Mini Cooper

Classic: Mk VII 1997 Rover Mini Cooper

Fraser Martin
03 February 2010

I cannot think of anyone who doesn’t have a story relating to the original Mini, and my own experience is no different. I remember family holidays slogging down to Wales from Scotland – before the motorway was opened – in SK9515, my father’s 1963, Fiesta Yellow Austin Mini Countryman.

The drubbing of all-comers by Hopkirk, Makinen and Aaltonen in the Mini Coopers on the Monte Carlo Rallies of 1964, 1965, 1966 (a Pyrrhic victory, but a victory nonetheless!) and 1967, and John Rhodes racing Coopers, which could wipe the floor with practically anything from a Ford Galaxie to a Jaguar, are the stuff of motorsports legend.

Derivations on the theme were manifest – Austin, Morris, Wolseley, Riley, the Moke, vans, station wagons and pickups, high-top Ice Cream vendors, customised Radford specials with leather and wickerwork trim, twin-engined variants, caravanettes and a plethora of promotional cars, including the famous ‘Outspan Orange’ cars, which saw service promoting the popular orange drink in the early 70s.

Click here for a gallery of classic Mini images

Minis were the basis for nearly 120 different kit-cars over the years and provided donor parts for everything from limos to two-door sports cars. There was even an open-topped MG version on the drawing board at the factory, but it was shelved as it was thought it would take sales away from the Midget.

Minis were built or assembled at two factories in England, in Spain, Portugal, Chile, Italy, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, and were probably the first truly ‘world’ cars. They were classless: we had one, but so did the Queen, Peter Sellars and Paul McCartney!

The original design, by Sir Alec Issigonis, was in response to Leonard Lord’s demand that the British motor industry should not have to suffer the hordes of German-made ‘bubble cars’ that effectively invaded Britain at the beginning of the Suez Crisis in 1956, when petrol rationing was reintroduced for the first time since WW II.

Lord, then head of the British Motor Corporation, was somewhat autocratic, and laid down a set of dimensions that he wanted to be met to provide ‘British people with a small British car’, and so along with Jack Daniels, Chris Kingham, two engineering students and four draughtsmen, Issigonis produced the prototype in 1957. The Austin Seven – as the Mini was originally named – went into production and was launched in August 1959 – 50 years ago this year.

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GINA VICHIENRAT says

Re: Mini Cooper
my dream has always been able to own a austin mini cooper older style preferd not really into the newer minis if anyone has any leads my budget is 1,000-1,200 please if anyone can help id appriciate it so much i live in newjersey thank you for your time and it can be auto or stick :) Reply

07 May 2010

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