Mini

The Mini, the smallest car in terms of dimensions in the automotive industry, was built in its original version in England between 1959 and 2000. It was a revolutionary and characterful small car designed by Alec Issigonis for the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and built in Birmingham. Unique for its early days was the transversely mounted engine, something you see more often today.

History of Mini

In the late 1950s, there were no real small cars yet. The Suez Crisis, with the subsequent fuel shortage, created a demand for a fuel-efficient car. Germany was the first to jump into this gap with the introduction of the so-called 'Bubble Car' (a small car with a transparent (plastic) hood). Sir Leonard Lord commissioned the development of a small English car that was, however, large enough to transport four people and had to be smaller than a Morris Minor and the Austin A35, the BMC models.

Alec Issigonis was commissioned to create this car. He already had a proven track record as the designer of the Morris Minor. Another requirement was that he use an existing BMC engine. The tested, albeit somewhat older, Austin A-series engine met the requirements. Issigonis mounted the engine transversely with front-wheel drive. This was very unusual for the time. Initially, Issigonis wanted the carburetor at the front and the ignition and electronics at the rear, but since this caused problems with the carburetor, he decided to rotate the engine 180 degrees. The radiator was placed on the left side of the engine. This is the reason why classic Minis struggle in heavy rain: rainwater can easily get into the ignition system, and that naturally does not mix well.

Classic Mini I

Leonard Lord drove a prototype Mini for a few minutes and was so enthusiastic that he commissioned Issigonis to have the prototype production-ready within a year. The first Mini was not a mass-produced car. Factory worker Albert Green assembled one almost entirely by hand in just 7 hours. Not bad for a kit with 3016 bolts and screws. Albert was offered the opportunity to buy one, but he declined. The Mini with registration 621 AOK was eventually taken to the British Motor Heritage Centre. In 1959, the Mini did go into mass production, and a car rolled off the assembly line every two hours.

The Mini appeared in two different versions: the Morris Mini Minor and the Austin Seven. Both cars are identical except for some visual details. Compared to other cars of the era, the Mini also featured distinctive differences, such as the centrally placed speedometer. The doors were opened using a leather cord. According to BMC, this kept costs down. The same system was used in the 1973 and 1991 Porsche models, but to reduce weight. Despite all the positive reactions, the Mini did present some problems: mediocre finish, windows that would jam, and the doors being very easy to open, even for people who were not the Mini's owners. And then there was the issue with the ignition during rain. The Mini also leaked a considerable amount of water; this was never noticed during testing because it was only conducted in dry weather. Issigonis later admitted that this leakage was caused by having the floor panels reversed. Incidentally, the Mini also consumed quite a bit of oil.

Success in Europe, failure in the United States

The Mini was sold in the USA, but it flopped completely there. Sales in Europe also failed to meet expectations in the first year. Consumers still had to get used to this new design, with all the features that were so different for that time. Only 20.000 Minis were produced in the first year. Things improved in 1960. In that year, 100.000 Minis were sold, with a 100% increase in production the following year. The Mini became particularly popular in England. VIPs viewed it as a status symbol, and this had a stimulating effect on 'ordinary people'. Peter Sellers, the Beatles, Charles Aznavour, King Hussein of Jordan, Dudley Moore, and Steve McQueen, among others, bought a Mini.

John Lennon in his Mini

Spiritual father Issigonis also made a special Mini for Enzo Ferrari, but the latter returned it because, according to the Italian, the steering wheel was on the wrong side. A European version was subsequently sent to him, and Enzo Ferrari then bought two more to race through the mountains of Italy.

