The MINI Story

Press Release

A brief History of the MINI Classic.

Alexander Arnold Constantine (Alec) Issigonis is the father of the MINI Classic. In late 1956 he was requested by Leonard Lord, then the Chairman of the Board of British Motor Corporation (BMC), to develop a “proper small car” and get it on to the road as quickly as possible.

Issigonis was thrilled by the idea, especially since the challenge to build a perfect small car had always been one of his greatest wishes. So now the job was to set out his ideas on the drawing board and implement the concept jointly with his team. His vision was a small four-seater capitalising on all the space available and offering superior driving comfort. A car quite different in technical terms and in its looks from all current models in the market, and a car everybody should be able to afford.

All because of the Suez crisis.

The man to “blame” for the project was a man who actually had no­thing at all to do with cars: On 26 July 1956 Gamal Abd el-Nasser, the State President of Egypt, nationalised the Suez Canal Company one month after the British troops had withdrawn from the Suez Canal Zone. And although the British and French, who previously held a majority share in the Company, immediately deployed their para­troopers to the Canal Zone, the Suez Canal remained closed for a number of months.

The result was a sudden surge in the price of oil and petrol, with the authorities in Britain even considering the need to ration the supply of petrol to ten gallons a month. So it appeared that in the long term only very economical cars would have a potential in the market.

Big plans on a small budget.

The target seemed to be clear: To develop a fuel-efficient small car taking up the great tradition of the pre-war Austin Seven and the legendary Morris Minor. And since BMC’s funds were very limited at the time (a financial squeeze many other carmakers were also feeling back then), Lord made sure that both the cost of development was kept to a minimum and the development period as such was as short as possible. So one of the requirements for the small car being deve­loped was to use an engine from current production.

British Motor Corporation (BMC) was incidentally formed in 1952 by a merger of British car makers out of dire necessity and, among others, comprised the Austin, Morris, Riley and Wolseley brands.

Saving space: front-wheel drive and the engine fitted crosswise.

Issigonis decided to go for front-wheel drive with the engine fitted crosswise. And the only engine he was able to choose was the so-called Series A power unit displacing 948 cc like in the Morris Minor and developing maximum output of 37 horsepower. Indeed, even that was more than enough, the first test car reaching a remarkable top speed of 150 kilometres per hour (93 mph), far beyond the speed the little car was able to handle, since neither the chassis nor the brakes were designed for that kind of performance. So engine power was reduced to 34 hp by cutting back displacement to 848 cc – which was still sufficient for a remarkable 120 km/h or 75 mph.

A striking – and later characteristic – feature of the MINI Classic was the outward-facing metal seam between the wheel arches and the body of the car. The reason for this design feature was quite simply eco­nomic necessity,
with welding seams at the outside being a lot cheap­er in production.
The second sign of cost-conscious pro­duction clearly visible from outside was the door hinges also mounted on the outer panels, again expressing a minimalist philo­sophy also reflected by the car’s interior: A simple piece of rope served to open the door, and instead of an instrument panel the driver and front passenger sat right behind a small tray with just one large instru­ment in the middle comprising the speedometer together with the mileage counter and fuel gauge. Right below were two toggle switches for the windscreen wipers and the lights, and that was it – even the heating system was only available at extra cost. In fact, not even the de-luxe model with chrome embellishment came with heat­ing as standard, although it did boast the luxury of carpets on the floor, leather appliqués on the seats, and an ashtray.

A genuine lightweight: just 600 kilos on the road.

Weight of the MINI Classic in standard trim was just about 600 kg or 1,323 lb, even though the car offered ample space for four and even allowed the driver to take along a bit of luggage. And if the 195-litre or 6.8 cubic feet luggage compartment was not big enough, customers still had the choice to leave the rear hatch open. Because being hinged at the bottom, the bootlid was able to serve as a loading panel for bulky items fastened more or less securely in place. Indeed, this was not some kind of enthusiast’s pet idea, but rather a serious suggestion presented in bright colours in the company’s high-gloss sales and advertising brochures.

