioned, Wood and Pickett website found at Mayfair dealerships in Mod (lifestyle) London and elsewhere.

Niki Lauda, Enzo Ferrari and Steve McQueen all owned (and regularly drove) Mini Coopers.

Kit cars and customisation Orange (fruit) Minis.

The cheapness, simplicity and easy availability of used Minis make it an ideal candidate for body replacement. List of Mini based cars Mini-based kit cars from various small companies and individual enthusiasts. There are also numerous dramatically modified Minis such as a set of three street-legal cars made up to look like giant oranges as a promotion for the Outspan company, a Mini that was made to look like a half-timbered cottage, complete with thatch and windows with curtains. Some enthusiasts have drastically shortened or lowered their cars to make them yet smaller – others make small versions of Limousine, double-decker busses, monster trucks, motor homes and many other kinds of vehicles from used Minis.

Years after the Mini finally ended its production run, there are still ample third-party parts – both spares for restoration and performance parts for race tuning.

Given the low weight and good handling of the Mini it is also popular to do an engine swap putting in a modern, high performance engine like the Honda VTEC B16A2 or Suzuki Swift GTi and a rear mounted Yammaha R1 motorbike engine.http://www.16vminiclub.com/index.php

Awards The Mini has won many awards over the years, perhaps the most notable include: "Car of the Century" (Autocar magazine 1995), "Number One Classic Car of All Time" (Classic & Sports Car magazine 1996) and "European Car of the Century" in a worldwide Internet poll run by the prestigious Global Automotive Elections Foundation in 1999. The Mini managed second place (behind the Model T Ford) for "Global Car of the Century" in that same poll.

In the end 5.3 million Minis were sold, making it by far the most popular British car ever made.

Minis in the United States , Texas.

Between 1960 and 1967, BMC exported approximately 10,000 left-hand drive BMC Minis to the U.S. Sales were discontinued when stricter federal emission standards were imposed; BMC felt that it would be too expensive to make the Mini's engine compliant. Similar legislation was later introduced in Europe, and the A-series engine, with minor modifications, proved perfectly capable of complying with it.

Despite this, a small band of enthusiasts keep the legacy of the original car alive in the U.S., where cars more than 25 years old are generally exempt from emissions regulations. Minis that were originally sold in the U.S. are becoming hard to find, so most of the restored Minis now running in the U.S. have been imported by individual enthusiasts – typically from Australia or New Zealand where the climate has limited the amount of rust formation and cars are available for relatively low prices. There is increasing difficulty in finding cars that are old enough to meet the 25 year emissions exemption and yet are still in a reasonable condition. This has led some unscrupulous importers into employing the Ship of Theseus, in which they place the vehicle identification number (VIN) plates from older cars onto Minis that are less than 25 years old – claiming that the car was "repaired" by replacing every single part with the exception of the VIN plate. Such vehicles are termed "re-VINs" and are surprisingly common.

The new MINI Cooper S and Mk III classic Mini.

When production of the classic Mini ceased in 2000, BMW (the new owner of the brand) announced the successor to the Mini – which is variously called the "BMW MINI" or the "New MINI". The brand name for the new car is MINI (written in capital letters).{{cite web| url = http://www.bmweducation.co.uk/coFacts/view.asp?docID=17&topicID=3| title = BMW Operations and Production: Can you tell me more about the MINI?| publisher = BMW| accessdate = 2006-05-01-->

Some Mini enthusiasts reject the claim that the MINI as the natural successor of the original car - others simply dislike it - yet others were amongst the first to buy the new MINI when it was launched. There are many reasons offered for the negative point of view. One notion is that the classic Mini could have continued in viable production for many more years had it not been 'killed off' to make way for the MINI. The new MINI is larger than the classic Mini. It is around 55 cm longer, 30 cm wider, weighing 1050 kg rather than 650 kg. That, together with the departure from the spartan minimalism of the original, has proven objectionable to some enthusiasts. Others resent the manner in which BMW took the Mini brand name from the MG Rover Group. However, many Mini owners take the opposite view and embrace the new car as a logical succession of the original and view it as the only way the concept could have continued in the light of modern safety, emissions and manufacturing principles. Some Mini clubs go so far as to ban MINIs from their club meetings - others actively seek car enthusiasts from both camps. This spectrum of attitudes has been noted with other retro-car releases such as the Volkswagen Beetle and is far from being unique to the Mini community.

On 3rd April 2007, the one millionth MINI rolled out of the Oxford Plant after six years of production - just one month longer than it took the classic Mini to reach the same total in March 1965.

See also

References External links





MINI - HOME
Information and dealer locator for the British Mini.

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Google Enterprise Solutions : Google Mini
Deploy the shiny blue server that delivers Google-quality search across your company's documents and websites.

Home - MINI - H R Owen MINI dealerships in West Drayton and Chiswick
H R Owen MINI New MINI's been cleverly designed to make servicing a breeze. It's all done quickly and efficiently by our MINI technicians.

British Mini Club - Home
The British Mini Club was formed in 1992 and has grown to become a world leading club for the greatest car of all time - the Mini. The BMC is a non-profit making car club that is ...

Mini.it
Presenta la nuova versione della Mini ed i suoi modelli. Schede tecniche, eventi, configuratore online, notiziario e servizi.

CWYFL MINI SOCCER
mini soccer section central warwickshire youth football league. season 200 8-2009

Mini World
Featuring news, events diary, picture gallery, and regailia. Also includes a classic section.

Welcome to Wollaston authorised MINI dealership
Visit Wollaston Northampton in Northhamptonshire for all new MINI models including the MINI One Hatch, Cooper, Cooper D, Cooper S, Clubman, Convertible and Sidewalk as well as John ...

 

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