Mini
Manufacturer	BMC to MG Rover, and Innocenti, Authi
Production	1959–2000
Assembly	Longbridge, Birmingham, West Midlands, England, Cowley, Oxfordshire, England
Successor	BMW MINI
Class	Supermini
Body style(s)	2-door saloon 2-door estate 2-door van 2-door truck For the original Mini produced by the British Motor Corporation, see Mini. ... Mini is a Latin prefix meaning small. It is commonly used in this context in the English language (e. ... Industrial robots welding a car body in the white section of a production line. ... BMC rosette logo old BMC share A preserved BMC ambulance. ... MG Rover was the last British-owned mass-production car manufacturer in the British motor industry. ... The Italian machinery works named Innocenti was originally established by Ferdinando Innocenti in 1920. ... The Authi car company of Pamplona, Spain was founded in 1965 as a result of a collaboration between BMC (the British Motor Corporation) and NMQ (Nueva Monta a Quijano). ... The Longbridge plant was a large industrial site in the Longbridge area of Birmingham, England. ... This article is about the British city. ... The County of West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a population of around 2,600,000 people. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Cowley in Oxford, England, is a residential and industrial area that forms a small conurbation within greater Oxford. ... Oxfordshire (abbreviated Oxon, from the Latinised form Oxonia) is a county in the South East of England, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The BMW or New MINI is a car produced by BMW since 2001. ... Car classification is subjective since many vehicles fall into multiple categories. ... 1996 Volkswagen Polo, a popular modern European supermini A supermini is a European hatchback car category. ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... A notchback full-size luxury sedan. ... Estate car body style (Saab 95) A station wagon (United States usage), wagon (Australian usage, though station wagon is widely used) or estate car (United Kingdom usage) is a car body style similar to a sedan car but with an extended rear cargo area. ... This article is about the road vehicle. ... The best selling North American pickup truck, the Ford F-Series. ...
Layout	FF layout
Engine(s)	A-series, 850–1275 cc
Transmission(s)	4-speed manual 4-speed automatic/ 5 speed manual (some models only)
Wheelbase	2.04 m (80.3 in) (saloon) 2.14 m (84.3 in) (estate and commercials)
Length	3.05 m (120.1 in) (saloon)[1] 3.40 m (133.9 in) (estate and commercials)
Width	1.40 m (55.1 in)
Height	1.35 m (53.1 in)
Curb weight	617 kg (1,360 lb) to 686 kg (1,512 lb)
Designer	Sir Alec Issigonis

The Mini is a small car that was produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The most popular British-made car ever, it was superseded by the New MINI, which was launched in April 2001. The original is considered an icon of the 1960s,^[2][3][4] and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout (that allowed 80% of the area of the car's floorpan to be used for passengers and luggage) influenced a generation of car-makers.^[5] The vehicle is in some ways considered the British equivalent to its German contemporary, the Volkswagen Beetle, which enjoyed similar popularity in North America. In automobile design layout is the place where both the engine and driven wheels are. ... Sketch of FF layout In automotive design, a FF, or Front-engine, Front-wheel drive layout places both the engine and driven wheels at the front of the vehicle. ... A colored automobile engine The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of fuel and an oxidizer (typically air) occurs in a confined space called a combustion chamber. ... The cubic meter (symbol m³) is the SI derived unit of volume. ... Gearbox redirects here. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Kerb (sometimes mis-spelled as curb by Americans) weight is the total weight of a vehicle with standard equipment, all necessary operating consumables (such as motor oil and coolant), a full tank of fuel and not loaded with either passengers or cargo. ... Designers at work in 1961. ... The machine factory (shown here in a company letter of 1910) founded by Demosthenis Issigonis, Alecs grandfather, was one of the thriving Greek businesses in Smyrna (now Izmir). ... Car redirects here. ... BMC rosette logo old BMC share A preserved BMC ambulance. ... For the original Mini produced by the British Motor Corporation, see Mini. ... This article is about the original Volkswagen Beetle. ... North American redirects here. ...

This distinctive two-door car was designed for BMC by Sir Alec Issigonis.^[6][7] It was manufactured at the Longbridge and Cowley plants in the United Kingdom, the Victoria Park / Zetland British Motor Corporation (Australia) factory in Sydney Australia, and later also in Spain (Authi), Belgium, Chile, Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Uruguay, Venezuela and Yugoslavia. The Mini Mk I had three major UK 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 Monte Carlo Rally three times. Sir Alec Issigonis (1906-1988) was a designer of cars, now remembered chiefly for the development of the Mini in 1959. ... The Longbridge plant was a large industrial site in the Longbridge area of Birmingham, England. ... Map sources for Cowley at grid reference SP5504 Cowley in Oxfordshire is a residential and industrial area within the city of Oxford, originating with the former villages of Cowley, Temple Cowley and Cowley St John (Also occasionally referred to as Church Cowley). The Cowley area underwent massive transformation from 1912... The Authi car company of Pamplona, Spain was founded in 1965 as a result of a collaboration between BMC (the British Motor Corporation) and NMQ (Nueva Monta a Quijano). ... 1963 Mk I Austin Mini Super-Deluxe The MK1 Mini (1959–1967) was the first version of British Motor Corporations Mini. ... Estate car body style (Saab 95) A station wagon (United States usage), wagon (Australian usage) or estate car (United Kingdom usage) is a car body style similar to a sedan car but with an extended rear cargo area. ... The best selling North American pickup truck, the Ford F-Series. ... This article is about the road vehicle. ... The Mini Moke is a vehicle based on the Mini and designed for the British Motor Corporation (BMC) by Sir Alec Issigonis. ... For other uses, see Jeep (disambiguation). ... Rallying (international) or rally racing (US) is a form of automobile racing that takes place on normal roads with modified production or specially built road cars. ... Stephane Sarrazin driving a Subaru Impreza WRC on the Monte Carlo Rally Carlos Sainz driving a Toyota Corolla WRC on the Monte Carlo Rally 2003 Citroën Xsara T4 WRC The Monte Carlo Rally (officially Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo) is a rally racing event organized each year by the Automobile...

Minis were marketed under the Austin and Morris names until Mini became a marque in its own right in 1969.^[8] The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles that rose to be a major motorcar brand, the dominant partner after merger with Morris in 1952 but declining after absorption into the British Leyland Motor Corporation, and its subsequent troubles. ... Morris Motor logo, from a UK Royal Mail van 1927 Morris Cowley 1928 Morris Minor Saloon 1946 Morris Ten Series M 1953 Morris Minor Series 2 1971 Morris 1000 Traveller The Morris Motor Company was a former British car manufacturing company. ... A marque (French for brand and pronounced as mark) is a brand name, most commonly used for automobile brands. ...

