- M​ini Cooper Classic

M​ini Classic - A Great British Icon

Mini is a two-door compact car engineered and built by the British Motor Corporation. It was first released in 1959, and over five million units were sold

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M​ini, an introduction

M​ini lineup

M​ini lineup

Mini is not just a car, it is a British icon just like the classic Jaguar E-Type, and Aston Martin DB5. It was selected as the European Car of the Century, Car of the Century, Number One Classic Car of All Time, Global Car of the Century, and The Favourite British Car of All Time.

The success of the car is largely down to its affordability, compact size, cleverly engineered mechanical layout, influencing a whole new generation of automakers to follow its path.

Designed by Sir Alec Issigonis, It features a transverse-engine and front-wheel-drive layout, allowing 80% of the overall space of the car to be used for passengers and luggage.

Mini influenced other supermini or Kei-car designs such as the Honda N360, Fiat 127, and Nissan Cherry.

Mini cooper was produced under different brand names with little to no variations, and within 40 years of its production run, five million units were sold, making it one of the best-selling British cars of all time.

The compact size, generous cabin space, sporty handling, driving position, ease of parking, and charming good looks, made it a favourite among celebrities, higherups in the social ranks, and the masses alike. Mini quickly became a fashion icon, and at one point donated its name to the "Mini" skirt.

John Lennon drove one, Enzo Ferrari had three Mini in his possession, Peter Sellers had a one, David Bowie had a one, Queen had one, Nuccio Bertone of Carrozzeria Bertone had one, and the list goes on. Let's see what's so special about this car.

Development of the Mini

Alec Issigonis next to the first Mini and a new 1965 Morris Mini Deluxe.

Alec Issigonis next to the first Mini and a new 1965 Morris Mini Deluxe.

The Second World War ravaged much of the Central and Eastern European landscape. The Soviet Union and British Empire were now on the verge of bankruptcy, and the heavy loss of life and resources left the victors struggling to keep their countries running. The situation in the United States was somewhat better.

British Empire had one of the largest armies in the world, and the lack of finances and resources to govern such a vast Empire and a large army forced the Monarch to give independence to many colonies in an attempt to cut the military and administration budget. Winston Churchill had to go home as well. By the late 1940s and 1950s, the financial situation slowly began to improve, and there were now more business opportunities.

The Austin Motor Company Limited, founded by Herbert Austin in 1905, saw success as a luxury car manufacture and was favoured by many European Royal families and nobility. In 1922, the company saw a restructuring, and Austin Seven was introduced as an inexpensive small car targeting the mass market to avoid higher taxes imposed by the British Government on larger engine displacement. Datsun, Bantum, BMW(Dixi), and Rosengart also built it under license.

Morris Motor Limited was formed in 1919 and by 1926 its production output was 42% of the total output of the British motor manufacturing industry.

In 1952, Austin Motor Company Limited and Morris Motors Limited merged to form the British Motor Corporation (BMC) Limited. The new company represented 39% of the market and sold various models under a variety of brand names.

In 1956, the Suez Canal conflict occurred, which resulted in the re-introduction of petrol rationing. This forced people to switch from large fuel-hungry cars to small fuel-efficient cars built by German and French manufacturers. BMC saw that the demand for their large cars gradually decreasing, and it was evident that they had to do something to regain their position in the market.

P​roject ADO15

1958 Austin Mini Prototype

1958 Austin Mini Prototype

Leonard Percy Lord, the chairman of BMC often joked that BMC stood for "Bugger My Competitors", and he hated the foreign microcars on the roads. He wanted something better to mobilize the masses. After analyzing the market, he set down several key requirements for the new project.

The new car had to fit inside a 10ftx4ftx4ft box. It must have four wheels, not three wheels like most microcars had at the time. It had to be powered with an existing engine rather than developing a new engine to keep the development costs down. More importantly, the car had to feature a proper cabin to accommodate four to five adults and decent luggage space. The new project was called ADO 15 or Amalgamated Drawing Office project 15.

These project requirements and goals seemed unachievable, and when Sir Alec Issigonis was tasked with the designing and development of the project, he had to think out of the box.

Alec Issigonis is a Greek who had inherited British Citizenship from his immigrant German father. He went to school in Britain and had difficulties with mathematics, failing pure mathematics three times. Despite his questionable academic career, he quickly rose to fame as a car designer, engineer, and racing driver. In the 1930s, while working for Morris Motors, he designed the Morris Minor and left the company to join Alvis cars when BMC was formed. In 1955, he came back to work on three new cars. These three cars belonged to the XC series; a large luxury car, a medium-sized family car, and a small town car.

Mini Mechanical layout

Mini Mechanical layout

The ADO15 project was based on the small town car, the XC 9003. Alec Issigonis then chose a conventional four-cylinder water-cooled engine from the BMW engine range. He then decided to mount it in the front transversely, in an attempt to accommodate more cabin space. The transmission unit was now placed in the engine sump.

The radiator was installed at the left side of the car so there was enough space to occupy the engine fan, but the transverse layout blew air into the natural low-pressure area under the front wing of the car. This design reduced the overall length of the vehicle, but now the radiator was fed with air that had been heated by passing over the engine and it also exposed the entire ignition system to the direct entry of elements such as rainwater through the grille.

The front-wheel-drive system was chosen over the traditional rear-wheel-drive to avoid using a long drive-shaft, saving more interior space and reducing production costs.

Most front-wheel-drive cars developed since the introduction of Morris Mini have used a similar mechanical layout, with the main difference being the transmission unit usually separately enclosed rather than using the engine oil.

Mini was designed as a monocoque shell with welded seams visible on the outside of the car running down the A and C pillars and in between the body and the floor pan. The seams on the A and C pillars were called everted or outward, and this provided more room for the driver and front passenger. The hinges of the doors and the boot lid were mounted externally to save cabin space as well as to simplify the construction.

Mini Mechanical layout drawing

Mini Mechanical layout drawing

The seams made the panels self-aligning, allowing the panels to be welded to the top of the single floor pressing. This resulted in water entering the cabin causing electrical issues and rust. This system was therefore changed during the first months of the production.

Initial prototypes featured unitary construction, but these cars fell apart under the high loads from the large lever ratios used with the rubber cone suspension. So, the unitary construction was replaced with the use of steel subframes to support the drivetrain and suspension system on both ends. This system also simplified the production as both subframes could be built up independently and then joined to the already completed bodyshell. This layout also allowed the engineers to develop other variants utilizing anybody or any design as long as it could accommodate the subframes.

