2 BMC Mini 1959-2000

ENGINE: 848CC, 4 CYL TOP SPEED: 74.5MPH 0-60MPH: 26.5SEC

Alec Issigonis’s masterpiece. The ultra-compact, transverse-engined, front-wheel-drive, two-box Mini revolutionised small cars.

With more than 5.3million produced, the Mini became the bestselling British car in history. In the mid-Fifties BMC chairman Sir Leonard Lord had tempted back Issigonis from Alvis to design three cars. He concentrated at first on the larger two, but the Suez crisis forced development on XC/9003, which became known as ADO15 and then Mini. It was launched in 1959 as the Morris Mini Minor and the Austin Seven – identical apart from the badges.

Many different forms including the Countryman, the Elf and the Hornet, the Moke, the van and the giant-killing Cooper followed. Yet Issigonis wouldn’t allow design changes to solve inherent problems that cost BMC millions in

warranty and rectification. In the end the Mini lasted too long and what became the Rover Group didn’t have the funds to build its innovative replacements, the 1997 Spiritual and Spiritual Two concepts. Rover’s new owner BMW chose Dave Saddington’s retro design for the new Mini. Why you want one:

steering and cornering to rival even the most modern small cars. Classless appeal and great fun.

Why you don’t: you have to put a rubber glove on the distributor in wet weather, cramped and very uncomfortable. Risible crash performance.

You might not know: the Mini was developed with a speed that would leave modern car makers gasping. Work on the prototype began in March 1957 with Leonard Lord driving the prototype that July. After five minutes he turned to Issigonis and said: “Alec, this is it, I want it in production.”

Issigonis queried the cost, and Lord is reported to have replied: “Don’t you worry about that; I shall sign the cheques, you get on with getting the thing to work.” Within two years, the Mini was on sale.

Early Land Rover prototypes were all finished in light-green RAFsurplus cockpit paint