Design and development

Designed as project ADO15 (Austin 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 quickly. He laid down some basic design requirements: the car should be contained within a box that measured 10 × 4 × 4 feet (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, 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.^[2] The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles that rose to be a major motorcar brand, the dominant partner after merger with Morris in 1952 but declining after absorption into the British Leyland Motor Corporation, and its subsequent troubles. ... Belligerents Israel United Kingdom France Egypt Commanders Moshe Dayan Charles Keightley Pierre Barjot Gamal Abdel Nasser Abdel Hakim Amer Strength 175,000 Israeli 45,000 British 34,000 French 70,000 Casualties and losses 197 Israeli KIA 56 British KIA 91 British WIA 10 French KIA 43 French WIA 1650... A microcar is a particularly and extremely small automobile. ... Leonard Lord Leonard Lord (1896-1967) was a captain of the British Motor Industry. ... Autocracy is a form of government where unlimited power is held by a single individual. ... Alvis Silver Eagle mascot (late version). ... Later Morris Minor Van with aftermarket rear side windows Morris Minor Traveller (estate) Morris Minor Rally The revolutionary Morris Minor (the prototype was called Mosquito) was launched at the Earls Court Motor Show on 20 September, 1948. ...

The ADO15 used a conventional BMC A-Series four-cylinder water-cooled engine,^[9] but departed from tradition by having it mounted transversely, 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 that 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. An 848 cc A-Series Engine in a 1963 Austin Mini Austin Motor Companys small straight-4 automobile engine, the A-Series, is one of the most common in the world. ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... Watercooling is a method of heat removal from components. ... A transverse engine is an engine in which the crankshaft is oriented side-to-side relative to the wheels of the vehicle. ... This article is about sumps in general. ... Front-wheel drive is the most common form of engine/transmission layout used in modern passenger cars, where the engine drives the front wheels. ...

1959 Morris Mini-Minor interior

The suspension system, designed by Issigonis' friend Dr. Alex Moulton at Moulton Developments Limited, used compact rubber cones instead of conventional springs. This ingenious design shrank the overall size of the suspension, meaning that it could take up less space. It was built into the subframes. The use of the rubber cones 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 Mini 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 (254 mm) wheels were specified, so new tyres needed to be developed, the initial contract going to Dunlop. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2288 × 1712 pixel, file size: 557 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2288 × 1712 pixel, file size: 557 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The front suspension components of a Ford Model T. Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. ... Alex Moulton created the company Moulton, an English Bicycle company. ... Moulton Developments Limited is a British company formed by Alex Moulton in the late 1950s to work on the design and development of the suspension system for Alec Issigoniss BMC Mini project, and other projects[1]. References ↑ ALEX MOULTON. (HTML) MiniWorld. ... A kart racer takes a turn on an indoor track Kart racing (as the word is so spelled by enthusiasts) or karting is a variant of open-wheeler motor sport with simple, small four-wheeled vehicles called karts, go-karts, or gearbox/shifter karts depending on the design. ... Hydrolastic is a type of automotive suspension system used in many cars produced by British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successor companies. ... Photo from original press release of Austin 1100 The Morris 1100 was a small family car built by the British Motor Corporation and, later, British Leyland, from August 15, 1962 to June 1974, developed under the ADO16 codename. ...

The Mini 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 boot 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 number plate was hinged so it swung down to remain visible when the boot lid was open. Although it has to be mentioned that this design was later discontinued as it was discovered that exhaust gasses could leak into the cockpit while the boot was open. Gordons is a popular brand of gin produced in the United Kingdom and under license in New Zealand and several other former British territories. ... This 1931 Ford Model A features a separate trunk on its rear trunk rack. ... A vehicle registration plate is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. ...

The Mini was designed as a monocoque shell with welded seams that are visible on the outside of the car running down the A and C pillars, and between the body and the floor pan showing where the joins are. To further simplify construction, the car had external door and boot hinges. An SUV with four pillars A Barracuda fastback has only two pillars A stretch limo with five pillars When looking at the side of a vehicle, the A-pillar is the pillar that attaches to the windshield and supports the roof. ...

Cross-section shows how Mini maximizes passenger space

All of these novel and elegant technical innovations resulted in a car with minimum overall dimensions yet maximised space for both passengers and luggage. Image File history File links Cutout_mini. ... Image File history File links Cutout_mini. ...

Production models differed from the prototype by the addition of front and rear subframes to the unibody 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 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 carburettor 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 mph (145 km/h) to a more manageable (for the time) 72 mph (116 km/h) — a decision that was reversed in 1967. Monocoque (French for single shell) is a construction technique that uses the external skin of an object to support some or most of the load on the structure. ... The carburetor (or carburettor, carb for short) is a device which mixes air and fuel for an internal_combustion engine. ... Gearbox redirects here. ... Synchromesh is the term used to describe a manual transmission in which gears are brought to the same speed during shifting by a synchronizer. ... Carburetor, carburettor, carburator, carburetter icing is an icing condition which can affect any carburetor under certain atmospheric conditions. ... Distributor cap. ... Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ... Kilometre per hour (American spelling: kilometer per hour) is a unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector). ...

Despite its utilitarian origins, the classic Mini shape had become so iconic that by the 1990s, Rover Group — the heirs to BMC — were able to register its design as a trade mark in its own right.^[10] MG Rover was the last British-owned mass-production car manufacturer in the British motor industry. ...

The Mk I Mini: 1959-67

A Morris Mini-Minor being delivered to a family in Arlington Texas in 1959.

See also: Mk I Mini

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.^[11] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1280x1024, 440 KB) This is the very first Morris Mini -Minor in Arlington Texas, 1959 Donated to Wikipedia by Edith Englert, (at upper left in photo) no restrictions on use. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1280x1024, 440 KB) This is the very first Morris Mini -Minor in Arlington Texas, 1959 Donated to Wikipedia by Edith Englert, (at upper left in photo) no restrictions on use. ... 1963 Mk I Austin Mini Super-Deluxe This article is about the British Motor Corporations Mk I Mini. ...