The initial prototypes were equipped with Morris Minor-derived A-Series 948cc engines, and the top speed was over 90mph. Engineers realized that the performance figures were too much for inexpensive fuel-efficient vehicles. So, they settled on a new 848cc engine capacity with a shorter stroke. The maximum power output was now lowered from the original 37hp to 33hp. Torque figures also dropped significantly. Now the performance figures were more realistic.

To improve the overall stability, traction, and handling of the car, the initial prototype was widened by two inches. Now the top speed was slightly over 75mph, a decent enough speed when compared to many other economy cars.

The Suspension system was designed by Doctor Alex Moulton at Moulton Developments Limited. Initial plans were to develop an interconnected fluid suspension system derived from the one that Alec Issigonis and Alex Moulton were working on in the 1950s when they were working at the Alvis cars. This system was developed after reverse engineering a mechanically interconnected suspension unit of a Citroen 2CV. This later inspired the creation of the hydrolastic suspension system for the Mini, and Morris 1100. The hydrolastic system had improved ride quality, comfort, improved traction, and improved roll stiffness.

There wasn't enough time to successfully implemented the system so, he used compact rubber cones instead of using conventional springs to save space. This design also allowed rising progressive-rate springing of the cones, and natural damping to some extent in addition to the normal dampers. The rubber cone system was built into the subframes of the car, resulting in a raw jolting ride which was emphasized by the woven webbing seats. The rigidity of the rubber cones and the positioning of the wheels at the corners of the car resulted in excellent sports car-like handling.

This system was featured in the earlier Mini. Fully-independent rubber cone suspension system required no maintenance, and provided the springs a progressive action, becoming stiffer at higher degrees of compression. This resulted in a smooth ride over small bumps with minimized roll and pitch on more uneven surfaces. This also allowed the springs to cope with higher variance in load between an unloaded car and a fully-loaded car.

The hydrolastic suspension was further developed to be featured in the 1962 Morris 1100. Morris Mini and Austin Mini got the new suspension system in 1964. It was replaced with the original rubber cone suspension unit in 1969 due to increased production cost and extra weight. Only the Mini 1275 GT, Clubman, and Cooper S featured the hydrolastic system.

BMC signed an agreement with Dunlop to develop and manufacture new wheels. Alec Issigonis wanted to equip the car with eight-inch wheels. When he asked Dunlop to provide eight-inch wheels, they rejected the proposition. Eventually, ten-inch wheels were chosen to be manufactured.

austin mini blueprint

austin mini blueprint

To improve interior space, the car was equipped with sliding side windows allowing single-skin doors to be fitted, further improving elbow room. This setup reduced manufacturing costs as well. A side bracing bar was installed across the door frame to brace the single skin. Later, this setup was adopted into a large storage bin on each door. The rear seats were also provided with similar storage bins on the outboard, also featuring a similar bracing system and single-skin body panel. The rear seats had enough space to contain small items under the seats, and early Mini cars were sold with an optional wicker basket specifically shaped to fit under the seats. The rear parcel shelf also improved the structural rigidity of the body, but this prevented the prototype from becoming a proper hatchback.

The boot lid was hinged at the bottom so the car could be driven with the boot lid open to increase luggage space. Initial cars featured a number plate that was hinged at the top so it could swing down to remain visible when the boot lid was open. This system was later discontinued after the engineers realized that exhaust gases could leak into the cabin when the boot lid was open.

The production variant was given a modified front subframe on which the engine was mounted. The carburetor was installed at the back of the engine to reduce wear on the transmission unit.

In 1959, BMC and Alec Issigonis won the Dewar Cup of the Royal Automobile Society for the design and production of the Mini.

Production of M​orris Mini and Austin Mini

Morris and Austin Mini range grew to Mark I, Mark II, and Mark III with cosmetic and trim changes. In an attempt to conquer the luxury-oriented buyers, the Wolseley Hornet and Riley Elf were unveiled. Both Woolsey Hornet and Riley Elf featured different styling, better suspension, better brakes, and slightly more interior space. Morris Mini Traveller and Austin Mini Countryman were released as compact two-door estate cars with twin rear doors, and wood panels on the sides. Mini vans took the advantage of lower taxes on commercial vehicles by replacing the rear side windows with sheet metal and using the twin rear doors of the estate wagons to be categorized as commercial vehicles. Soon, these Mini vans became famous among small business owners, farmers, postal services, and delivery services.

1959 - 1967 Mini Mark I

1959 Morris Mini Minor

1959 Morris Mini Minor

The production variant of the Mini was unveiled to the public in April 1959. The first cars were produced at the Cowley and Longbridge factories in the United Kingdom, and at the Victoria Park factory in Sydney, Australia.

On 26 August 1959, Morris Mini-Minor Mark I went on sale for £537 including taxes of £158. It was simultaneously released as Austin Seven (SE7EN). It was also known as Austin 850 and Morris 850 in some export markets.

With several thousand cars had been produced already, by 26 August 1959, there were more than 2000 cars had been sent abroad to be displayed in nearly 100 countries.

Performance figures were impressive for its class. 0-60mph was achieved in 27 seconds and the top speed was now a decent 72.5mph or 116.5 km/h. Fuel consumption was measured at 6.49 litres per 100 kilometers or 43.5 mpg.

1959 Mini interior

1959 Mini interior

In 1962, the Austin Seven name was dropped in favour of Austin Mini. In March 1962, the base model received PVC seats instead of cloth upholstery. Super and DeLuxe trim variants were discontinued to be replaced with Super de Luxe. The instrument cluster now featured oil pressure and water temperature gauges.

Earlier sales figures were not optimistic, but the Mini soon became a commercial success following the ever-growing demand for affordable fuel-efficient cars.

1962 Mini Super

1962 Mini Super

In 1965, an optional four-speed automatic transmission was also available. This transmission unit was a little bigger than the stock manual and was installed within the same space as before. The river still can change the gears manually or put the lever to the bottom to set in on automatic mode. BMC advertised this as his or her's system.

