Big celebration for little Mini
The classic Mini turns 60 this year. The new (big) Mini pays homage, writes David Linklater.
The iconic Mini will celebrate its 60th birthday this year. The Mini was revealed by British Motor Corporation (BMC) on August 26, 1959, and immediately established a new benchmark for small-car design and packaging.
It was a case of needs-must: the Suez Crisis had resulted in fuel rationing for the United Kingdom and foreign micro-cars were cleaning up in the market. This was Britain’s answer.
Alec Issigonis created a clever box, just more than 3 metres long, that employed front-drive and a transverse engine, allowing most of the floorpan to be allocated to passenger and luggage space. It became a hugely influential design (in 1999 Mini was voted the second-most important car in history, behind the Ford Model T).
Despite its practical aspirations, it also became a huge success in motorsport and a highly fashionable mode of transport in the 1960s. Its popculture status ensured a long production run in countless guises – under quite a few parent companies.
It also made the brand a highly desirable proposition for BMW, which acquired Rover Group in 1994 and kept the rights to build Mini models in 2000 when it sold the company.
The original Mini continued in production until the launch of BMW’s ‘‘new’’ Mini – which was controversial because it was much larger than the classic version and focused almost exclusively on the premium, fashion-conscious market.
BMW’s interpretation also was (and still is) a huge success. And it
still British-made, despite the German ownership.
A new Mini 60 Years Edition has been launched, in three and five-door versions.
It’s destined for the New Zealand market in very limited numbers (nothing specific at this time), likely in Cooper and Cooper S configurations.
If you want to register it on August 26, 2019, that should be doable: the 60 Years Edition should arrive in New Zealand mid-year.
The hero colour is a new ‘‘British Racing Green IV’’ paint finish, although black, grey, silver and blue are also offered.
There’s piano black exterior trim, black roof and exterior mirror caps, anniversary design bonnet stripes and modelexclusive 17-inch light alloy wheels.
The 60 Years emblem is placed on the left-hand bonnet stripe, side scuttles of the turn indicators and LED logo projection from the driver’s door.
The interior has model-specific finishes using the 60 Years emblem, including the steering wheel and front seats.
The seats are finished with Mini Yours Leather Lounge in Dark Cacao with contrast seat stitching and piping matching the new exterior paintwork.