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 Seven (sometimes written as SE7EN in early publicity material) recalled the popular small Austin 7 of the 1920s and 1930s. The other name used till 1967 in the United Kingdom (and in Commonwealth countries such as Australia), 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. It was originally going to be called the Austin Newmarket. The Austin 7 was a vintage car produced from 1922 through to 1939 in the United Kingdom. ...

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 domestically by BMC for Austin's version in 1961, when the Austin Seven was rebranded as the Austin Mini,^[12] somewhat to the surprise of the Sharps Commercials car company (later known as Bond Cars Ltd) who had been using the name Bond Cars Ltd British motor maker. ... Bond Cars Ltd British motor maker. ...

1963 Austin Mini 850 Mk I

Minicar for their three-wheeled vehicles since 1949. However, legal action was somehow averted, ^[13] and BMC used the name Mini for the remainder of the car's life. ^[14] For the three wheeler car made by Bond Cars Ltd, see Bond Minicar. ...

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. Hydrolastic is a type of automotive suspension system used in many cars produced by British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successor companies. ...

Austin Mini Van, Automobile Association livery

From October 1965 the option of an Automotive Products (AP) designed four-speed automatic transmission became available. The Automobile Association (also referred to as The AA) is a British motoring organization. ... The automatic gear selector in a Ford Five Hundred vehicle An automatic transmission (commonly abbreviated as AT) is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, thus freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually (similar but larger devices are also used for railroad...

Slow at the outset, Mk I sales strengthened across most of the model lines in the 1960s, and production totalled 1,190,000.^[15] Sold at below cost, the basic Mini never made money for its makers. This may have been necessary in order to compete with its rivals, but it is rumoured that it was due to an accounting error.^[6] Some profits came from the popular deluxe models and from optional accessories, such as seat belts, door mirrors and a radio, which 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: 1967-70

Mk II Austin Mini Countryman

From 1967 to 1970, Issigonis had been designing a replacement for the Mini in the form of an experimental model called the 9X.^[6] 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. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (963x773, 349 KB)Skip Lauglins 1972 Mini Countryman - photographed by Steve Baker in Feb 2006. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (963x773, 349 KB)Skip Lauglins 1972 Mini Countryman - photographed by Steve Baker in Feb 2006. ... The British Leyland Motor Corporation (often abbreviated to simply BL), was a Britain in 1968. ... British Motor Holding (BMH) was a British motor company created in an attempt to halt the decline in Britains manufacturing base in the 1960s. ... Leyland Motors was a British vehicle manufacturer of lorries and buses. ...

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. ^[15][16][17]

A bewildering variety of Mini types were made in Pamplona, Spain, by the Authi company from 1968 onwards, mostly under the Morris name. For other meanings, see Pamplona (disambiguation). ... The Authi car company of Pamplona, Spain was founded in 1965 as a result of a collaboration between BMC (the British Motor Corporation) and NMQ (Nueva Monta a Quijano). ...

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 remade in 2003 using the new MINI. The Italian Job is a British caper film, written by Troy Kennedy Martin, produced by Michael Deeley and directed by Peter Collinson. ... The Italian Job is a 2003 action-adventure film, directed by F. Gary Gray. ... For the original Mini produced by the British Motor Corporation, see Mini. ...

Variants

See also: Mini Moke

The popularity of the original Mini spawned many models that targeted different markets: The Mini Moke is a vehicle based on the Mini and designed for the British Motor Corporation (BMC) by Sir Alec Issigonis. ...

1968 Mk III Riley Elf.

Wolseley Hornet and Riley 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 1930s sports car, while the name "Elf" recalled the Riley Sprite 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.^[15] 1968 Riley Elf Mk3 seen at Filton Golf Club, Filton, Bristol, England. ... 1968 Riley Elf Mk3 seen at Filton Golf Club, Filton, Bristol, England. ... The Wolseley Motor Company was an automobile manufacturer in the United Kingdom from 1905. ... 1965 Riley 1. ... The Wolseley Hornet was a lightweight saloon car produced by the Wolseley Motor Company from 1930 to 1936. ... The Riley Nine was one of the most successful light cars produced by the British motor industry in the inter war period. ...

1969 MkII Austin Mini Countryman, all steel

Morris Mini Traveller and 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. ^[15] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (963x773, 349 KB)Skip Lauglins 1972 Mini Countryman - photographed by Steve Baker in Feb 2006. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (963x773, 349 KB)Skip Lauglins 1972 Mini Countryman - photographed by Steve Baker in Feb 2006. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Pontiac woodie A woodie is a type of car, more specifically an early station wagon (US) or estate car/shooting brake (UK), in which the rear portion of the cars bodywork is made of wood. ...

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. ^[15]

A Mini Pickup.

Mini Pick-up (1961-82): A pick-up truck derivative, which was also built on the longer chassis but with a flatbed and tailgate. Like the van, it was renamed as the Mini 95 in 1978. Neither the van nor the pickup had a costly chrome grille. Instead, a simple set of stamped metal slots allowed airflow into the engine compartment. A total of 58,179 Mini Pickups were built. ^[15] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1731x1304, 479 KB) Summary A Mini pickup truck - photographed at the All British Car Day at White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas in April 2006. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1731x1304, 479 KB) Summary A Mini pickup truck - photographed at the All British Car Day at White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas in April 2006. ...

Mini Moke (1964 and 1968 in the UK, 1966-82 in Australia and 1983-89 in Portugal):^[18] A utility vehicle designed for the British Army, for whom 600 twin-engined 4-wheel-drive versions were purpose-built. Although the 4WD Moke could climb a 2-in-1 gradient, it proved to have insufficient ground clearance for military use. ^[19] The single-engined front-wheel-drive Moke enjoyed some popularity in civilian production. About 50,000 were made.^[15] The car featured in the cult 1967 TV series The Prisoner, and is popular in holiday locations such as Barbados and Macau, where Mokes were used as police cars. Mokes were also available to rent there as recently as March 2006. "Moke" is archaic British slang for a donkey. For other uses, see The Prisoner (disambiguation) and Prisoner. ...

Main article: Mini Moke

The Mini Moke is a vehicle based on the Mini and designed for the British Motor Corporation (BMC) by Sir Alec Issigonis. ...

The Mini Cooper and Cooper S: 1961-2000

Issigonis' friend John Cooper, owner of the Cooper Car Company and 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. ^[6][20] John Cooper (July 17, 1923 - December 24, 2000) was a co-founder, with his father Charles Cooper, of the Cooper Car Company. ... Jack Brabhams 1961 Cooper-Climax, the car that began the rear-engine revolution at the Indianapolis 500 The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1947 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. ... Formula One, abbreviated to F1 and also known as Grand Prix racing, is the highest class of single-seat open-wheel auto racing. ...