1961 - 1967 Mini Cooper and 1963 - 1971 Mini Cooper S

1964 Morris Mini Cooper S 1965 Monte Carlo Rally winner

1964 Morris Mini Cooper S 1965 Monte Carlo Rally winner

Alec Issigonis's friend John Newton Cooper, owner of the Cooper Car company, expressed his interest in improving the performance of the car to compete in racing events. The sporty handling, driving position, small size, and low center of gravity made it suitable for competition events.

Alec Issigonis was reluctant at first, but when John Cooper appealed to the BMC director boards, the duo collaborated to create the Mini Cooper.

Soon, both started working on several prototypes and after some experimentation and testing, they developed Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S.

The stock 848cc engine was now enlarged with a longer stroke, now featuring a capacity of 997cc. The engine was reworked and featured twin SU carburetors. The engine was then mated with a close-ratio gearbox. Power output was now 55bhp.

To improve braking, 7-inch disc brakes were installed in the front, for the first time in a small compact car.

BMC ordered 1000 units, to meet the Group 2 rally homologation requirements.

Austin Mini Cooper and Morris Mini Cooper debuted in September 1961. In 1964, the 997cc engine was replaced with a shorter stroke 998cc engine. When the production of the Mini Cooper ended in 1967, 12,274 cars were sold to the public.

1964 Morris Mini Cooper S 1965 Monte Carlo Rally winner

1964 Morris Mini Cooper S 1965 Monte Carlo Rally winner

A more powerful variant called Mini Cooper S was released to the public in 1963 with a 1071cc engine and larger disc brakes. 4030 units were sold when the model was updated in August 1964.

Two S variants were specifically developed for circuit racing in the under 1000cc class and under 1300cc class, featuring 970cc and 1275cc engines. Both engines had a 2.78-inch bore.

The 970cc engine-equipped cars were not successful in commercial terms, so it was discontinued in 1965 with a total production of only 961 units.

From 1966 onwards, the Mini Cooper S was offered with twin-fuel tanks as standard. The 1275cc engine-equipped Mini cars were continued until 1971 (MKIII).

John Love, a Rhodesian racing driver, won the British Saloon Car Championship in a Mini, becoming the first-ever non-British driver to do so.

Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S won Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965, 1966, and 1967.

The 1966 win was annulled due to a controversial decision that the headlights were against the rules. The 1966 event is still considered the most controversial in the history of the Monte Carlo Rally. The first three finishes included Mini Coopers driven by Timo Makinen, Rauno Aaltonen, and Paddy Hopkirk. The fourth overall went to Roger Clarke in the wheels of a Ford Cortina. All first four finishes were disqualified because they used non-dipping single filament quartz iodine bulbs in the headlamps instead of the standard double filament dipping glass bulbs. Rosemary Smith in the wheels of a Hillman Imp was also disqualified.

1966 Morris Mini Cooper S

1966 Morris Mini Cooper S

Pauli Toivonen who was in the fifth overall position driving a Citroen ID was now first place overall. He did not believe that he deserved the honour due to the controversy surrounding the incident, and when his son Henri Toivonen finished first overall at the same event twenty years later, he said "Now the name of Toivonen has been cleared." Tragically, Henri Toivonen died the same year in the 1986 Tour de Corse event.

Mini Cooper S was used by British police and Australian traffic police. These police variants were equipped with the 1275cc engines, packing 76bhp maximum at 6000rpm and maximum torque of 79 lb-ft at 3000rpm.

A total of 64,000 Mark I Mini Coopers with 997cc and 998cc engines were sold. 19,000 Mark I Mini Cooper S with 970cc, 1071cc, or 1275cc engines were sold. 16,000 Mini Cooper Mark II with 998cc engines were sold. 6300 Mini Mark II Cooper S with 1275cc engines were sold. 1570 Mini Cooper S Mark III were sold.

1965 - 1969 Mini Deluxe

1964 Morris Mini-Minor Super-de-Luxe

1964 Morris Mini-Minor Super-de-Luxe

In 1965, Australian Mini got redesigned and renamed Morris Mini Deluxe. This car featured wind-up windows with quarter vents, hydrolastic suspension, key-operated starter, normal interior handles, and 998cc engines. Production of Mini Deluxe ended in 1969. It was replaced with the Australia exclusive model Mini K with the K stands for Kangaroo.

1967 - 1970 Mini Mark II

1968 Morris Mini Cooper

1968 Morris Mini Cooper

Mini Mark II was released at the 1967 British Motor Show, featuring a redesigned front grille, a larger rear window, and minor cosmetic changes. The instruments and equipment were now improved.

1​969 -1974 Fibreglass Mini

In 1969, a lightweight variant featuring fibreglass body panels was released. It was developed for British Leyland Automotres de Chile. The reason for the production of the fibreglass body was to comply with strict requirements for 70.22% local sourcing, imposed by the Chilean government.

Bodyshell mould was created by Peel Engineering company. Production began in 1970 and continued for several years. These fibreglass Mini cars have no-body seams and feature larger panel gaps. Production ended in 1974 following the hyperinflation caused by the 1973 coup.

1969 - 1971 Mini K

1970 Morris Mini K 1100 sedan

1970 Morris Mini K 1100 sedan

Australia only Morris Mini K was built in the Australian British Motors factory at Zetland, New South Wales. Mini K was produced with 80% local content. K stood for Kangaroo, a reference to the claim that a kangaroo can travel all day without drinking water which the marketeers wanted to emphasize the fuel consumption and the reliability of the car.

Mini K was now equipped with a 1098cc engine and a four-speed synchromesh transmission unit. The instrument gauges were also now upgraded

1970 Morris Mini K 1100 sedan

1970 Morris Mini K 1100 sedan

1969 - 1976 Mini Mark III

1970 Mini Cooper Mk III Saloon

1970 Mini Cooper Mk III Saloon

Mini Mark III featured a modified and altered bodyshell. Now Austin and Morris's names were completely replaced with "Mini".

Mini Mark II featured winding windows instead of the sliding ones of the previous generations. The doors were now larger and had concealed hinges. The rubber cone suspension setup reappeared replacing the hydrolastic system to keep the production costs down. Only the Mini Clubman and Mini 1275GT retained the hydrolastic system until 1971 when they too switched to the rubber cone system.

Mini was now outdated when compared to the compact rivals produced by other European brands and Japanese brands. Still, the car was popular in Britain.

