MODEL HISTORY

When it was launched in 1959, the Mini revolutionised the small-car market in the same way that the Austin Seven had done more than 30 years earlier. Perhaps it was little wonder that the car was initially sold under the Austin Seven name, as well as the Morris Mini-Minor, before becoming known as simply the Mini.

Conceived as a way of offering an economical and practical small car in the aftermath of the Suez Crisis and subsequent petrol rationing, the Mini's genius lay in its packaging. Designed by a team led by Alec Issigonis, it was only 10ft long but featured room inside for four people, thanks to the fact that the four-cylinder engine was mounted transversely and drove the front wheels - a simple but hugely effective layout that would set the template for all small cars.

In the Mini, the four-speed gearbox was in the sump and shared the engine's oil supply, and there was even innovation to be found in the suspension system. Alex Moulton came up with a design that used compact rubber cones instead of conventional springs, and although it was replaced by a fluid-based Hydrolastic system in 1964, the 'dry' rubber cones were fitted again from 1969 onwards.

Space was maximised inside thanks to the use of sliding windows, while the doors were opened via a pull-cord rather than a handle. It was a spartan arrangement that reflected Issigonis's desire that the Mini should be simple family transport - or a car 'for the district nurse', as he put it.

However, its compact dimensions and 'wheel at each corner' stance gave it superb handling, and enthusiastic drivers quickly realised it could handle more power. The standard car was launched with an 848cc engine, which would be enlarged to 998cc, 1098cc and then 1275cc. From 1961 onwards, there was also the option of the Mini Cooper, which was conceived by racing-car constructor John Cooper and introduced with a tuned 997cc engine plus front disc brakes.

Two years later, the 1071cc Cooper S came along, and these 'hot' Minis enjoyed huge success in international motorsport, particularly rallying; between 1964 and 1967, a Cooper S won the Monte Carlo Rally three times in four years.

Although it became an enduring symbol of the 1960s - whether buzzing through rally stages or pottering down high streets - Mini production lasted until 2000. Countless variants were produced, from saloons to estates and panel vans, and not only is it consistently ranked as being among the most significant cars ever made, it remains one of the most beloved.

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