Mini celebrates 60 amazing years of this iconic car, from its
revolutionary introduction to the popularity of its new-generation
models.
The first two-door Mini, introduced in 1959 and built until 2000,
revolutionized automotive design with its innovative
front-wheel-drive layout that made the car appear bigger on the inside
than the outside. In 1999, the Mini was voted the second most
influential car of the 20th century, behind the Ford Model T.
Designed for British Motor Corporation (BMC) by Sir Alec Issigonis and
manufactured in England, Australia, Spain, Belgium, Chile, Italy,
Portugal, South Africa, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Yugoslavia, the Mini was
as successful in competition as it was on the street, winning the
Monte Carlo Rally four times from 1964 through 1967.
Originally built by BMC, the Mini's later parent company, Rover, was
acquired by BMW in 1994. In 2000, BMW sold most of the Rover Group but
retained the Mini brand. The last and 5,387,862nd original Mini rolled
off the production line in October 2000. In July 2001, BMW launched
production of the new-generation of Mini which was soon joined by
Countryman, Clubman, convertible, Cooper Works, and numerous special
editions.
Nearly 20 years later, the new Minis remain as popular as the original
from 1959.