1976 - 1983 Mini Mark IV

1​979 Mini

1​979 Mini

When Mini Mark IV was introduced in 1976, BMC was already working on a new small car that was expected to replace the Mini. This car featured a front rubber mounted subframe with single tower bolts and larger bushings in the rear frame. This improved mechanical refinement and reduced road noise as well.

In 1977, taillights were updated to feature integrated reversing lights. The same year, the basic Mini 850 variant was discontinued and was replaced with Mini City and Mini 850 SDL variants.

Mini City featured black painted bumpers and an untrimmed lower facia rail, wing mirror, part-fabric seats, "City" graphic decals, and a boot badge. The Mini 85 SDL (Super DeLuxe) featured the 850cc engine but came with the same specifications as the standard Mini 1000.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Mini, a limited edition was unveiled in August 1979. This variant was called Mini 1100 Special and featured a 1098cc engine. The performance and mechanical specifications were similar to the standard Mini 1100. The UK limited edition received Exacton alloy wheels and plastic wheel arch extensions. Three dial instrument cluster units from the 1275 GT, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, and an Innocenti Mini derived rectangular centre console completed the package. Only 5000 units were made.

In 1980, Mini 1100 Special and Mini City variants were phased out. The engine lineup was replaced with a single-engine option. This Metro-derived 998cc A-Plus unit delivered 43hp maximum at 5250rpm and maximum torque of 52 lb-ft at 3000rpm. With the production of Austin Metro started in 1980, many feared that the demise of their beloved Mini was closer than ever, but BMC continued the production due to stable demand.

Supermini cars like Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 104, Fiat 127, Renault 5, and Volkswagen Golf were already capturing the market that was once dominated by Mini. Little by little, Mini began to lose its ground in many key export markets. South African, Australian, and New Zealand plants stopped production due to the falling demand, as people preferred more modern and practical hatchbacks.

BMC reduced the production output of the Mini when Metro was introduced, and most of the subassemblies were now shared with the Metro, making it cost-effective to produce despite the falling sales.

In the early 1980s, Mini received 12-inch wheels, front disc brakes, better sound deadening, improved transmission units to improve the overall driving experience as well as to make it modern.

1984 -1990 Mini Mark V

1990 Mini Cooper

1990 Mini Cooper

Mark V cars featured 8.4-inch disc brakes and plastic wheel arches. The overall body shape and styling were still the same.

In 1984, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Mini, British Leyland produced a Mini 25 limited edition variant. Basic City and City E variants were cheap to own and maintain, making them popular among youth drivers and first-time car buyers. Soon, the sales figures began to grow little by little.

1990 - 1996 Mark VI

1993 Mini 1.3i Special

1993 Mini 1.3i Special

The engine mounting points were modified to install the 1275cc engine, now the sole engine option for the Mini. These engines featured a horizontally integrated float variant of the SU carburetors and a single-point fuel-injection system.

In 1990, Mini Cooper was reintroduced and the total sales for the 1990 model year stood now over 40,000 units. This convinced Austin Rover management to keep the production running as long as it was profitable to do so.

In 1991, history repeated itself with a fibreglass Mini entering production just like BMC did in 1974, this time in Venezuela.

1996 -2000 Mark VII

1998 Mini Mk VII Cooper

1998 Mini Mk VII Cooper

In 1996, Mini Mark VII was released as the last iteration of the car. By 2000, BMC was now in serious financial trouble due to mismanagement, bad corporate decisions, and lack of demand for their products due to poor customer satisfaction, build quality issues, and lackluster model lineup.

This is the last iteration of the classic Mini. This iteration features a two-point fuel injection with a front-mounted radiator. The original shelf was replaced with a full-width dashboard with the introduction of an airbag on the driver's side to meet new Highway safety regulations.

The only two variants available were the base Mini 1.3i and the top-of-the-range Mini Cooper.

Body variants

1960 - 1969 Morris Mini Traveller and Austin Mini Countryman

1960s Austin Mini Countryman

1960s Austin Mini Countryman

Morris Mini Traveller and Austin Mini Countryman are two-door estate cars with twin-rear doors in the back. The chassis was now 84-inch compared to the 80.25-inch of the Mini.

Earlier iterations feature an internal fuel tank located on the left-hand side of the rear load area. In October 1961, the fuel tank was relocated to the underneath of the car, and the filler cap was now on the lower right-hand side instead of being on the left.

108,000 Austin Mini Countryman cars and 99,000 Morris Mini Travellers were made during the production run. Innocenti and Industria de Montagem de Automoveis also built variants of these models under license.

1960 - 1983 Mini Van

The Mini Van was a commercial panel wan and could carry a load of 250kg or 1/4 a ton. This was marketed in the US market as a delivery sedan. This was also based on the chassis of the Morris Mini Traveller and was marketed in the UK market as a commercial vehicle. Chrome trims were replaced with a set of simply stamped steel slots. In 1975, it was renamed the Mini 95, a reference to the curb weight of 950kg.

521,494 units were built, becoming one of the most successful variants of the classic Mini.

1979 Morris Mini Van

1979 Morris Mini Van

1961 - 1969 Wolseley Hornet and Riley Elf

The popularity of the Mini convinced BMC to make variants. Wolseley Hornet and Riley Elf were unveiled in 1961 as more upscale models of the Mini. Both variants had slightly longer rear fins and larger cargo space. The Mini featured a two-box design while these cars featured a three-box design. The wheelbase was still the same at 6.68 ft, but the overall length was now 10.7 ft. Curb weight was now slightly higher.

Wolseley Hornet and Riley Elf featured traditional grille designs, larger chrome hubcaps, chrome accents, bumper over-riders, and wood veneer dashboards.

Both Wolseley Hornet and Riley Elf were equipped with three different engines. The initial 848cc engine delivered 34bhp with a single HS2 carburetor. The second variant was a Cooper-derived 988cc engine with a single HS2 carburetor delivering 38bhp. The top speed was now 77mph.

In 1966, the Mark II was unveiled with a facelift, wind-up windows, fresh air fascia vents, and concealed door hinges.

In 1967, an automatic gearbox was made available as an option on the Mark III. Four-speed synchromesh transmission was unveiled for the 1968 model year.

Due to the falling demand, BMC decided to pull the plug on the production of both variants in 1969 with only 30,912 Riley Elf units and 28,455 Wolseley Hornet units were built.