The original 848 cc engine from the Morris Mini-Minor was increased to 997 cc, boosting power from 34 bhp to 55 bhp (25 to 41 kW). ^[9] The car featured a racing-tuned engine, twin SU carburettors, 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 2 rally racing. The 997 cc engine was replaced by a shorter stroke 998 cc unit in 1964. This article is about a unit of measurement. ... For other uses, see Watt (disambiguation). ... SU carburetteurs (named for Skinners Union, the company which produced them) were a brand of sidedraft carburetor widely used in British (Triumph, MG) and Swedish (Volvo, Saab 99) automobiles for much of the twentieth century. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Vehicle brake. ... Homologation is a technical term, derived from the Greek homologos (ομόλογος) for agree, which is generally used in English to signify the granting of approval by an official authority. ... In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition. ...

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. Look up servo in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

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 Monte Carlo Rally victories in 1964, 1965 and 1967. ^[21] 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 headlamp dimming circuit in place of a dual-filament lamp.^[22] It should be noted that the Citroën DS that was eventually awarded first place had illegal white headlamps but escaped disqualification.^[23] The driver of the Citroën, Pauli Toivonen, was reluctant to accept the trophy and vowed that he would never race for Citroën again. ^[24] BMC probably received more publicity from the disqualification than they would have gained from a victory^[25] - 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. Stephane Sarrazin driving a Subaru Impreza WRC on the Monte Carlo Rally Carlos Sainz driving a Toyota Corolla WRC on the Monte Carlo Rally 2003 Citroën Xsara T4 WRC The Monte Carlo Rally (officially Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo) is a rally racing event organized each year by the Automobile... A SAAB headlight with combination projector/reflector optics A headlight or headlamp is a lamp, usually attached to the front of a vehicle such as a car, with the purpose of illuminating the road ahead during periods of low visibility, such as night or precipitation. ... 1974 Citroën DS23 Pallas Directional headlight detail of a Citroën DS21 Swedish-spec Citroën DS with headlight wipers Citroën DS Break - also known as the Safari, Familiale, or Wagon 1966 Citroën DS Convertible Turn indicators were mounted in the upper corners of the rear window... Pauli Toivonen - a notable rally car driver - was born on 22nd August 1929 in Jyväskylä, Finland and died peacefully at his home on 14th February 2005. ...

This 1964 Mini Cooper S - Winner of the Monte Carlo rally in 1965

In 1971, the Mini Cooper design was licensed in Italy by Innocenti 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. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1821x1379, 463 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Mini ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1821x1379, 463 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Mini ... Stephane Sarrazin driving a Subaru Impreza WRC on the Monte Carlo Rally Carlos Sainz driving a Toyota Corolla WRC on the Monte Carlo Rally Carlssons replica 1963 Monte Carlo Saab 96 rally car at Linköping, on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of SAAB in 1997 The Monte... Stephane Sarrazin driving a Subaru Impreza WRC on the Monte Carlo Rally Carlos Sainz driving a Toyota Corolla WRC on the Monte Carlo Rally 2003 Citroën Xsara T4 WRC The Monte Carlo Rally (officially Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo) is a rally racing event organized each year by the Automobile... Born on 14th April 1933 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Patrick Barron Paddy Hopkirk was elected as a life member of the BRDC in 1967. ... The Italian machinery works named Innocenti was originally established by Ferdinando Innocenti in 1920. ...

A new Mini Cooper named the RSP (Rover Special Products) was briefly relaunched in 1990-91, 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-injected 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. ^[26] // Fuel injection is a system of fuel delivery for mixture with air in an internal combustion engine. ...

The Mini Clubman and 1275GT: 1969-80

1976 Mini Clubman Estate.

In 1969, under the ownership of British Leyland, the Mini was given a facelift by stylist Roy Haynes, who had previously worked for Ford. 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. Image File history File linksMetadata Mini_clubman. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Mini_clubman. ... Ford Cortina MkII 1976 Mini Clubman 1973 Morris Marina Roy Haynes was a British automobile designer. ... “Ford” redirects here. ... The Austin Maxi was a medium sized 5-door hatchback car from British Leyland for the 1970s. ...

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 in the UK, leaving the Mini 1275GT as the only sporting Mini on sale for the rest of the decade. Innocenti in Italy, however, continued making their own version of the Mini Cooper for some time, and In Australia from mid 1971 to the end of 1972, the Clubman GT was locally produced. This was essentially a Cooper S in Clubman body, equipped with the same 7 1/2" disc brakes, twin fuel tanks, and twin-carb Cooper S 1275 cc engine. While the UK built 1275GT was not nearly as quick as a 1275 Mini Cooper S, it 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 nine seconds. The bluff front, however, meant that the model struggled to reach 90 mph (140 km/h). 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. Tachometer showing engine RPM (revolutions per minute), and a redline from 6000 and 7000 RPM. A tachometer is an instrument that measures the speed of rotation of a shaft or disk, as in a motor or other machine. ...

1976 Mini 1275GT

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 tyres; from 1974 this model could be ordered with optional Dunlop Denovo tyres on 12-inch (300 mm) 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 (80 km/h). 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. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 469 pixelsFull resolution (1278 × 750 pixels, file size: 142 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Image:Mini 1275GT Wien in the thaw season. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 469 pixelsFull resolution (1278 × 750 pixels, file size: 142 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Image:Mini 1275GT Wien in the thaw season. ... // A run flat tire is a pneumatic vehicle tire that is designed to resist the effects of deflation and to enable the vehicle to continue to be driven — albeit at reduced speeds (i. ...

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 (including the commercial derivatives) gained the Clubman front.

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. ^[15]

The Mk III and onwards: 1970-2000

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 in 1965 (with opening quarterlight windows). The suspension reverted from Hydrolastic to rubber as a cost-saving measure. ^[27]

Production at the Cowley plant was ended, and the simple name Mini completely replaced the separate Austin and Morris brands.^[28]

• MkIII (introduced in November 1969) had wind up windows with internal door hinges except for the van and pickup models. The bootlid lost the original hinged number plate and its recess shape and a large rear colour coded lamp was fitted in its place, along with larger rear side windows.