Making its debut on 26 August 1959.

The big day came on 26 August 1959 with the MINI Classic proudly making its debut in all countries in which BMC was represented. Initially, the car entered the market in two variants, as the Morris Mini-Minor and the Austin Seven, although the only signs of distinction were the radiator grille, the car’s body colours, and the wheel caps. The two models incidentally came from different production plants, with the Austin being built in Birmingham, the Morris in Oxford, although later BMC built both versions at both plants.

Selling for £ 496 in its home market, the MINI Classic was the second-cheap­est car available at the time.

Inexpensive but not cheap.

Actually, the MINI Classic was not a cheap car at all, the “Incredible Austin Seven”– with the “v” turned round 90° on the first advertising photo – taking on competitors which, while being more expensive, had al­ready proven their merits in Europe: the Volkswagen Beetle, the Renault Dauphine, or the Fiat 600. And to quote The Autocar, that legendary British car journal, in lauding the newcomer: “Many of the cars created in the wake of fashion are bound to fail. But when clever and wise engineers work together on a new challenge, the result may be extremely successful.”

Although the newcomer from Britain achieved good results in the eyes of the international motor press against the competition, sales started rather slowly: Despite its low price, the MINI Classic was still too ex­pensive for the young purchaser while at the same time it was too spartan for the more affluent customer. So to quote the German car magazine Motor Revue in their 1960 test of the Austin Seven: “By far the most interesting of all the cars tested (except for its price). Pre­cisely this is why this miracle car (elastic suspension, four-cylinder power unit fitted crosswise, engine and transmission in an oil sump, cheap 10-inch tyres, unusually large interior, small dimensions on the road) is not available here. But in reality the car would have deserved something better, since here customers often buy cars less perfect for more money – but, alas, purchasers in our country lack clear vision.”

Back then the MINI Classic retailed in Germany at DM 5,780, while a Volkswagen Beetle went for DM 4,600 and the brand-new BMW 700 Sport was available in the market at DM 5,650.

Powered by the Queen.

Even the fact that parking space of just about 3.50 metres or 11´6´´ was quite sufficient to park the MINI Classic measuring only 3.05 metres or 10´ in length was not as convincing as BMC had hoped. But then the in-crowd in London suddenly discovered this small and agile run-about, par­tic­ularly Lord Snowdon, Princess Margaret’s husband, becoming one of the advocates of the new car. And even Margaret’s sister, the Queen herself, enjoyed a presentation of the new MINI Classic by Alec Issigonis, thus giving this new small car the right kind of image once and for all.

Customers in the USA also started to develop growing interest in the new “baby” from Europe and soon gave the car a warm welcome. In the words of a leading US car journal back in 1960: “The Austin has to be the smallest complete car in the world. We must admit that even four occupants do not have any problems finding space inside this small saloon – you even sit better than in many of our large domestic cars. And although the car is great fun to drive, it is still a very real car, well-built and with many options.”

New variants in the very first year of production.

In 1959 a total of 19,749 units of the Austin Seven and Morris Mini-Minor came off the production lines, with production soaring to 116,677 units just one year later.

Reflecting the growing success of the car, the demands made of the MINI Classic increased accordingly. So BMC responded right away in 1960 by introducing two new variants, the Van and the Estate, both of which – the closed Van and the Estate with glass windows all round – had two doors at the rear. But it was not until 1961 that the MINI Classic really presented all its assets, entering the new year with the smallest of all cargo carriers, the Mini Pick-Up. Half a year later two more models entered the market in the more sophisticated segment, the Wolseley Hornet and Riley Elf boasting proud radiator grilles and swallow-tail wheel arches at the rear. And in the second half of the year a very special variant made its appearance, destined more than any other to create the legend of the MINI Classic: the Cooper.

The athlete: the Mini Cooper.