1961 - 1983 Mini Pickup

Mini Pickup was introduced in 1961 as a coupe utility vehicle. The overall length was 11ft being based on the Mini Van chassis and drivetrain. Curb weight was measured at 680kg with a tank full of fuel.

Just like the Mini Van, the Mini Pickup also has stamped metal slots for airflow into the engine. A recirculatory heater was available as standard. Passenger sun visor, a laminated windscreen, tilt tubes, a tonneau cover for the cargo bed, and seat belts were available as a paid extra. In 1978, Mini Pickup was re-branded as Mini 95.

Only 58,179 units were made and sold before production ended in 1983.

1964 - 1993 Mini Moke

Leyland Mini Moke

Leyland Mini Moke

Sir Alec Issigonis and John Sheppard designed the car with a simple, door-less design. The front-wheel-drive transversely mounted front engine layout was maintained.

The original "Buckboard" prototype was designed in an attempt to design a lightweight military vehicle to take a portion of the military vehicle purchases from the Land Rover. The prototype used the engine, transmission, and suspension parts from the Mini van. However, the small wheels and ground clearance made it unsuitable as an off-road military vehicle. Royal Navy expressed their interest to use the vehicle on the decks of aircraft carriers to move around cargo and personnel.

After failing to secure the military contract, BMC decided to re-introduce it with four-wheel-drive capability. These prototypes had two engines and two separate transmissions in the front and in the back with linked clutches and gear shifters. Mechanical and technical difficulties made the car harder to maintain, and the low ground clearance sort of made the four-wheel-driver system useless. These prototypes were known as "The Twini". BMC then showcased these vehicles to the US army, who showed no interest at all.

The conventional front-wheel-drive front-engine Mini Moke was then introduced to the masses as a low-cost, lightweight recreational and utility vehicle. It was branded as Austin Mini Moke, Morris Mini Moke, and Leyland Moke in Australia. It was available as a four-seat convertible or a two-seat pickup.

Mini Moke first built in the UK from 1964 to 1968, 1966 to 1982 in Australia, and 1983 to 1989 in Portugal. BMC then sold the Moke brand name and tooling to Cagiva, an Italian motorcycle manufacturer. Cagiva produced Mini until 1993. Approximately 50,000 were made and sold before the production ended in 1993.

1969 - 1980 Mini Clubman and Mini 1275 GT

1972 Morris Mini Clubman GT Saloon

1972 Morris Mini Clubman GT Saloon

The development of Mini Clubman began in 1967 when BMC Managing Director Joe Edwards was trying a way to maximize profits. BMC only generated marginal profits even though the sales were huge.

Joe Edwards decided to produce a re-styled model to replace the Riley Elf and Wolseley Hornet. Riley Elf and Wolseley Hornet were produced at a rate of 125 units per week with questionable looks.

Mini Clubman and Mini 1275 GT were unveiled in 1969. Since these were produced by British Leyland, a distinct fascia was given. The restyling was done by Roy D. Haynes, who had left Ford for the British Leyland. Roy Haynes is known for working on the Ford Cortina MKII.

Mini Clubman prototype

Mini Clubman prototype

Roy Haynes designed a revised front end and also a revised rear end for the Mini, but BMC management decided not to change the rear in an attempt to keep the cost of retooling down as possible. The interior of the car was designed by Paul Hughes. The three-spoke steering was borrowed from the Ford Cortina MK1/2 concept and the new instrument binnacle system remained until the production of Mini ended in 2000.

1980 Leyland Mini Clubman 1275 GT

1980 Leyland Mini Clubman 1275 GT

The Mini 1275 GT is also known as the Mini Clubman 1275 GT, but the official name was just Mini 1275 GT. It was offered as a separate model from the Mini Clubman although it shared the same front fascia and many mechanical components.

The Mini Clubman and Mini 1275 GT were better equipped, provided better crash safety thanks to the long nose, and had better access to the hood when compared to the classic Mini. But, it was aerodynamically inferior to the classic Mini.

The restyled car was called Mini Clubman and has a boxier front fascia borrowing the indicators, sidelight assembly from the production Austin Maxi. It was built as a replacement for the outgoing Wolseley Hornet and Riley Elf. Initially, Mini Clubman was powered with a 998cc engine derived from the Mini 1000. The power output was measured at 38bhp.

Mini 1275 GT was unveiled with a 1275cc engine with a single-carburetor, packing 59bhp. When it was unveiled, it was considered as the replacement for the 998cc Mini Cooper. The original Mini remained in production alongside the Mini Clubman and Mini 1275 GT as an economy offering.

The production was done in the Longbridge plant and tooling necessary for production was relocated from the Cowley plant. This resulted in many production delays and technical difficulties that engineers had to sort out by themselves. Only a handful turned over to customers by the beginning of 1970. These cars had cross-ply tyres instead of radials.

1979 Mini 1275 GT Rear

1979 Mini 1275 GT Rear

In 1971, the Mini Cooper S was discontinued due to falling demand, making the Mini 1275 GT the only high-performance Mini variant until the end of the decade. It was cheaper to run and insurance than the Mini Cooper S, and it was the first Mini to come with a tachometer. The close-ratio gearbox was standard.

Mini 1275 initially came equipped with 10-inch Rostyle wheels and 7.5-inch front disc brakes with brake boost, but from 1974 onwards both were dropped.

The Mini 1275 achieved 0-62mph just under 13 seconds, and the top speed was 90mph.

1979 Mini 1275 GT Side

1979 Mini 1275 GT Side

In 1975, the Mini Clubman and Clubman Estate variants received the 45bhp 1098cc engine derived from the Austin Allegro. However, the AP automatic transmission equipped cars were still equipped with 998cc engines.

In 1980, due to the falling demand, Mini Clubman and Mini 1275 GT were phased out in favour of the all-new Austin Metro hatchback.

Only 275,583 Mini Clubman saloons, 197,606 Clubman estate cars, and 110,673 Mini 1275 GT cars were made.

1971 - 1978 Australian Leyland Mini LS, Morris Mini Clubman

1973 Morris Mini Clubman Van

1973 Morris Mini Clubman Van

All the Mini variants in the Australian market including the Mini Van received the Clubman facelift. Despite the facelift, the car was still an MK1 Mini in terms of mechanical and structural terms. Australian Mini Van became the only Clubman Van to be produced anywhere in the world.