• MkIV (introduced in 1976) had a front rubber mounted subframe with single tower bolts and the rear frame had some larger bushes introduced. Twin stalk indicators were introduced with larger foot pedals. From 1977 onwards, the rear indicator lamps had the reverse lights incorporated in them.

• MkV: all cars had 8.4-inch (210 mm) brake discs and plastic wheel arches (mini special arches) but retained the same MkIV body shell shape.

• MkVI (from 1990): the engine mounting points were moved forward to take 1275 cc power units, and includes the HIF carb version, plus the single point fuel injected car which came out in 1991. The 998 cc power units were discontinued. Internal bonnet release were fitted from 1992.

• MkVII was the final twin point injection with front mounted radiator.

In the late 1970s, Innocenti introduced the Innocenti 90 and 120, 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 engine similar to the MG Metro engine but with a 11 stud head, a special inlet manifold and uset the A clutch instead of the verto type. The most important feature was the utilization of homocinetic shafts, avoiding the rubber couplings. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The Mini (from Latin small) is the name of a small car produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors from 1959 to 2000, and the name of its replacement (known as the New MINI) launched in 2001. ... Gruppo Bertone is an Italian car styling and coachbuilding house, which also manufactures cars. ... The Innocenti De Tomaso was an automobile produced by Nuova Innocenti from 1974 to 1992. ...

By this stage, the Mini was still hugely popular in Britain, but it was looking increasingly outdated in the face of newer and more practical rivals including the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Chevette, Chrysler Sunbeam, Volkswagen Polo and Renault 5. Since the late 1960s, plans had been in place for a newer and more practical supermini to replace it, though the Mini was still the only car of this size built by British Leyland for the home market. [1] The Ford Fiesta is a mid-class supermini car designed and built by the Ford Motor Company in Europe, and also manufactured in Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India and South Africa. ... Vauxhall Chevette - rare HSR rally model in road-going trim The Vauxhall Chevette was a model of car manufactured by Vauxhall in the UK from 1975 to 1983. ... The Hillman Avenger is a sub-compact car manufactured by the Rootes Group, and latterly Chrysler Europe. ... Volkswagen Derby The Volkswagen Polo is a supermini manufactured by Volkswagen of Germany. ... The Renault 5 (also called the R5) is a supermini produced by the French automaker Renault in two generations between 1972 and 1996. ...

Reports of the Mini's imminent demise surfaced again in 1980 with the launch of the Austin Mini-Metro (badging with the word mini in all lowercase). In New Zealand in 1981, 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, with the South African, Australian, and New Zealand markets all stopping production around this time. 1989 MG Metro Turbo The Rover Metro was a hatchback automobile of supermini size, originally launched in 1980 as the Austin Mini Metro (miniMETRO to give the official badging), intended to replace the Mini. ... Geoff Murphy directed some significant New Zealand movies in the late 20th century. ... Goodbye Pork Pie is a 1981 (international release) film directed by Geoff Murphy and written by Ian Mune, with assistance from Geoff Murphy. ...

Although the Mini continued after the Metro's launch, production volumes were reduced as British Leyland and successor combine Austin Rover concentrated on the Metro as its key supermini. Indeed, 1981 was the Mini's last year in the top ten of Britain's top selling cars, as it came ninth and the Metro was fifth.

 Throughout 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 Rover Group. It was even more popular in Japan, where it was seen as a retro-cool icon, and inspired many imitators. The ERA Mini Turbo was particularly popular with Japanese buyers. 

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. For other uses, see BMW (disambiguation). ... MG Rover was the last British-owned mass-production car manufacturer in the British motor industry. ... Bernd Pischetsrieder is an automobile engineer and manager and currently serves as chairman of Volkswagen AG. He was born on February 15, 1948, in Munich, Germany and studied Mechanical Engineering at the Technical University of Munich from 1968 to 1972. ... A cousin chart identifies the correct name for the relationship between two people with a common ancestor. ... For the Mozilla crash reporting software previously called Airbag, see Breakpad. ...

The end of production

Mr. Bean's Mini - A 1977 Mk IV Mini 1000

By March 2000, Rover was still suffering massive losses, and BMW decided to dispose of most of the companies. The sell-off was completed in May that year. MG and Rover went to Phoenix, a new British consortium; and Land Rover was sold to Ford Motor Company. 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 of that year .^[2] A total of 5,387,862 cars had been manufactured.^[15] Image File history File links Mr_bean_car. ... Image File history File links Mr_bean_car. ... For the animated television series of the same name, see Mr. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Phoenix Venture Holdings (PVH), also known as the Phoenix Consortium, is a British company formed by four businessmen, John Towers, Peter Beale, Nick Stephenson and John Edwards, in March 2000 during BMWs break-up of the Rover Group. ... Land Rover was the name of one of the first British civilian all-terrain utility vehicles, first produced by Rover in 1947. ... “Ford” redirects here. ... is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ...

After the last of the Mini production had been sold, the 'Mini' name reverted to BMW ownership. The new 'BMW' MINI is technically unrelated to the old car but retains the classic transverse 4 cylinder, front-wheel-drive configuration and many stylistic elements. For the original Mini produced by the British Motor Corporation, see Mini. ...

The Mini was a cultural icon and shows up in movies such as The Italian Job (1969), in which 3 Mk1 Austin Mini Cooper Ss are used in a gold bullion robbery; in The Bourne Identity (2002) as a beat-up but surprisingly capable vehicle for a car chase; Goodbye Pork Pie (1981) where a yellow Mini 1000 is used to travel the length of New Zealand, or 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(Right) and (as the Mini Moke) in The Prisoner. The Italian Job is a British caper film, written by Troy Kennedy Martin, produced by Michael Deeley and directed by Peter Collinson. ... The Bourne Identity is a 2002 film loosely based on Robert Ludlums novel of the same name. ... Goodbye Pork Pie is a 1981 (international release) film directed by Geoff Murphy and written by Ian Mune, with assistance from Geoff Murphy. ... Categories: Movie stubs | Action films | Adventure films | 2001 films | Films based on video games ... Mr. ... The Mini Moke is a vehicle based on the Mini and designed for the British Motor Corporation (BMC) by Sir Alec Issigonis. ... For other uses, see The Prisoner (disambiguation) and Prisoner. ...

Timeline

Minis lined up on Brighton seafront after a London-to-Brighton rally

• August 1959: Introduction of the Austin Seven, Morris Mini-Minor and Morris Mini-Minor DL 2-door saloons, all with transversely mounted 848cc engine and 4-speed gearbox.

