The year 1956 was a time when the British automakers faced a major slump on the car sales on account of the fuel shortage as a resultant of the Suez Crisis, and the rise of the German Bubble cars. To fight off the fall in the business, Leonard Lord, the then Chairman of the British Motor Corporation approached Alec Issigonis to design a four-seater, BMC-powered small car.
This resulted in the first models of Mini which got launched in 1959 under the brands Austin Se7en and Morris Mini-Minor.
(Source: /www.heritagegarage.com)
In 1960, John Cooper approached Issigonis with the idea of introducing a high performance variation of the Mini that got rejected, but later in 1961 was agreed upon by George Harriman. Eventually the first Mini Cooper - the Austin Mini Cooper and Morris Mini Cooper - hit the racetracks in 1961.
(Source: /www.heritagegarage.com)
(Source: /www.heritagegarage.com)
(Source: /www.heritagegarage.com)
(Source: /www.heritagegarage.com)
(Source: /www.heritagegarage.com)
The Mini Cooper and Cooper "S" were the sportier versions launched by the company which earned its name as rally cars through the success in Monte Carlo Rally from 1964 to 1967.
(Source: /www.heritagegarage.com)
The Mini Cooper and Cooper "S" were the sportier versions launched by the company which earned its name as rally cars through the success in Monte Carlo Rally from 1964 to 1967.
(Source: /www.heritagegarage.com)
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The success in the motor sport circuit including the Coupe des Dames at the 1962 Monte Carlo Rally led to the creation of a brand name for Mini resulting in Austin Seven tag renamed to Austin Mini.
In 1969 the car came to be known as the "Mini" with the Austin Mini and Morris Mini-Minor identities dropped from its names. This year also saw the introduction of the first Mini logo besides a change in the name of the parent company to British Leyland Motor Corporation. The Leyland badges were sometimes exhibited on the A-panels of the Mini.
In 1969 the car came to be known as the "Mini" with the Austin Mini and Morris Mini-Minor identities dropped from its names. This year also saw the introduction of the first Mini logo besides a change in the name of the parent company to British Leyland Motor Corporation. The Leyland badges were sometimes exhibited on the A-panels of the Mini.
The first logo of "Mini"
(Source: www.mini.com)
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The acquisition of the British Rover Group by BMW in 1994 resulted in BMW becoming the owner of Rover, Land Rover, M G Brands as well as to the rights to Austin and Morris. In 1997 under Frank Stephenson, a new prototype combining the classic features of Mini and the modern designs was launched as MINI at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The huge losses on Rover led to the sale of the M G Rover and Rover brands in 2000 by BMW. The image as a fashion icon created by the car induced BMW to retain the rights to the new MINI which got launched in the year 2001.
The last Mini, a red Cooper Sport which was built in Oct, 2000 was handed out to the British Motor Heritage Trust in Dec, the same year.
Though larger and heavier than the classic Mini, the MINI continues to move through the path of success of Mini.
Some of the Mini badges over the years
(Source: /www.heritagegarage.com)
(Source: /www.heritagegarage.com)
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(Source: http://farm1.static.flickr.com)
The huge losses on Rover led to the sale of the M G Rover and Rover brands in 2000 by BMW. The image as a fashion icon created by the car induced BMW to retain the rights to the new MINI which got launched in the year 2001.
Though larger and heavier than the classic Mini, the MINI continues to move through the path of success of Mini.
(Source: /www.heritagegarage.com)
1 yorum:
great history, I like very much
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