From mid-1971 to the fall of 1972, a Mini Clubman GT variant of the saloon was produced, featuring Mini Cooper S mechanical components in a Clubman bodyshell. This car was equipped with 7.5-inch disc brakes, twin fuel tanks, and a twin-carburetted 1275cc engine as standard.

Clubman saloons were marketed as Morris Mini Clubman from August 1971 and as the Leyland Mini from February 1973.

1978 Leyland Mini LS

1978 Leyland Mini LS

1978 Leyland Mini LS

1978 Leyland Mini LS

A limited-edition Mini 1275 LS variant was unveiled to commemorate the end of production in Australia. This variant was equipped with the 1275cc engine with a single carburetor, 12-inch wheels, 8.4-inch disc brakes as standard. Only 810 units were made and sold when the production ended in October 1978 when the factory at Enfield, New South Wales closed.

1992 - 1996 Mini Cabriolet

1993 Mini Cabriolet

1993 Mini Cabriolet

Following the success of the Mini Cabriolet limited edition, Rover decided to offer the Mini convertible as a mass-produced variant. The first concept was unveiled at the 1992 British Motor Show in Birmingham, with the announcement that deliveries commencing the next year. The original limited-edition Mini Cabriolet was designed and built by LAMM coachworks, but this time Karmann got the job done.

Mini Cabriolet was the smallest four-seat production convertible at the time and the production variant was powered with a 1.3-litre single-point injected engine delivering 63hp maximum. It was available in "Nightfire Red" with a red roof or "Caribbean Blue" with a grey roof. In 1995, the latter was replaced with the "British Racing Green" with a grey roof.

The roof was protected by a cover when folded down to give the car a classical cabriolet body shape. The doors were frameless, and the side windows sealed up very effectively. To compensate for the lack of a roof, the B-pillars were strengthened to improve rigidity.

The interior was done in "Granite Grey". The door panels and the dashboard was finished in the wood trim.

In 1996, the production ended due to waning demand, mainly due to the expensiveness of the model. It was priced at 28,000 Deutsch marks in 1993. Only 1081 were built, making it the rarest Mini body variant.

M​ini Limited Editions

Anniversary Editions

1979 Mini 20

Mini 1100 Special

Mini 1100 Special

Mini 20 or Mini 1100 Special was unveiled in 1979 to commemorate the 20th production anniversary of the original Mini. It was based on the stock Mini 1000.

Exterior colours were Metallic Silver and Metallic Rose. Clubman rear bumpers were fitted to the both ends, black slatted grille, and vinyl-covered roof completed the package. Exterior received special wide shaped side stripes, "Mini" laurel leaf decal on the A-panel, "Special" badge on the grille and "Mini 1100" badge on the boot lid.

Interior featured Tartan check trim, plastic centre console, plastic passenger side under dash tray, two-spoke steering wheel with "Mini" laurel leaf decal.

Exacton 5x10-inch alloys wrapped in Dunlop Formula 70 tyres, with plastic centre caps and plastic wheel nut covers were included as standard along with plastic wheel extensions.

This is the first production Mini to feature plastic wheel arches, plastic centre console, and plastic passenger side undertray as standard. It is also the only round-nose Mini to be equipped with the 1098cc engine in the UK market.

The wing-mounted side indicators were located higher on the wings and longer in length when compared to the ones on other models. Twin door mirrors, 1275 instrument cluster, Mini Clubman upper dashboard fascia, radio, cigar lighter, clock integrated into the centre console completed the package.

Production was limited to just 2500 units but increased to 5100 units due to strong demand.

1984 Mini 25

Austin Mini 25

Austin Mini 25

Austin Mini 25

Austin Mini 25

Limited edition Mini 25 was unveiled in 1984 to commemorate the 25 year-long production run of the Mini. Mini 25 is based on the Mini Mayfair and is equipped with a 998cc engine. The exterior was finished in "silver leaf metallic" paint, and "Nimbus Grey" exterior trim. Mini 25 badges and logos were featured on the side and rear grey and red stripe decals.

Mini 25 was equipped with 12-inch wheels, 8.4-inch front disc brakes, full-width wheel trim with arch extensions, tinted glass, stereo radio with cassette player, twin door mirrors, and 1275GT instrument cluster. Cars sent to Germany featured no radio for unknown reasons.

Only 3500 units were sold in the UK market with 1500 being exported. A certificate was issued to the original owner.

1989 Mini 30

1989 Mini 30

1989 Mini 30

Mini 30 was unveiled in June 1989 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the original Mini. This variant is also based on the Mini Mayfair. It was equipped with a 988cc engine. The exterior was finished in Cherry Red and Black with chrome bumpers and grille. An antique gold colour engine block and cylinder heads completed the visual package. Interior was finished in half leather and lightning cloth

It was equipped with Minilite style wheels, a leather-bound copy of "Mini" written by Rob Golding, and a security-coded stereo system.

Production was limited to 3000 units to be sold exclusively at the UK market. 2000 units were painted in Cherry Red while the other 1000 units painted in black. 2800 units were equipped with a manual transmission, and the other 200 with automatic transmission. 600 units were made with a sunroof.

1994 Mini 35

1994 Mini 35

1994 Mini 35

Mini 35 was based on the Mini Sprite, equipped with a 1275cc engine.

The exterior could be painted with Arizona Blue, Nevada Red, and Diamond White colours. A chrome grille, lockset, door handles, auxiliary headlight aim, silver coachline with special graphic decals completed the exterior visual package.

The interior was finished in Blue and Pink Jamboree fabric as standard. Export variants could be ordered with an optional all-leather interior, perforated leather inserts.

The dashboard was a full-width walnut wood unit and walnut wooden door cappings were standard. Rear windows could be opened, and an R652 stereo system was also included in the package. Alloy wheels were available along with an automatic transmission as paid optional.

1000 units were allocated to the UK market. 400 left-hand-drive units were allocated to the export markets in France, Italy, and Japan.

Additional 400 left-hand-drive units were made to be exported to the Germany and Netherlands. These cars were finished in British Racing Green Metallic and had all leather interior with piping trim matching the exterior colour. These units also had 13-inch alloys and extended wheel arches as standard. The same silver coachlines, special graphic decals, and a special wood-rimmed steering wheel with a 35th-anniversary horn came as standard. Only a few units were sold in 1994, so the rest were rebadged as 1995 models to be sold.