Besides the status aspect, there were also practical reasons to buy a Mini. The Mini was very fuel-efficient, easy to park, and handled well. The ratio between its size and the interior space is also remarkable. But above all, its sporty appearance sold very well. The top speed was 115 km/h, which was not bad for a car with 34 horsepower under the hood. Almost immediately after the Mini's introduction, tuning companies jumped on the bandwagon. Issigonis didn't like this at all, because in his opinion, 34 horsepower was more than enough for a 600-kilogram car. A year after its introduction, the Mini Cooper hit the market. This was the breakthrough for Mini. Race car designer John Cooper had upgraded the engine to 55 horsepower. The 997cc engine propelled the Mini to a top speed of 140 km/h. The Mini featured miniature disc brakes specially designed for the Cooper by Lockhead. The extra dials and a different color scheme provided the finishing touch. BMC hoped to sell 1000, but sold no fewer than more than 150.000.

The Cooper became the trendy car to be seen in. It also led every potential rally driver to the track. Drivers such as James Hunt, Jackie Stewart, and Niki Lauda began their racing careers in Coopers. John Cooper did well; he received two British pounds for every Cooper sold.

A car clearly does not need a large engine to be a sports car; this theory was proven time and again by the Mini. The Cooper surprised friend and foe alike. And engine development was not yet finished. BMC introduced the Cooper 'S' with a 1071cc ​​engine. This was the English carmaker's answer to the Ford Cortina GT. The Cooper S outperformed all the larger, heavier cars. The Cooper variant performed so well that BMC decided to start a dedicated rally team. The Mini won its first rally in 1963, but the Monte Carlo Rally is the rally to win. In 1964, the brand won the Monte Carlo Rally with driver Padpy Hopkirk. This was repeated in 1965, 66, and 67. In 1965, 66, and 67, the Mini achieved 22 victories in major international rallies. Rauno Aaltonen won eight of these victories. In 1994, Paddy Hopkirk appeared at the start of the Monte Carlo Rally again, this time with a new Cooper but with the same starting number: 37.

Issigonis did not sit still. He designed cars to reinforce the success of the Mini. In 1960, a van was introduced, followed by the station wagon: the Morris Mini Traveller or the Austin Seven Countryman. These variants featured wooden panels on the sides of the car. A pickup version was introduced in 1961 and was very popular with farmers. The fire brigade and the Royal Post also made use of this Mini. The Mini was also popular with the government; the police purchased hundreds of Minis as surveillance cars. Tuning companies are having the time of their lives with the Mini. VIPs have their Minis customized by companies such as Wood and Picket, Hooper, and Radfort for thousands of British pounds.

BMC's marketing department was not happy with all these small companies siphoning off a share of the revenue. That is why they introduced the luxury models. Wolseley Hornet and the slightly more expensive Riley Elf in 1961. These were slightly different due to the grille and luggage compartment, which were different. Neither version became a success, and they went out of production in 1968.

In 1962, no one spoke of the Austin Seven or the Morris Mini Minor. The name Mini was so well known that BMC adopted it for the car. The Morris retained its full name until 1969, when BMC became British Leyland. One of the last Mini clones was the Moke, which appeared in 1964. This variant was originally designed for the military. It was supposed to be lightweight and able to survive a parachute landing. But this was not the case. The tires were too small, and front-wheel drive alone was not enough for the terrain it was designed for. The Moke would have died a quiet death had the public shown no interest. It proved to be an excellent export car, used in seaside resorts like Nice in France. Brigitte Bardot drove one and called it her 'petit Anglais'. America and especially Australia bought the car in massive quantities. In 1968, production was moved to Australia to maximize production capacity.

Mini production outside England

The Mini was also produced in other countries. They were manufactured in Belgium in Seneffe and at Innocenti in Milan. British Leyland bought the factory for 3 million British pounds after the owner, Innocenti, had passed away. Innocenti's Minis were not known for their quality because recycled steel was used in their production. Rust was the result. The Innocenti factory built a new body for the Mini, designed by Bertone using the Mini structure. These Minis appeared on the market as the Innocenti 90 or 120. De Tomaso introduced an Italian successor to the Mini Cooper in 1976. This had a top speed of 160 km/h with a 1275cc engine producing 74 hp.

