If we are going to trace the history of Austin mini we will find out that it dated back from the year 1959 and then onwards in a new reincarnation for the year and new millennium of 2000. This vehicle was originally a construct of British Motor Corporation later the brand being acquired by the German auto manufacturer Bavarian Motors Works known to most simply "BMW." To many it was the final World War 2 post war British insults as the Austin Mini and its sports car version - the Mini Cooper - indeed became symbols of the success of the British auto industry itself worldwide to the greatest satisfaction of the British people. It was the stiff upper lip et all in the greatest of ironies. Yet it can be said , again with the greatest of irony yet again - that is these islanders who taught the Japanese their basic knowledge as well as the benefits of front wheel drive / transverse engine layout in small , fuel efficient economy cars. Hello Toyota and Honda Civic .
The appearance and construction of new Minis can be said bear a resemblance that of Volkswagen of Germany. You would fully expect that - being now basically a German product with German design input, engineering and perhaps some standardized parts utilized from the common BMW auto manufacturing pool. That can be said to be a benefit and yet a bane to originality and uniqueness as more cars begin to look and drive more and more the same. Yet modern upscale Minis can be said by purists "not to be the same". The Austin Mini was unique. It was a people mover and an economy car. It led the way in front wheel drive transverse mounted engine design. The car may have amazingly small and even tiny exterior size and displacement. Yet it actually seated 4 adult passengers in reasonable comfort. The car had a smaller trunk - too small for most North American buyers. Yet was a "small" even tiny car when Detroit sold behemoths. In its class as an economy small car perhaps its main competition could have been said to the Volkswagen VW Beetle. With more aggressive marketing and pricing the Beetle won out. Yet Beetles are not produced anymore. True there is an upscale VW Beetle manufactured and sold now. Yet it is not sold by an upscale auto maker like BMW and it bears little mechanical and even body appearance to the original Volkswagen people's car. As a result Mini owners are almost a cult - long before the internet Facebook & Twitter social media campaigns. Nationally & internationally eBay classic Minis are coveted and demand high sale prices - that is if you can find a vintage well cared for model. Just try to find a pristine Austin Mini or Morris Cooper on the local dealer lot , Kijiji / Craigslist local posting boards or even eBay.
Did the Mini have problems and drawbacks? Were there mistakes or shortcomings in its design that Mini owners of time overlooked, put up with or hoped that the factories and designers back in the UK would fix? Yes. However you must remember that this car was both innovative , versatile and filled a market niche yet basically untapped by the other auto makers except for say Volkswagen with its rear wheel drive , aluminum air cooled engine product - the Beetle. The biggest markets for Minis were the export market - the North America, perhaps Europe and far distant Australia. Yet the car was produced initially and essentially for the domestic UK market with British right hand drive. To make for easy right hand drive factory installation or later upgrades the dash was very simple with a large speedometer placed in the middle and two symmetrical fairly plain off-sides. "Idiot lights" were also placed center and there was room for larger more accurate and informative oil and temperature gauges to be placed in the middle areas as well.
This Austin mini still hits the road these days. There was even a point in time when this car was one of the best race vehicles to line in the race track as the "mini Cooper It is not only a display in the race track though because it has bagged a lot of titles for several high profile competitions. This only goes to show how efficient the built of Austin mini is. That is exactly the reason why many of this type are still seen driving on the road even today. You can see them in most national roads worldwide but most especially in Great Britain. Car collectors are very eager to have Austin mini as part of their collection. They can go as far as paying the high price of shipping just to line this up together with their other car collection even in spite of workups to convert the vehicle from right hand to left hand drive. What amazes auto collectors and non collectors alike is the worldwide admiration of these vehicles. Mini clubs and clubs seem to exist throughout the globe. Yet to drive a Mini is to comprehend why.
In the end if there is one footnote to early, pre-BMW Minis it was that people loved them. They honked at each other as they drove by. Mini clubs were formed worldwide. On top of that a sleeper racing version was built out of this tiny economy 4 cylinder car that would zoom ahead seemingly out of nowhere. This was the veritable Mini Cooper version of this automotive line.
The appearance and construction of new Minis can be said bear a resemblance that of Volkswagen of Germany. You would fully expect that - being now basically a German product with German design input, engineering and perhaps some standardized parts utilized from the common BMW auto manufacturing pool. That can be said to be a benefit and yet a bane to originality and uniqueness as more cars begin to look and drive more and more the same. Yet modern upscale Minis can be said by purists "not to be the same". The Austin Mini was unique. It was a people mover and an economy car. It led the way in front wheel drive transverse mounted engine design. The car may have amazingly small and even tiny exterior size and displacement. Yet it actually seated 4 adult passengers in reasonable comfort. The car had a smaller trunk - too small for most North American buyers. Yet was a "small" even tiny car when Detroit sold behemoths. In its class as an economy small car perhaps its main competition could have been said to the Volkswagen VW Beetle. With more aggressive marketing and pricing the Beetle won out. Yet Beetles are not produced anymore. True there is an upscale VW Beetle manufactured and sold now. Yet it is not sold by an upscale auto maker like BMW and it bears little mechanical and even body appearance to the original Volkswagen people's car. As a result Mini owners are almost a cult - long before the internet Facebook & Twitter social media campaigns. Nationally & internationally eBay classic Minis are coveted and demand high sale prices - that is if you can find a vintage well cared for model. Just try to find a pristine Austin Mini or Morris Cooper on the local dealer lot , Kijiji / Craigslist local posting boards or even eBay.
Did the Mini have problems and drawbacks? Were there mistakes or shortcomings in its design that Mini owners of time overlooked, put up with or hoped that the factories and designers back in the UK would fix? Yes. However you must remember that this car was both innovative , versatile and filled a market niche yet basically untapped by the other auto makers except for say Volkswagen with its rear wheel drive , aluminum air cooled engine product - the Beetle. The biggest markets for Minis were the export market - the North America, perhaps Europe and far distant Australia. Yet the car was produced initially and essentially for the domestic UK market with British right hand drive. To make for easy right hand drive factory installation or later upgrades the dash was very simple with a large speedometer placed in the middle and two symmetrical fairly plain off-sides. "Idiot lights" were also placed center and there was room for larger more accurate and informative oil and temperature gauges to be placed in the middle areas as well.
This Austin mini still hits the road these days. There was even a point in time when this car was one of the best race vehicles to line in the race track as the "mini Cooper It is not only a display in the race track though because it has bagged a lot of titles for several high profile competitions. This only goes to show how efficient the built of Austin mini is. That is exactly the reason why many of this type are still seen driving on the road even today. You can see them in most national roads worldwide but most especially in Great Britain. Car collectors are very eager to have Austin mini as part of their collection. They can go as far as paying the high price of shipping just to line this up together with their other car collection even in spite of workups to convert the vehicle from right hand to left hand drive. What amazes auto collectors and non collectors alike is the worldwide admiration of these vehicles. Mini clubs and clubs seem to exist throughout the globe. Yet to drive a Mini is to comprehend why.
In the end if there is one footnote to early, pre-BMW Minis it was that people loved them. They honked at each other as they drove by. Mini clubs were formed worldwide. On top of that a sleeper racing version was built out of this tiny economy 4 cylinder car that would zoom ahead seemingly out of nowhere. This was the veritable Mini Cooper version of this automotive line.
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Long before the advent of the Australian factories - initial Minis were still delivered on cross-ply rubber wheels. ] By 1973 new Minis were, by default, being shipped with radial rubber wheels, though cross-plies could be specified by special order, giving British buyers a price saving of eight pounds Sterling.
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