Mini commemorates 65 years of existence in 2024. The British brand was launched in 1959, setting in motion a cult-like following that has captured the hearts of the young and old alike. Two variants were originally made: Austin and Morris versions, both brands built by British manufacturer Leyland.
The Mini came about in reply to a 1956 fuel shortage resulting in petrol rations in the UK. It was designed by Alec Issigonis, an engineering maestro who earned many accolades including a Knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 1969.
The front wheel drive car he created had a space-saving transverse engine layout that allowed for the fitment of passengers and their luggage despite measuring a petite 3,054mm in length, 1,410mm width, 1,346mm height with a 2,036mm wheelbase.
Formula One team owner Charles Cooper and his son John, who founded their racing-car business in 1946, got the drift that the newly launched small car with a 587kg dry weight could make for an ace sprinter and race car with the addition of a more powerful engine, new brakes and sharper steering.
He transformed the car, which then took the racing world by storm, giving rise to the hotter Mini John Cooper Works models from 1961. Even the founder of Ferrari, Enzo, owned a couple of Mini John Cooper Works.
In 1964, Northern Irish driver Patrick “Paddy” Hopkirk won the Monte Carlo rally and 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of that famous win. Mini won the Monte Carlo rally in 1965 and again in 1967.
A total of 5,387,862 cars were manufactured between 1959 and 2000, nearly 1.6-million of which were sold in the UK.
MINI’s second coming — this time with upper-case letters to denote the new-generation models — took place in 1994 when BMW acquired the rights to the brand, relaunching it in 2001. The German company has continued the legacy while growing the cars in size and stature, with derivatives including three- and five-door hatches, convertible, Clubman and Countryman to name a few.
In the year of another milestone, the MINI brand introduces an all-new line-up, and thrusts the brand further into the electric era as started by the MINI Cooper SE of the previous generation.
The new MINI Aceman, which is larger than a Cooper hatch with five seat practicality yet more compact than the full-fat MINI Countryman, will also join the range in 2024. The new John Cooper Works line available in both petrol and electric versions will also debut in 2024.
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