Technically, the model steadily improved. The Riley and Wolseley featured the so-called hydraulic suspension, which had been copied from the Austin and Morris 1100. The fluid was stored in rubber cones, resulting in a more comfortable ride. BMC approved this, and dry suspension disappeared, but only for a few years. In 1965, the year the one millionth Mini rolled off the assembly line, BMC introduced the 4-speed automatic gearbox. The system was clever, but it did not work well. When taking a fast corner, all the oil flowed to one side, causing damage to the engine. Various modifications were made to fix it. In 1967, the base version received a 998cc engine alongside the 848cc, and also received a synchronizer on first gear. In 1967, the Mark II was introduced.

The little English car sold exceptionally well (318.475 units in 1971 alone), and the 3 millionth example rolled off the production line the following year. Nevertheless, British Leyland foresaw the end of the Mini. Issigonis had designed a successor in 1968. This project was abandoned due to a lack of funds. Ford and VW scored well with similar designs in later years. In 1969, a compromise model was introduced: the Mini Clubman. The Clubman, which simultaneously replaced the Elf, Hornet, and Cooper, had the instrument dials behind the steering wheel. The Mini Clubman Estate replaced the Countryman and the Traveller. The Clubman came standard with a 998cc engine.

The entire production was transferred to Longbridge to free up the Cowley factory for the Austin Maxi and the Morris Marina. John Cooper was still receiving two pounds for every Cooper sold, which is why British Leyland decided to discontinue the Cooper in 1971. Throughout the 1970s, British Leyland continued trying to find a successor. After a number of failures, the Austin Mini Metro was introduced in 1980. Originally intended to replace the Mini, it was nevertheless produced alongside it. Technically, the Metro resembled the Mini, but visually they were completely different. Yet, the model did not sell well. By 1980, the Clubman was the replacement for the Cooper, and the Clubman 1275GT was taken out of production, just like the Pick-up, Estate, and Van in 1982. Only the original Mini remained. From 1979 onwards, it was available only with a 998cc engine.

The recent 80s and 70s saw a steady decline in Mini sales and production. The Mini faced stiff competition. To revive the Mini, British Leyland and later Austin Rover produced special versions of the Mini. Technically, these Minis were no different from the old ones, featuring only cosmetic changes, such as color and interior. This works to a certain extent, but it still seems that the days of the Mini are over. Rover is conducting a study to determine who the average Mini driver is. This does not exist. Minis are bought most often by women, at 70%. According to the Rover Group, 56% of drivers are married, 13% are under 24, and 16% are over 65. The Mini is most often used as a second car intended for city driving. 76% of Mini drivers have previously driven a Rover.

The model has become a classic alongside the Volkswagen Beetle and the Citroën 2CV. No more so than in Japan, where they are absolutely crazy about these cars. In 1991, more Minis were sold nowhere else than in Japan, not even in England. Demand from Japan for the Cooper grew very strongly. John Cooper eventually produced a kit to improve the standard engine. This proved to be such a success that Rover invited John Cooper for a 'talk', which resulted in the Mini Cooper returning to the market in 1990. This limited edition was a huge success, leading Rover to start producing this car as standard alongside the regular Mini.

The rescue for Mini

This new Cooper saved the brand from ruin. On October 4, 2000, the last Mini rolled off the production line. In 1992, the Mini and the Cooper received a 1.3-liter fuel injection 63 hp engine (53 hp in the standard Mini) to meet exhaust emission requirements. Production had stabilized at 40.000 per year. Now, 40% of all Minis are Coopers. The Cooper was soon succeeded by a convertible. The brand was fully back in the 90s. The remaining clubs grew steadily in the early 90s until BMW (the new owner of Rover) decided to stop production. The Mini was to be permanently replaced by the new version in 2001. This marked the end of a production run of more than 40 years, but the Heritage Centre will continue producing the Mini body, meaning we haven't seen this little car for the last time yet. Furthermore, the new version has proven to be a masterstroke for BMW.