MINI

The Mini was born on August 26, 1959, when the British Motor Corporation unveiled the Morris Mini-Minor in Oxford, England, solving post-Suez fuel shortages with Sir Alec Issigonis’s transverse-engine, space-saving design that used over 80 percent of the floorpan for occupants and luggage. Early on, tuning legend John Cooper transformed it into the Mini Cooper, winning the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, ’65, and ’67 and cementing its status as a cultural icon of the Swinging Sixties. Its cheeky character and agile handling earned it a starring role in The Italian Job (1969), making it a symbol of British style worldwide. After BMW acquired the Rover Group (and thus Mini) in 1994, the marque was relaunched as the modern MINI in 2001, pioneering premium small cars with retro flair, go-kart dynamics, and customizable touches. Today’s lineup spans the three- and five-door Hatch, Convertible, Clubman estate, Countryman crossover, and all-electric Cooper SE, reflecting MINI’s strategic focus on electrification and urban versatility.