The Austin • Morris Mini and the MINI
How do you begin a post about a legendary car that changed history? A
50-year-old design that will last forever? One that has since been totally
redesigned, yet still retains the flavor of the original?
Let's start by saying that the Mini was voted "Car of the Century" (Autocar magazine 1995), "European Car of the Century" in a worldwide internet poll run by the prestigious Global Automotive Elections Foundation in 1999, and, the same year, the "Second Most Influential Car of the 20th Century," only behind the Ford Model T. Wow! Quite an act to follow.
Folks all over the world have lusted for this tiny car for more than 50 years now. Virtually every front-wheel-drive vehicle made today owes its powertrain design to the Mini--a space-saving work of genius on several fronts. And getting better traction in bad weather is just an added bonus.
The revolutionary design came after the 1956 Suez Crisis, when fuel was rationed in Great Britain. Small "Bubble Cars" were being built throughout Europe, and their passengers' safety was, well, compromised at best. Leonard Lord, then head of the British Motor Corporation (BMC) reportedly decreed, "G*% D@$# these bloody awful Bubble Cars. We must drive them off the road by designing a proper miniature car."
And so they did. Sir Alec Issigonis headed the small team of Chris Kingham, two engineering students, four draftsmen, and Jack Daniels, who had worked with Sir Issigonis on the Morris Minor. To save development money, the team used a conventional BMC A-Series 4-cylinder water-cooled engine. But they parted from tradition by mounting it sideways, with the 4-speed transaxle located in the engine oil sump for lubrication. Constant-velocity joint driveshafts were used, invented by Hans Rzeppa and derived from submarines. This basic layout is the blueprint for almost every front-wheel-drive vehicle that's on the planet today. The 33-horsepower car could top out at 72 mph.
The Mini's suspension was, and is, a simple, elegant piece of art. Tiny
10-inch tires were especially developed by Dunlop to fit the car. The
body wheelwells were made as small as possible to reduce interior
intrusion, then the wheels were pushed as far out as possible to the
corners of the car. This not only maximized interior space, but
provided the best-handling stance possible.
At the heart of this system were the progressive rubber cones. No springs, shocks, or struts were used. Not only did the body-mounted cones keep the ride height of the car low, they were barely affected by the weight of additional passengers and cargo--unlike the weak engine. They also firmed up the car's ride, which brought the car's handling to "go-kart"-like status.
In 1964, the suspension was replaced by 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, it spoiled the handling characteristics that made the Mini famous. In 1971, the original rubber suspension returned, and remained for the rest of the production life of the Mini.
Inside the first Minis, accommodations were, well, Spartan at best.
The gauges were centrally mounted so the car could easily be assembled with
the steering wheel on either side, depending on the market. After all,
the Mini was built in 11 different countries and was originally sold by both Austin and Morris.
Most Minis had carpet, and some of the seats were made of wicker. Sliding side windows allowed storage pockets in the hollow doors; Sir Issigonis reportedly sized them to fit a bottle of Gordon's Gin. I'm not sure if fellow team member Jack Daniels was consulted on this design element or not.
The car's appeal caught on very quickly. In the mid-1960s, production expanded to South America. Sending stamping dyes there would have been cost-prohibitive, so the Mini folks worked with Peel to produce fiberglass molds for the body. Soon the panels were being cast, and all other parts were shipped there for assembly.
Profit margins were always thin on the Mini, but nicer-trimmed DeLuxe versions of the car and extra goodies helped boost those profit margins. Popular options included seat belts, door mirrors, a heater, and a radio. By the late 1990s, that list list had grown to include a power retracting cloth sunroof, leather seats, and a CD player.
There are far too many versions of the Mini to be detailed here. There
are even too many just to list in this overview. But a few notable ones
include--the Mini Standard, Deluxe, and Super Deluxe; the Mini pickup;
the Mini van; the Mini 1275GT; the Mini Moke (Moke means donkey), used in the James Bond films "You Only Live Twice," "The Spy Who Loved Me," and "Moonraker;" the Riley Elf/Wolseley Hornet, and many more. Several Limited Editions were produced through the years as well. Whew!
The wagon was very well received. Sold as the Austin Countryman and the Morris Traveller, it had barn-style rear doors. It was also about 3.75 inches longer than the Mini, and luxury models had real wood exterior trim inserts.
