MINI
About MINI
It is a car manufacturer’s dream to have his automobile have a mark in history. No matter how small the mark is, people will always remember that car for generations. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be big to be noticed. The Mini, the small British wonder, is stuck in our hearts as the car we love.
History
The British Motor Corporation’s Mini has been a British icon for decades. It has been consider the equivalent of the Volkswagen Beatle and the Italian Fiat 500. Its space saving design allured a lot of people, saving a lot of road space and maximized the car’s internals for passenger and luggage. In 1999, the New York Times claimed the Mini as the 2nd most influential car of the 20th century.
The Mini was never actually just Mini as a marque in its own right until 1969. When it was first released in 1959, it was called the Morris Mini Minor and the Austin Seven. Nevertheless, it still resulted in the small economical car we all love until today. It even became the best selling British car in history.
Models
In our modern times, we now have the New Mini Cooper S. It comes with all the tweaks and improvements, whilst still maintaining the classic size and design of the old legend. It’s still compact, so you can expect the initial fuel economy and space saving design it always had.
The engine sets it apart from its part iterations. It’s equipped with a 4 cylinder MINI Twin Power Turbo engine that can reach from 0-100 km/h in just 6.8 seconds. It might not be as impressive compared to sports cars, but the Mini is not designed for speed. It’s for function and utility.
Innovations
The Mini, as the car itself, was a great innovation by British Motor Corporation. After the World War II, people needed a car that was fuel efficient and reliable. The fuel shortage increased the demand for economical cars. The Mini was the British answer to this problem.
Its compact design maintained all the functions of the whole car within the front part of the Mini. The rest was for the purpose of ensuring a wide enough space for the passengers and their cargo. Only 20% of the car was used for the gear box, engine, and other parts to run the vehicle. The compressed design is now a standard for modern small cars.
British Motor Corporation truly did well with the Mini. It answered the prayers of drivers everywhere and provided them with a cost effective means of transportation. No wonder it’s still beloved by many up to this day. The Mini is truly a captivating piece of work.