1999 Mini 40

1999 Mini 40

1999 Mini 40

1999 Mini 40

1999 Mini 40

Mini 40 introduced in 1999 to commemorate the 40-year production run of the original Mini was based on the Mini Cooper S. The 1275cc multi-point fuel-injected engine was the standard with no other powertrain options.

Exterior trim featured chrome bumpers, grille, and handles. Exterior colours were "Island Blue", "Mulberry Red", "Old English White", "Platinum Silver", "Solar Red", "Epson Green", and "Black".

Interior featured colour matched leather seats with contrast piping, alloy dashboard, chrome detailed instruments with "Mini 40" logo in between the water temperature and fuel gauge. The gear knob and handbrake handle were now covered in leather. 13-inch Sportspack wheels were also included as standard.

Standard equipment consisted of a CD player, twin spot lamps, and adjustable headlights. An optional electric sunroof was also available.

800 units were made, 400 for UK and Japanese markets, and the other 400 went to several key European markets.

Mini Cooper variants

1990 Mini Cooper RSP

1990 Mini Cooper RSP

1990 Mini Cooper RSP

Mini Cooper RSP (Rover Special Products) was unveiled in September 1990. It was based on the Mini 30. The engine was a 1275cc unit, making it the first Mini with a 1275cc engine in a decade. It was also the most powerful carburetted engine with the S works conversion and the only non-works Mini fitted with an oil cooler as standard.

The exterior was finished in "Flame Red", "Black", and "British Racing Green". Exterior also features a chrome grille and bumpers. Door mirrors and wheel arches are body-coloured.

White hood stripes with John Cooper signatures and Cooper badges, black leather seat inserts, leather-bound steering wheel, red carpets completed the visual package.

Standard equipment included sunroof, twin driving lamps, tinted glass, alloy Minilite style wheels, and an oil cooler. The demand for the car was too much, and all were sold out before the first production cars reached the showrooms. Rover decided to put Mini Cooper in full-time production.

1994 Mini Cooper Monte Carlo

1994 Mini Cooper Monte Carlo

1994 Mini Cooper Monte Carlo

1994 Mini Cooper Monte Carlo

1994 Mini Cooper Monte Carlo

Mini Cooper Monte Carlo is based on the Mini Cooper 1.3i. It is also equipped with a 1275cc engine. It was unveiled to celebrate Paddy Hopkirk returning to the Monte Carlo rally, thirty years after his original victory.

It was finished in either "Flame Red" or "Black". Exterior trim included "John Cooper" badges, signature decals, coachline with Monte Carlo decals.

Interior featured wooden dashboard, red vinyl seats with cream cloth centre panels, red seat belts, red carpets, red leather steering wheel, gear knob, and a gaiter. Gunmetal Minilite style alloys and four fog lamps were included as standard.

Only 200 units were produced and sold.

1994 Mini Cooper Grand Prix

1994 Mini Cooper Grand Prix

1994 Mini Cooper Grand Prix

The Mini Cooper Grand Prix is based on the Mini Cooper. The engine is a 1275cc unit with big-valve, ported, balanced, and flowed cylinder heads, special cam, and valve rocker assemblies, and an oil cooler. It was then given Weber Alpha fuel injection to improve power output. The last few cars featured a remapped Rover ECU instead of the Weber Alpha fuel injection. Catalyzed Janspeed exhaust, revised air filter completed the performance improvements. Maximum power output was now an impressive 86hp.

Koni adjustable dampers, four driving lamps, stainless sill plates were also standard.

The car could be ordered in all available Rover Mini Cooper colours, and exterior trim included chrome grille, handles, locks, coachline with Grand Prix decals.

Interior featured leather trim door panels, leather steering wheel, leather upholstery, glovebox mounted plaque. Walnut six-gauge dashboard, door cappings, and door pull completed the package.

Only 35 were made, with two featuring left-hand-drive configurations.

1996 Mini Cooper 35

1996 Mini Cooper 35

1996 Mini Cooper 35

Mini Cooper 35 is based on the production Mini Cooper. The 1275cc engine is single-point fuel-injected.

The exterior was finished in Almond Green with a Diamond white roof for the UK and Japanese markets. The Red with the white roof was available for Japan only. Exterior also featured body-colour door mirrors and wheel arches. "Mini Cooper 1961-1996 Anniversary Edition" decals were featured on sides and boot lid. UK cars had 1.3i badges on the boot while Japanese cars had them on A-panel.

Interior featured "Porcelain Green" leather seats with embossed Cooper logos, matching leather steering wheel and gear knob, "Anniversary" badge on steering wheel, wooden dashboard with cream-facet dials. Japanese cars had a black leather interior on the red cars.

UK cars were equipped with Gunmetal Minilite style 12-inch alloys with silver outer rims, two spotlights, two fog lamps.

Japanese cars came with silver alloys and no fog lamps. Japanese cars also got air conditioning, fixed rear quarter lights as standard.

Only 200 units were allocated to the UK market while 1501 units were manufactured for Japan. One of the Japanese units was kept in the UK to be photographed for the Rover's Japanese launch brochure.

1996 Mini Cooper 35 S

1996 Mini Cooper 35 S

1996 Mini Cooper 35 S

Only five out of the 200 UK allocated cars got John Cooper Garage S specification. These cars packed 86hp thanks to the conversion process including the replacement of cylinder heads, 1.5 roller rockers, Janspeed exhaust, K&N air filter element, and modified fuel injection system along with an oil coole.

These cars had the roof resprayed in "Old English White" paint with matching paint on the hood stripes running over the scuttle panel, a reference to the Cooper Car Corporation racing cars.

Badges featured red enameled Cooper inserts on the winged hood and boot badges, and the "1.3i" badge was now replaced with a "Si" badge. The original side graphic decals were still the same. Si also received clear indicator lenses, polished metal cooper wheel centre badges.

1996 Mini Cooper 35 S

1996 Mini Cooper 35 S

These cars also had a unique dashboard and matching door cappings in elm instead of the normal walnut trimming. Three signed ivory auxiliary dials were also added along with a clock, voltmeter, and oil pressure gauge.

Alloy door furniture also added and some were signed. A steering drop bracket was also standard.

John Cooper Garage later converted several cars to the S specification on demand and these can be identified from the original five cars by a plaque describing the conversion number rather than the car number.