Today the car's popularity allows for more than 120 companies to produce body kits for the Mini. A few owners converted their cars to convertibles, but the original Mini was never designed to have its roof removed.
Sir Issigonis had a friend named John Cooper, who owned the Cooper Car Company and built rally cars and Formula 1
racing cars. Together, they built the Mini Cooper, which was introduced in
1961. Enlarging the 848cc engine to 997cc raised the power from 34 to 55
brake horsepower. The engine was tuned for racing, had twin SU
carburetors, and a closer-ratio transmission.
The team also added front disc brakes, which was very rare for any car at that time. The roofs on the Minis were also painted white to separate the cars from other monochromatic cars in the races.
But as Tim Allen says, "More power! Ar, ar, ar!" So, in 1963, the Mini Cooper S debuted with a 1,071cc engine and power brakes. A year later, a 1,275cc engine was offered, and this version was built until 1971.
Racing victories included Monte Carlo Rally wins in 1964, '65, and '67.
Minis placed first, second, and third in 1966, but were later
disqualified because of improper headlights.
The Twini Mini was a dream that never came true. In 1962, the idea to locate a second
engine and drivetrain in the rear of the car seemed like a brilliant design
for a rally competitor. After all, British Motor Corporation had
already built a Mini Moke with
two engines to help its off-road abilities. More power and traction
would make an unbeatable racing machine. A total of 178 horsepower pushing 1,600
pounds could make this tyke a formidable opponent.
So, in 1963, John Cooper and company spent six weeks building a Twini Mini. The car was extremely fast and well-balanced. But one night the rear engine failed, causing a rollover crash. Cooper was seriously hurt, the car was destroyed, and all development was immediately stopped.
Six Twini Minis were believed to have been built, but none are known to survive. This red Mini is a replica Twini Mini on display at the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville. Please note the extra body vents in the rear quarter panels and trunk lid that allow air to help cool the rear drivetrain.
But eventually, all good things must end. By April 2000 there were just four models, the Mini Classic Seven, Mini Classic Cooper, Mini Classic Sport, and--for overseas European markets--the Mini Knightsbridge. The last Mini, a red Cooper Sport, was built on Oct. 4, 2000, and presented to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust. A total of 5,387,862 Minis rolled off the production line.
Was this the end of the Mini legacy? Hardly, old boy. In fact, you can still
have a sparkling, brand-new Mini Cooper. Just have Jeeves give British Motor Heritage
a ring. For $6,458, or £3,200 (as of 9/01/07) plus shipping, they'll crate you a brand new, primed
Mini body shell. You'll need to get all the necessary bits and pieces to get
your machine properly onto the highway; a Honda VTEC or Rover K-Series motor will slip in rather nicely under the bonnet, mate. Cheers!
Or, just go to your MINI dealer. The all-caps "MINI" designates the reimagined Mini redesigned and built by BMW after the German company acquired Rover in 1994. BMW introduced the MINI in 2001, then updated in 2007.
Built in merry olde Oxford, England, the MINI is available as a hardtop, convertible, or Clubman. Available trims include a Cooper,
Cooper S, Cooper D (Diesel), John Cooper Works, and special edition
Monte Carlo, depending on the chosen body style.
History repeated itself when the 1969 movie "The Italian Job," which had featured the Mini, was remade in 2003, again using the Mini ...er, MINI! Thirty-two MINIs were used to make the film, but the three shown here ran on electric power so they could be used in the Los Angeles subway system. In "Austin Powers In Goldmember," the MINI also stole the show.
A very desireable MINI is a 2006 MINI Cooper S Works WP. These supercharged cars have 215 horsepower, a 6-speed gearbox, and will do 146 miles per hour. Just 2,000 were made; only 415 were brought to America. The sticker price was $31,500.
So how
successful is the BMW MINI? Well, on April 3rd, 2007, the one-millionth MINI rolled out of the Oxford plant after six years of
production, only one month longer than it took the original Mini to reach
the same total in March, 1965. And a MINI E is on the way.
Sir Alec Issigonis, John Cooper, Leonard Lord, Chris Kingham, two engineering students, four draftsmen, and Jack Daniels would be proud.