Long before Alec Issigonis completed his first legendary drawings of the MINI Classic, he had become a good friend of John Cooper, the famous constructor of racing cars. And since Issigonis, in his function as BMC’s Chief Engineer, greatly appreciated the competent opinion of his colleague, Cooper was involved in the development of the MINI Classic right from the start. The more the project started to become reality, the more confident Cooper became that the new model was some­thing he had been waiting for for a long time: The starting point for a sports car able to compete with the Lotus Elite, which was the car to beat in racing events in Britain back then. So as soon as Cooper got his hands on one of the new small cars, he started tuning it right away.

The first thing Cooper did was to approach Issigonis with the pro­posal to develop a small GT out of the MINI Classic. George Harriman, in the meantime the Chairman of BMC, was convinced by Cooper’s idea and agreed to build a small series of 1,000 Mini Coopers in order to test the market. And since the engine was not to displace more than a litre, Cooper set off the increase in stroke from 68.3 to 81.3 millimetres (2.69 – 3.20´´ ) by a slight reduction in bore from 62.9 to 62.4 millimetres (2.48 – 2.46´´ ). Spread out on four cylinders, this amounted to engine capacity of exactly 997 cc.

The compression ratio was increased from 8.3 to 9.0, with larger intake valves and dual carburettors being added as further features. Other modifications were the larger intake opening and reinforce­ment of the crankcase to take up the extra power of the engine. And Cooper also changed the car’s transmission ratios in the interest of higher top speed.

The results of these modifications were an increase in engine output to 55 hp and an increase in top speed to approximately 136 km/h or 84 mph. And to make sure that the brakes were able to keep up with this increase in performance, Cooper even fitted seven-inch Lock­heed disc brakes on the front wheels.

The performer: the Mini Cooper S.

With the response to the new model launched in September 1961 being absolutely euphoric, there was obviously only one way to go: even more power and performance. So Issigonis and Cooper in­creased capacity of the 848-cc power unit to 1,071 cc, with maximum output now reaching 70 hp. Obviously, this extra power also meant an increase in top speed to 160 km/h or 99 mph, prompting John Cooper to work on the brakes, too: Diameter of the brake discs was increased to 7¹?₂ inches and brake power in the Cooper S entering the market in 1963 was now boosted by a brake servo.

The contest: Monte Carlo Rally.

The MINI Classic was predestined for rally racing right from the start, with no less than six works cars entering the 1960 Monte Carlo Rally just six months after the car had made its debut. Still, it took three years of practice until the small athlete was really competitive: In 1963 Rauno Aaltonen scored the first class win at the wheel of a MINI Classic, before this new performer hit the headlines once and for all in 1964. Facing what appeared to be almighty competition with much more engine power, Paddy Hopkirk driving a red Cooper S won Europe’s most significant and challenging rally. And to round off the supreme triumph of the Mini Cooper, Hopkirk’s team-mates Timo Mäkinen finished fourth and Rauno Aaltonen seventh.

This victory marked the beginning of the MINI Classic’s exemplary career as the first “people’s sports car” in the post-war era: Suddenly enthus­iasts everywhere realised that this small performer from Britain was able to beat many outstanding competitors both in rallies and on the circuit. And clearly, this gave the small MINI Classic a huge image boost virtually the world over.

Bitter disappointment: doubtful disqualification in 1965.

Supported by co-pilot Paul Easter, Mäkinen continued the Mini Cooper’s unique story of success in 1965, bringing home superior victory in the Monte Carlo Rally as the only driver in the entire field able to cover thousands of kilometres in the event without one single penalty point.

No surprise, therefore, that the armada of MINI Classics entered Monte a year later as the big favourite. But that was not to be: After Mäkinen, Aal­tonen and Hopkirk had finished first, second and third in the race, the winning
car had to go through an eight-hour technical inspection fol­lowing the Rally. And ultimately the race commissioners claimed that the four additional headlights on the radiator grille of the Mini Cooper were not exactly in line with French homologation requirements. This meant disqualification in one of the most doubtful and contested de­cisions ever taken in the history of the Monte Carlo Rally.

1965: one million MINI Classics.

