Today in History: The Mini says hello to the world
By the time production was halted in 2000, 5.3 million Minis had been produced.
On this day in 1959, the British Motor Corporation (BMC) launched its newest car, the small, affordable Mark I Mini.
The story behind the Mini began in August 1956, when President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt nationalised the Suez Canal in response to the American and British decision to withdraw funding for the construction of a new dam, due to Egypt’s Communist ties. The international crisis that followed led to fuel shortages and fuel rationing across Europe.
Sir Leonard Lord, head of BMC, wanted to produce a British alternative to the tiny, fuel-efficient German cars that were cornering the market after the Suez Crisis. He turned to Alec Issigonis, who as chief engineer at Morris Motors had produced the Morris Minor, a teapot-shaped cult favourite that had nonetheless never seriously competed with the Volkswagen “Beetle” or Fiat’s 500 or Cinquecento.
Mini development began in 1957 and took place under a veil of secrecy; the project was known only as ADO (for Austin Drawing Office) 15. After about two-and-a-half years, the new car was ready for the approval of Lord, who immediately signed off on its production.
Launched on 26 August, 1959, the new front-wheel-drive car was priced at about £285 and marketed under two names: Austin Seven and Morris Mini-Minor. The two vehicles were the same except that they had different radiator grilles, and by 1962, both were known simply as the Mini.
Issigonis’ design, including an engine mounted sideways to take up less space, had created a surprising amount of space for a small-bodied car. At only 3m long, the Mini could seat four adults, and had a boot big enough for a reasonable amount of luggage.
With its low starting price, the Mini was truly a “people’s car,” but its popularity transcended class, and it was also used by affluent Londoners as a second car to easily manoeuvre in city traffic.
At about the same time, a panel of 130 international journalists voted the Mini “European Car of the Century.”
A high-performance version of the Mini, engineered by the race-car builder, John Cooper, was first released in 1961. Known as the Mini Cooper, it became one of the favourites of Mini enthusiasts worldwide. In 2003, the Mini Cooper was updated for a new generation of buyers by the German automaker, BMW.
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