The model that appeared in 1959 was to prove to be the concept for the modern small cars of the future. One wheel in each corner, transverse engine with front wheel drive.
Mini, Cooper and Rallies
When BMC launched the Mini in 1959, it came as both Austin and Morris. The only difference between them was the color selection and the grill. For car buyers, the new model was a big surprise. It was smaller than other cars in the same price range and it had very small wheels. It also lacked luggage space. The technique was completely new. The car was equipped with rubber suspension and the transverse engine drove the front wheels. But it had very good driving characteristics, and immediately made its debut in car racing. When the Mini-Cooper came on the market with a larger engine in 1961, it also became a winner in major international rallies. The Mini-Cooper got a bigger engine in 1964 and it resulted in victory in the Rallye Monte Carlo. The model range was expanded to include a van, pick-up and station wagon. In 1967, the Mini MKII was launched with a number of changes and improvements. (The episode was written by Anders de Lange. See link to article below.)
Model history
The first model was produced from 1959 to 1966. It is easily recognizable by its sickle-shaped grill. The models from 1968 got a grill shaped like a more square trapezoid. The Mk II, which was produced between 1967-1970, is recognizable by the fact that it still had sliding windows at the front. Windows that could be opened with a crank did not come until mk III. Then the deep door pockets that helped to give a good sense of space inside the compartment also disappeared, and on the outside it got more contemporary door handles. Models from mk III onwards can be difficult to tell apart, as many have been upgraded in recent times.
Austin Mini Cooper S.
1017 ccm and 70 HP may not seem so impressive, but if you put this engine in a car that weighs only 645 kg ready to go, it becomes a small racing car. The car is good for 145 km/h and can cover 0-100 in approximately 15 seconds. When the British car magazine Autocar tested a sample in 1963, they concluded the following:
The additional costs …. will be justified for those who appreciate the refinements of mechanical design and want exceptionally high performance (Autocar).
Mini Countryman
With recessed ash details, Austin carried on the tradition from earlier station wagons. Austin Mini Countryman og Morris Mini Traveler were identical models. The Mini station wagon was built on a chassis with an extended wheelbase, and delivered with the same engines.
Cummins Leyland Mini Ice Cream Van
About the pictures
The grey-green car is photographed in Hertfordshire, UK. Suffix 'D' on classic British registration numbers indicates this is a 1966 model. Photo: Madelaine Bjørnstad. The blue and white car was on display at The London Classic Car SHow 2023. Today it belongs in Oxfordshire. The registration number "732 HOP" is special because it was the same number that John Drake's Mini Cooper had in the TV series Danger Man (am. Secret Man) in the 60s, but is not about the same car as in the TV series. It also had a different color combination, although you may not know that for sure, since the series was in black and white.
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Austin mini
It was smaller than other cars in the same price range, had very small wheels, lacked luggage space, but the technology was completely new. With very good driving characteristics, it immediately made its debut in car racing. See more
Test of Austin Cooper S from Autocar, 1963 (danger-man.co.uk)