• 1960: Introduction of the Austin Seven Countryman and Morris Mini-Minor Traveller 3-door estates, both with 848 cc engine from the saloon models.

• 1961: Introduction of the Austin Seven Super and Morris Mini-Minor Super 2-door saloons.

• 1961: Introduction of the Austin Mini Cooper and Morris Mini Cooper 2-door saloon, both with larger 997cc 55 bhp (41 kW) engine.

• January 1962: All former Austin Seven models now officially called Austin Mini.

• 1962: Introduction of the Morris Mini-Minor SDL 2-door saloon.

• March 1963: Introduction of the Austin Mini Cooper 1071 S and Morris Mini Cooper 1071 S 2-door saloons, both with larger 1071cc 70 bhp (52 kW) engine.

• 1964: Introduction of the Mini Moke.

• April 1964: Introduction of the Austin and Morris Mini-Cooper 998, Mini-Cooper 970 S and Mini-Cooper 1275 S. 1275 S models have 1275 cc 76 bhp (57 kW) engine. Automatic transmission available as an option for the 998 cc Austin Mini-Cooper 998 and 1275 S. Previous Mini-Cooper 997 and 1071 S models dropped.

• 1965: Mini Cooper 970 S discontinued.

• October 1965: Automatic transmission now available as an option on standard Austin/Morris Mini and Morris Mini SDL.

• October 1967: Mark 2 range launched with facelift and upgraded equipment. Austin Mini range as follows: 850, 1000, Cooper 998 and Cooper 1275 S 2-door saloons and 1000 Countryman 3-door estate. Morris Mini range as follows: 850, 850 SDL, 1000 SDL, Cooper 998 and Cooper 1275 S 2-door saloons and 1000 Traveller 3-door estate. Optional automatic transmission available on all Austin models (except 850) and Morris Mini 1000 SDL saloon.

• October 1969: Separate Austin and Morris badging now merged into Mini 850/Mini 1000 badging. Range reduced to: 850, 1000, Clubman, Cooper S and 1275 GT 2-door saloons and Clubman 3-door estate. Optional automatic transmission available on all except 1275 GT.

Image File history File links Brighton_seafront_carshow. ... Image File history File links Brighton_seafront_carshow. ... For other places with the same name, see Brighton (disambiguation). ... Finish line of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, 2005. ...

Unproduced prototypes

A 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. The British Heritage Motor Centre centre at Gaydon, Warwickshire, England holds the vehicle collection and archive of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust. ... Gaydon is a village in Warwickshire, England, close to Leamington Spa. ... The Jeep Wrangler is a 4WD vehicle with a transfer case to select low range or high range 4WD. The Lamborghini Murciélago is a 4WD/AWD that powers the front via a VCU if the rear slips. ... TRANSFER CASE Shortened form of Transfer Gearcase. Also referred to as Transfer Gearbox or just Transfer Box A Transfer Case is a part of four wheel drive drive system found in 4x4s and all wheel drive vehicles. ... Round Wheel Arch MG Midget on Autotest The MG Midget was a small sports car produced by MG division of the British Motor Corporation from 1961 through to 1979. ...

Exotic Minis and celebrities

In the 1960s and 70s, the Mini, in addition to being a cultural icon, also became a veritable 'fashion statement'. Many celebrities of that era drove Minis that had been customised by famous British coachbuilders. Examples include Peter Sellers' wicker side-panelled Mini built by Hooper (the Rolls-Royce coachbuilder)^[29][30] 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.^[31] Radford also built Mini de Villes for John Lennon, Marianne Faithfull and a psychedelic version that appeared in the Beatles movie Magical Mystery Tour 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 as late as June 1998.^[32] Marianne Faithfull drove her duo-tone de Ville to the Law Courts to hear Mick Jagger's appeal of his drug conviction in 1967.^[32] The same year John Lennon drove his de Ville hatchback to Apple studios after hearing of Brian Epstein's death. At around the same time, Radford also extensively customised a 1275 Mini-Cooper S for Monkee Michael Nesmith which gave dramatically improved performance combined with luxury and silence.^[32] 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,^[30][33] found at Mayfair dealerships in mod London and elsewhere. A fashion consists of a current (constantly changing) trend, favoured for frivolous rather than practical, logical, or intellectual reasons. ... An era is a long period of time with different technical and colloquial meanings, and usages in language. ... A coachbuilder is a manufacturer of bodies for carriages or automobiles. ... This article is about the British actor. ... A wickerwork scratching post A wicker balloon basket capable of holding 16 passengers. ... Rolls-Royce Limited was an British car and, later, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Henry Royce and Charles Stewart Rolls on 15 March 1906 and was the result of a partnership formed in 1904. ... For other uses, see Shot in the Dark (disambiguation) A Shot in the Dark is a 1964 film directed by Blake Edwards and is the second installment (and considered by many to be the best) in the Pink Panther series. ... Richard Starkey, MBE (born 7 July 1940), better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an Academy Award-winning English musician, singer, songwriter and actor, best known as the drummer for The Beatles. ... Britt Ekland (born 6 October 1942 in Stockholm, Sweden) is a Swedish actress, long resident in the United Kingdom. ... Radford is the name of several places: Radford, Virginia, USA Radford University, Virginia, USA Radford, Coventry, United Kingdom Radford, Nottingham, United Kingdom Radford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom Categories: Disambiguation ... John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980), (born John Winston Lennon, known as John Ono Lennon) was an iconic English 20th century rock and roll songwriter and singer, best known as the founding member of The Beatles. ... Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull[1][2](born 29 December 1946) is an English singer, songwriter, actress and diarist whose career spans over four decades. ... For psychedelics, see psychedelic drug. ... The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 as part of their first tour of the United States, promoting their first hit single there, I Want To Hold Your Hand. ... Magical Mystery Tour, starring The Beatles, is an hour-long television film that initially aired on BBC1 on Boxing Day in 1967. ... For other persons named George Harrison, see George Harrison (disambiguation). ... Goodwood Circuit is a name that is ingrained in motorsport, being one of the truly historic venues for both 2- and 4-wheeled motorsport in the UK. Goodwood is based in the lands around Goodwood House where there is both a short-circuit track and a hill track. ... The main entrance The Royal Courts of Justice, commonly called the Law Courts, is a building in London, which houses the Court of Appeal and the High Court of Justice of England and Wales. ... Sir Michael Phillip Mick Jagger (born July 26, 1943) is a English rock musician, actor, songwriter, record and film producer and businessman. ... Apple Records logo, featuring a Granny Smith apple. ... Brian Samuel Epstein (IPA: ) (born in Liverpool, England; 19 September 1934 – 27 August 1967) was the manager of The Beatles. ... Robert Michael Nesmith (b. ... The Italian Job is a British caper film, written by Troy Kennedy Martin, produced by Michael Deeley and directed by Peter Collinson. ... Margrave (Latin: marchio) is the English and French form (recorded since 1551) of the German title Markgraf (from Mark march and Graf count) and certain equivalent nobiliary (princely) titles in other languages. ... For other uses, see Mayfair (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Niki Lauda, Enzo Ferrari and Steve McQueen all owned and drove Mini Coopers. Andreas Nikolaus Niki Lauda (born February 22, 1949 in Vienna) is an Austrian aviator, entrepreneur, former Formula One (F1) racing driver and three-time F1 World Champion. ... For the automobile named after this man, see Enzo Ferrari (car). ... For other uses, see Steve McQueen (disambiguation). ...