In August 1964 BMC introduced yet a further version of the MINI Classic ori­ginally conceived for military use: the Moke, a four-seater open at all sides and remaining in the company’s price-list for four years.

At the same time Issigonis introduced Hydrolastic suspension for the more sophisticated saloon models in large scale production, a semi-hydraulic spring system connecting the spring/damper units on each side front and rear in the interest of enhanced driving comfort.

Meanwhile the MINI Classic continued to show great performance in the market, with annual production rising to 244,359 units and setting up a new record.
A year later, production of the MINI Classic exceeded the magic figure of one million units, and in the same year Alec Issigonis com­pleted an automatic transmission subsequently included in the list of features available for the car, making the MINI Classic one of the very few small cars with such an upmarket option.

Perhaps an even more outstanding feature was that this automatic transmission hardly taking up any more space than a manual gearbox came with four forward gears, while back then even luxury cars very rarely had more than three gears.

1967: Model update.

By 1967 the MINI Classic was ready for a thorough update, receiving a more powerful 998-cc engine offering the particular advantage of 52 Nm/38 lb-ft instead of 44 Nm/32 lb-ft maximum torque and an increase in output to 38 hp.

Two years later the Clubman joined the range as a slightly larger version with a modified front end. Measuring 3,165 millimetres or 124.61´´ in length, this new sister model was some 11 centimetres or 4.33´´ longer than the original, while the Estate version was even longer, measuring exactly 3.40 metres or 133.86´´ in length.

Width, height and wheelbase, on the other hand, remained un­changed, and the Clubman came as standard with a 38-horsepower one-litre engine.

The Mini Cooper was removed from the range and replaced by the 59-horsepower 1.3-litre top model in the Clubman line-up now proudly bearing the model designation 1275 GT.

Various other details changing in 1969 involved the front side win­dows dating back to the very beginning of the MINI Classic now being re­placed on all models by wind-down windows, the door hinges at the outside being moved to the inside, and a separate, distinctive MINI Classic logo proudly adorning the car on the front lid.

1972: Sales of the MINI Classic amounting to three million units.

1972, a significant 13 years after introduction of the MINI Classic, became one of the car’s most successful years ever: Demand was so great that production amounted to 306,937 units, among them the three-millionth unit of this small car now acknowledged as a genuine clas­sic. Minor model updates and modifications introduced nearly every year served to consistently keep the MINI Classic attractive, with Denovo wheels, for example, an early version of runflat Dunlop tyres remain­ing on the rims even after loss of pressure, being introduced as an option for the 1275 GT.

In the same year purchasers of the “basic” 850-cc model were able to look forward to warmer times, with heating becoming a standard feature.

Reaching the year 1976, the MINI Classic embarked on a new strategy, with special models highlighting all kinds of distinctions – from sporting to trendy, from noble and distinguished all the way to youthful and fresh – appealing to enthusiasts everywhere.

The model range was then streamlined from 1980–1983, with the Clubman, Estate and Van reaching the end of their production life. What remained was the one-litre MINI Classic now developing engine output of 40 hp. But still, customers remained absolutely faithful to the car, with the five-millionth MINI Classic coming off the production line at Plant Longbridge in 1986.

1990: the come-back of the Cooper.

Even after the official end of the Cooper models, John Cooper continued to develop and sell performance kits for the MINI Classic. In 1990 Rover Group, now responsible for MINI Classic, saw a further potential in the market for cars of this character, and decided to bring back the Mini Cooper. With emission standards having become stricter in the meantime, production of the one-litre carburettor engine version ended in 1992, following which all models came with the 1,275-cc engine featuring fuel injection.

Starting in 1993 there was even an official convertible model originally developed and sold in Germany. Production of the MINI Classic finally ended once and for all in the year 2000, after more than 5.3 million units of this world-famous small athlete had come off the production lines in various versions, among them some 600,000 cars built at Plant Oxford between 1959 and 1968. But even after 41 years, the history of the brand was far from over, with the MINI One and MINI Cooper opening up a new chapter in the history of this great British brand in 2001.