Mini Cooper is one of the world’s most iconic cars. Only a handful of other cars can rank close to the Mini such as the Volkswagen Beetle, and for a good reason.
Mini Coopers have been around for decades, and they’ve won the hearts of many enthusiasts due to their practical features, and fantastic look.
In this article, we’ll talk more about the Mini Cooper. We’ll cover its history, models throughout the years, and much more. If you want to know more about Mini Cooper, where it comes from, and who makes it, keep reading.
The History of Mini Cooper
The first Mini Cooper came off the production line in 1959. At the time, small, compact cars weren’t as popular as today, but Mini made it work, and the Mini quickly became unbelievably popular. Over the course of history, this car was available in 7 generations before BMW gained the rights to manufacture vehicles under the Mini brand starting in 2000. The original Mini was manufactured by the British Motor Corporation from 1959 until 2000.
This little car wasn’t known as the Mini Cooper right away. It earned its name in 1961 when John Cooper of the Cooper Car Company made a series of modifications that created a much sportier version of the Mini. The improvements included a more powerful engine and larger brakes.
The Mini Cooper gained massive popularity after the Italian Job movie was released in 1967. The remake of the film from 2003 additionally helped the new Mini Cooper gain significantly more fans across the globe.
During the time of production, the Mini several variations of the popular design such as the Wolseley Hornet, Riley Elf, Mini Traveller, Austin Mini Countryman, Mini Van, Mini Moke, Mini Pick-Up, Morris Mini K, and Mini Beach.
Mini Cooper Through Generations
The classic Mini was available from 1959 until 2000, and at that time, it was available in 7 different generations. The first generation of the Mini, also known as the Mark 1, was made from 1959 until 1967. At this time, the first Mini Cooper was introduced as a performance version of the Mini Mark 1.
The Mini was a revolutionary car in a way that it was as small as cars get, but there was more than enough room for 4 people. This was achieved by pushing the already small wheels at the very corners of the car and placing the engine transversely. More than a million Mark 1 Minis were manufactured.
The second generation, or the Mark 2, had a shorter run compared to the Mark 1 and was made between 1967 and 1970. Despite being made for only 3 years, more than 400,000 Minis Mark 2 were made. The difference between the Mark 1 and Mark 2 included a redesigned grille, a larger rear window, and a few other aesthetic modifications.
The third generation was available between 1969 and 1976. With the introduction of the third generation, the Mini name replaced Austin and Morris brands this car was known for. There were a couple of modifications that further improved this car. The modifications included larger doors with concealed hinges, as well as suspension changes for cost-saving reasons.
The fourth generation was available between 1976 and 1983. This generation marked Minis 20 year anniversary and there were a number of improvements made to the car. Better soundproofing and a more precise transmission were some of the modifications that were made in the fourth generation. Unfortunately, at this time, the market became saturated with small cars, especially hatchbacks that took over a larger share of the market. No matter how improved the Mini was, sales plummeted.
The fifth generation of the Mini was manufactured between 1984 and 1990. Thankfully, it regained its popularity, especially when the Mini Cooper was introduced in 1990.
The sixth generation brought only minor changes to the Mini. The 1.0-liter engine was discontinued, instead of which the 1.3-liter was mounted in all Minis. This generation was in production between 1990 and 1996.
The last generation of the Mini that was manufactured by the British Motor Corporation lasted between 1996 and the year 2000. The Mark 7 saw the production of only two models – the base Mini and the Mini Cooper.
In the year 2000 the classic Mini stopped production. 6 years before that, BMW acquired the Rover Group, and acquired all the rights to the Mini brand.
After the year 2000, a completely new version of the Mini Cooper was available, but it had nothing to do with the Mini Cooper made by the British Motor Corporation. It was designed, manufactured, and sold by BMW under the Mini brand name.
Interesting Facts About the Mini Cooper
One of the things that talk about the popularity of the Mini Cooper is the fact that it’s voted as the second most influential car of the 20th century. Many would think that the Beetle won, but it was, in fact, the Ford Model T.
Also, all the members of the Beetles owned Mini Coopers. It was also the first car with a transversely mounted engine, and it was designed and manufactured primarily because of the fuel crisis in the late 1950s.
The Mini Cooper Was A Big Part Of Motorsports
Although the purpose of the Mini was the complete opposite of racing, it quickly became a big thing in motorsports. The small car has won numerous prestigious races both on and off the road. Some of the races won by Mini include the Monte Carlo Rally, the 1000 Lakes Rally, the European Rally Championship, the Finnish Grand Prix, European Touring Car Championship, and the Australian Touring Car Championship.
Conclusion
The old-school type of Mini Cooper was designed and built by the British Motor Corporation, also known as BMC from the late 1950s until 2000. Today, the classic Mini, whether it’s a Cooper or Cooper S isn’t still hard to find, but it’s costly, and it’s just a matter of time when the Mini Cooper will become a rarity on the car market.
The modern Mini built by BMW didn’t achieve the success the classic Mini did, but it’s still a fun little car to drive.