In September 1977, rock singer Marc Bolan died when the purple Mini 1275GT (reg no. FOX 661L) in which he was a passenger crashed into a tree in Barnes, West London. Marc Bolan (born Mark Feld; 30 September 1947 - 16 September 1977), was an English singer, songwriter and guitarist whose hit singles, fashion sensibilities and stage presence with T Rex in the early 1970s helped cultivate the glam rock era and made him one of the most recognisable stars in British... Satellite image of the inner part of West London Ayad Dibis is the best in West London. ...

Kit cars and customisation

One of three Outspan Orange Minis.

The cheapness, simplicity and easy availability of used Minis make it an ideal candidate for body replacement. There are over 120 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 thatched roof and windows with curtains. Some enthusiasts have drastically shortened or lowered their cars to make them yet smaller – others make small versions of stretched limos, double-decker busses, monster trucks, motor homes and many other kinds of vehicles from used Minis. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1024x768, 695 KB) w:en:Outspan (fruit company) had three of these built in 1972, with bits from a mini. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1024x768, 695 KB) w:en:Outspan (fruit company) had three of these built in 1972, with bits from a mini. ... Fyffes Blue Label brand logo, introduced in 1929. ... Binomial name (L.) Osbeck[1] Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... The British Motor Corporation Mini has been used as the basis for numerous kit cars and specials. ... A kit-car is an automobile that is available in kit form, i. ... Fyffes Blue Label brand logo, introduced in 1929. ... Timber framing is the modern term for the traditional half-timbered construction in which timber provides a visible skeletal frame that supports the whole building. ... Thatching is the art or craft of covering a roof with vegetative materials such as straw, reed or sedge. ... For the song from the band: Brand New, see Limousine (MS Rebridge). ... A London AEC Routemaster, RML 2473 (JJD 473D), on route 7 approaching Ladbroke Grove tube station in April 2002. ... 2005 Bigfoot monster truck racing in Arizona A monster truck is an automobile, typically a pickup truck, which has been modified or purposely built with extremely large wheels and suspension. ... Recreational Vehicle (RV) is a broad term used to describe a large enclosed piece of equipment with wheels designed to be moved from place to place for people to temporarily live in and be protected from the elements while away from their permanent domicile. ...

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.^{[34][35][36][37][38]}

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 Yamaha R1 motorbike engine. Or the Vauxhall 16v 2ltr c20 XE "red top" engine^[39] An engine swap is the process of removing a cars engine and replacing it with another; this is done either because of failure, or to install a different engine - more powerful, maybe more up to date and maintainable. ...

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. Autocar is a weekly British automobile magazine published by Haymarket Magazines Limited. ... Classic & Sports Car is a British monthly magazine published by Haymarket Magazines and was launched in May 1982. ... Wikimedia Commons has more media related to: Ford Model T The Model T (colloquially known as the Tin Lizzie and the Flivver) was an automobile produced by Henry Fords Ford Motor Company from 1908 through 1928. ...

In the end 5.3 million Minis were sold, making it by far the most popular British car ever made. Thousands of these are still on the road, with the remaining pre-1980s versions being firmly established as collectors' items.

Minis in the United States

A typical meeting of the Mini Owners of Texas club in Grapevine, Texas.

Between 1960 and 1967, BMC exported approximately 10,000 left-hand drive BMC Minis to the United States. 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. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (921x655, 678 KB) Summary A collection of restored Mini cars at a meeting of a typical USA Mini enthusiasts club: Minis Of Texas (MOT). ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (921x655, 678 KB) Summary A collection of restored Mini cars at a meeting of a typical USA Mini enthusiasts club: Minis Of Texas (MOT). ... Flag of Grapevine Grapevine is a city located in Tarrant County, Texas. ... For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ... Emission standards are requirements that set specific limits to the amount of pollutants that can be released into the environment. ...

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 to 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 ^[40]. VIN redirects here. ...

Popularity

An Almond Green Mk I Morris Mini Minor

At its peak, the Mini was a strong seller in most of the countries where it was sold, with the United Kingdom inevitably receiving the highest volumes. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 586 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1546 × 1581 pixels, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 586 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1546 × 1581 pixels, file size: 1. ...

It was a huge seller in the mini-car market, which it virtually monopolised until the arrival of the Hillman Imp in 1963. It comprehensively outsold the Imp, and it was 16 years before the Mini received a serious threat to its sales success. This threat came in the shape of the much more modern and practical Vauxhall Chevette of 1975, but the Mini continued to sell in huge volumes and was still very popular when its "replacement" - the Metro - arrived in 1980. By this time, the Mini's design had been overtaken by numerous more modern and practical efforts, but it still offered sheer driving fun that was almost unbeatable in this size of car. Hillman Imp, with the engine cover and the rear window lifted The Hillman Imp was a compact, rear-engined saloon (US: sedan) automobile manufactured under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group (later Chrysler Europe) from 1963 to 1976. ... Vauxhall Chevette - rare HSR rally model in road-going trim The Vauxhall Chevette was a model of car manufactured by Vauxhall in the UK from 1975 to 1983. ... 1989 MG Metro Turbo The Rover Metro was a hatchback automobile of supermini size, originally launched in 1980 as the Austin Mini Metro (miniMETRO to give the official badging), intended to replace the Mini. ...