--That Car Guy (Chuck)
The first photo is from Mothers.com. The cut-away Mini and dual blue Mini/MINI images are from Wikipedia. The Mini interior shot is from Flickr user Shelsley Special. The Clubman photo is from seriouswheels.com, The rally Mini photo is from supercars.net. I took the photos of the Twini Mini at the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, TN, and the Red Bull MINI at the "Susan G. Komen Drive For The Cure" in 2008. "The Italian Job" MINI photo is a shot from the movie.
Chris Meirose on January 07, 2010 at 08:54 PM
I like the look, but at my size I'll pass. It would be fun if they made a stripped version for racing and then had races just like the go-carts!
Cookie the Dog's Owner on January 08, 2010 at 07:04 AM
There are two original Austin Minis living in my hometown, and we see them on the street from time to time. Unless you've seen one in person, you've no idea just how appropriate the name "Mini" was for this car. They're true hobbit vehicles. They look shrimpy next to a Metropolitan; park one next to a current-production MINI, and the contrast is amazing.
jjd241 on January 08, 2010 at 11:49 AM
Let's not forget the original Mini...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B27zIUVeKI
Anthony Cagle on January 08, 2010 at 11:49 AM
There are at least a couple running around Seattle that I've seen, too. Did the Japanese also make something similar?
Jack Hawkins on January 08, 2010 at 12:15 PM
You have to spend some time in one to really get them. I found a spot that rented them back when I spent a year n England during the 80's. Plain old 1000cc Mini's with a four-speed and no frills. Rotten ergonomics, just a plain bad driving position. Not much power, but they are amazing point to point across country on two-lane twisty roads.
They are very forgiving cars because they are extremely sure-footed. The rubber cone suspension is a naturally rising-rate suspension- no complicated linkages or levers or progressive wound springs. they have a firm but compliant ride until you really lean on them hard, and then the suspension just stiffens up and grips. Misjudged curves in the dark/wet at a higher speed than you intended simply don't present a problem because the chassis' limits are far higher than you would ever believe.
That and they are plenty big enough inside, even for me at six feet.
Ronnie Schreiber on January 10, 2010 at 07:14 PM
While Alec Issigonis' design of the MINI was the first successful modern transverse mounted FWD car, strictly speaking, the car that set the mold was the Fiat 128. The MINI's engine and transmission shared a case and lubrication (one of the car's failings - engine oil doesn't lubricate gears well and those gears were chewing up the long chain hydrocarbons so the engine wasn't getting great lubrication). The Fiat 128 put the trans in a separate case, side by side with the engine, and used unequal length driveshafts (introducing the world to torque steer).
Ronnie Schreiber on January 10, 2010 at 07:21 PM
Oh, and the 128 had a modern SOHC engine with a crossflow aluminum head. The Mini had the ancient BMC A Series engine, pushrods, with the intake and exhaust on the same side. While the Mini was a revolutionary design and in many ways state of the art, with the primitive engine and virtual lack of soundproofing and functional creature comforts, it's hard to call it a modern car.
There's a '63 Mini about 50 from where I sit. It belongs to my brother. I think they're amazing cars, only a Lotus handles better, but they have their shortcomings.
kenny heggem on January 10, 2010 at 08:11 PM
I knew a guy with a original mini sold in 2000. It was the old style 60's model imported from Europe... I believe.... sold as a 60's car that was restored?
The only thing that would give the car's less classic heritage away was a cloth interior and a modern looking steering wheel. The Mini Lite wheels might indicate a modern old school mini to a degree to. Kind of like comparing a Mexican Beetle from 2007 with one of the last standard Beetles sold in the USA.
I loved the handling.
Trouble with that car was simply putting a new rear bulb in the left hand signal required pulling the entire rear shock out to access. For a car meant to be simple, I found this design perplexing to say the least.
I have heard of people adding a Suzuki Swift GT or the motor in my 3 Cylinder Chevrolet Sprint Turbo in an original Mini. Sounds like a lust to me!
Rob the Audi Guy on January 17, 2010 at 01:17 PM
Love them, but will probably never own one, purely due to the number of women driving gigantic SUVS yapping on cell phones. One of these involved in an accident iwth a modern SUV would be devestating.
Armelle Cava on January 31, 2010 at 12:15 PM
I have no comment, but all my life I have been loving the mini rover. I am living in Alabama , south US and we are going to move in 4 or 5 months to Boston Mass . I am not very good with surfing the WEB. Would you help me find a dealer close to Alabama.
Thanks anyway,
Armelle