Although the Metro never actually replaced the Mini, production figures for the Mini dipped during the 1980s, and interest in the now-iconic design was not revived until the re-introduction of the famous Mini Cooper in 1989. This helped the car retain its desirability and driver appeal throughout the 1990s, right up to the end of production on 4 October 2000. is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ...

Eight years after its demise, the Mini is still a common sight on Britain's roads, and the surviving pre-1980s models in particular are now widely regarded as collector's items.

Safety

1974 Mini Clubman Safety Research Vehicle - SRV4

Issigonis designed the Mini with an emphasis on active safety. Asked about the crash worthiness of the Mini he said "I make my cars with such good brakes, such good steering, that if people get into a crash it´s their own fault"^[41] and "I don’t design my cars to have accidents".^[42] It is generally acknowledged that the Mini was designed with excellent handling characteristics.^[43] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2039x1324, 470 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Mini ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2039x1324, 470 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Mini ... Volvo VESC (1972) Mercedes-Benz ESF22 (1973) Mini SRV4 (1974) Experimental Safety Vehicle (ESV) is the designation for experimental concept cars used to test car safety ideas. ... Passive safety redirects here. ...

Nicholas Faith states in his book that Murray Mackay (one of the UK's leading motor vehicle crash and safety researchers^[44]) was critical of the pre-1967 Mini's passive safety features, including the protruding filler cap, the door latch, and the vulnerability of the passenger space to engine intrusion.^[41] Passive safety redirects here. ...

The Mini was withdrawn from the North American market because it couldn't meet the 1968 U.S. safety regulations,^[41][45] and was never updated to comply with those regulations.^[45]

Throughout its life, the Mini was modified in various ways to improve its safety. In 1974 a prototype Mini experimental safety vehicle was built (Mini Clubman SRV4) which featured a longer crumple zone, a "pedestrian friendly" front-end, run-flat tyres, strengthened door sills, extra internal padding and recessed door handles.^[46] Jack Daniels, one of the original Issigonis team,^[47] is stated to have been working on further safety improvements for the Mini when he retired in 1977.^[41] Several times it was thought that safety regulations would stop Mini production^[48] Safety improved in 1996, with the introduction of Airbags and side impact bars.^[49] The Mini, challenged by increasingly demanding European safety and pollution standards, was planned by British Aerospace to be taken out of production in 1996, but BMW chose to invest to keep the Mini legal until the launch of the BMW MINI.^[50] Mercedes-Benz Fintail, an early example of a car with crumple zones The crumple zone on the front of these cars absorbed the impact of a head-on collision Activated rear crumple zone A crash test illustrates how a crumple zone absorbs energy from a crash. ... William John Jack Daniels (February 8, 1912 New Marston, England - November 27, 2004 near Bournemouth, England after two year battle with cancer) was a British car engineer. ... An airbag is a flexible membrane or envelope, inflatable to contain air or some other gas. ... British Aerospace (BAe) was a UK aircraft and defence systems manufacturer, now part of BAE Systems. ... The BMW or New MINI is a car produced by BMW since 2001. ...

In January 2007, the Which? magazine listed the Mini City in its "Ten worst cars for safety (since 1983)" list, alongside the Hyundai Pony 1.2L, Fiat Panda 900 Super, Suzuki Alto GL, Daihatsu Domino, Citroën AX 11 RE, Yugo 45 and 55, Peugeot 205 GL, and the Citroën 2CV6.^[51] Which? is a product-testing and campaigning charity with a magazine and website run by Which? Ltd (formerly known as the Consumers Association, which is still the official name of the charity). ... The Hyundai Pony (Hangul: 현대 포니), was a small rear-wheel drive automobile produced by the Hyundai Motor Company from 1975 to 1988. ... The Fiat Panda is a city car from the Italian automotive manufacturer Fiat. ... Suzuki Alto 5-door The Suzuki Alto is a kei car from Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corporation, introduced in 1979. ... Daihatsu Mira, also known as the Cuore, Domino or Charade outside of Japan, is a Kei-car class type vehicle which comes with a variety of options and chassis variations. ... Citroën AX The Citroën AX is a supermini built by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1986 to 1998. ... For other car models also commercialized under the marque Yugo, see Zastava. ... The Peugeot 205 is a supermini produced by the French car manufacturer Peugeot between 1983 and 1996. ... The Citroën 2CV (French: deux chevaux vapeur, literally two steam horses, from the tax horsepower rating) was an economy car produced by the French automaker Citroën from 1948 to 1990. ...

A UK Department for Transport statistics publication, presenting estimates of the risk of driver injury in two car injury collisions, based on reported road accident data, estimated that the 1990–2000 Mini was one of two small cars (the other being the Hyundai Atoz), which, with an estimated 84% of drivers likely to be injured, presented the greatest risk of driver injury. The average risk for the small car category was 76%.^[52]

The new MINI

2003 MINI Cooper S and Mk III classic Mini.

Main article: MINI (BMW)

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2007)

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).^[53] Image File history File links MINIandClassicMini. ... Image File history File links MINIandClassicMini. ... For the original Mini produced by the British Motor Corporation, see Mini. ... For the original Mini produced by the British Motor Corporation, see Mini. ...

Some Mini enthusiasts reject the claim that the MINI is 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 centimetres (22 in) longer, 30 centimetres (12 in) wider, weighing 1,050 kg (2,315 lb) rather than 650 kg (1,433 lb). 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 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. MG Rover was the last British-owned mass-production car manufacturer in the British motor industry. ... This article is about the original Volkswagen Beetle. ...

On 3rd April 2007, the one millionth MINI rolled out of the Oxford Plant after six years of production^[54] - just one month longer than it took the classic Mini to reach the same total in March 1965.

See also

• List of Mini based cars
• List of bestselling vehicle nameplates
• London to Brighton events

The British Motor Corporation Mini has been used as the basis for numerous kit cars and specials. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into List of automobiles by sales. ... Finish line of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, 2005. ...

References

is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 90th day of the year (91st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini/Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini/Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 334th day of the year (335th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini/Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... For other uses, see 5th October (Serbia). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini/Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini/Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Mini vehicles

• Austin Memories - History of Austin and Longbridge
• British Motor Heritage Limited - Legacy BMC/BL company still manufacturing original Mini bodies and parts with the original tooling.
• Heritage Motor Centre - A collection of British heritage cars and artefacts, including many historic Minis, Mini prototypes, and an Issigonis collection.
• The Photographic Mini Colour Guide - Photos of Minis in every stock paint scheme.
• Autopedia entry for Austin Mini - Links repository