1997 Mini Cooper S Touring

1997 Mini Cooper S Touring

1997 Mini Cooper S Touring

This variant is based on the Mini Cooper and is equipped with a 1275cc engine. The exterior is finished in any colour available for Mini Cooper along with stainless steel sill covers, alloy fuel flap, Cooper valve caps, "Cooper S Touring " side decals, "Si" boot lid badge, and John Cooper chassis plate under the front sear.

Interior featured leather steering wheel, walnut dashboard along with door trimming, and alloy door handles. A Jack Knight five-speed transmission was available as an optional extra.

1997 Mini Cooper S Sport 5

1997 Mini Cooper S Sport 5

1997 Mini Cooper S Sport 5

1997 Mini Cooper S Sport 5 is equipped with a 1275cc engine. It features chrome bumpers and grille, "Cooper S Sport 5" decals. Interior features leather gear knob. The car came with 13-inch Rover Sportspack alloy wheels, Sportspack wheel arches, two auxiliary driving lamps as standard. An all-leather interior and electric sunroof were available for extra money.

Mini Sport S Sport 5 was similar to the Mini Cooper S Touring, with the main difference being offered with the five-speed Jack Knight transmission unit as standard.

1998 Mini Cooper Sports LE

Mini Cooper Sports LE was unveiled in May 1998. It was also based on the production Mini Cooper. It was built to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Mini Cooper's victory in four Saloon Car Championship events in 1968.

Exterior colours available are "Brooklands Green", and black with a white roof, white door mirrors, chrome grille, and door handles. Twin coachlines with BMC style rosette with "Mini Cooper" letterings in the rear and BMC Vita logo style "V" flash in Yellow above the front side indicator, "Mini Cooper " on the boot lid, white hood stripes, two-sport lights completed the visuals package.

Sportspack 13-inch alloy wheels, Sportspack wheel arches, sports suspension package were also standard.

Interior featured walnut dashboard, dark green leather seats, dark green and black leather steering wheel, dark green leather gear shifter knob, and green carpets.

Only 100 were made officially, 50 finished in "Brooklands Green" and the other 50 in black.

1999 Mini John Cooper LE40

1999 Mini John Cooper LE40

1999 Mini John Cooper LE40

Mini John Cooper LE40 was unveiled in 1999, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the John Cooper Works team winning the 1959 and 1960 Formula One World Championship. The Mini Cooper LE40 is the most expensive Mini variant ever sold as standard from the factory and also the only Mini not to register as a Mini, instead simply known as "John Cooper LE40".

It was equipped with a 1275cc engine. "Brooklands Green colour" body with "Old English White" roof, chrome bumpers, grill, and handles along with John Cooper signature decals and badges in chrome-plated steel completed the package. 13-inch Sportspack alloys, Sportspack wheel arches, two spot lamps, a CD player were also included as standard.

1999 Mini John Cooper LE40

1999 Mini John Cooper LE40

Interior features Grenadine red leather upholstery on the dashboard, door liners, door pockets, and gear gaiter. Black piping for seats, black leather steering wheel, handbrake handle, gear knob, and an alloy dashboard completed the package. Only 301 units were made including 51 cars converted to Mini Cooper S Works. These were exclusively sold in the UK market.

1999 Mini Cooper S Works

1999 Mini Cooper S Works

1999 Mini Cooper S Works

Mini Cooper S Works is based on the Mini Cooper LE 40 edition. The engine capacity is 1380cc. This engine is reworked and has big-valve higher-compression, delivering 90hp maximum. Mini Cooper S Works is the most powerful Mini Cooper variant ever made.

It featured a "Brooklands Green" paint job with an "Old English White" roof. Exterior chrome grille, door handles, and bumpers were also standard. Coachlines with "S Works" decals and special red-winged badges on the front and rear completed the visual package.

Interior featured an all-alloy dashboard, door cappings, door furniture, and foot pedals. The steering wheel was covered in leather along with the leather gear knob. A CD player and 12-inch alloys came as standard.

Sportspack wheel arches, Sportspack alloys, and a Jack Knight five-speed transmission were available for extra money.

The initial plan was to build only 25, but the excess demand increased the production up to 51 units. The original 25 cars have unique "production number out of 25" plates on the dashboard. All cars including the last 26 cars were converted by John Cooper Garages in Sussex.

The 51st car was equipped with optional Jack Knight five-speed transmission and Sportspack wheels and wheel arches. Many additional extra options were also included as it was made specifically for Mrs. John Cooper. In 2016, the 51st car was sold in a Parisian auction for 47,465 GBP.

2000 Mini Cooper Sport 500

2000 Mini Cooper Sport 500

2000 Mini Cooper Sport 500

Mini Cooper Sport 500 is based on the production Mini Cooper and is equipped with a 1275cc engine. This is the last Cooper variant based on the classic Mini.

Exterior colours were "Tahiti Blue", "Anthracite", "Solar Red", and "British Racing Green". The roof was painted in silver as standard. Chrome bumpers and grille, silver bonnet stripes were also standard.

Interior black and silver leather, alloy gear knob was also standard.

Four spot lamps, 13-inch alloys, a plaque inside the glovebox, high-level brake light, a certificate signed by John Cooper were also standard.

Only 500 units were made.

Special variants

1976 Mini 1000 Stripey LE

1976 Mini 1000 Stripey LE

1976 Mini 1000 Stripey LE

In 1976, Mini 1000 Stripey LE was introduced and it was based on the production Mini 1000. The 998cc engine was stock.

All the cars were finished in "Brooklands Green" and white roof. Chrome door mirrors, grille, and door handles completed the looks along with gold coachlines.

Interior featured striped orange MGB style reclining deckchair seats, and face-level vents.

Only 3000 were made.

1976 - 1981 Mini 1100 Special Belgian version

1976 - 1981 Mini 1100 Special Belgian version

1976 - 1981 Mini 1100 Special Belgian version

Mini 1100 Special was based on the Mini 1000 MKIII and was equipped with the stock 1098cc engine.

It could be ordered with any Mini colour available. Models before 1979 featured wing-mounted side indicators, and a three gauge central oval dashboard.

From 1979 and onwards, the indicators were mounter higher on the wings and longer in length, twin door mirrors, Clubman derived rear bumpers in both ends, black slatted grille, and vinyl-covered roof. These cars had Tartan check trim, two-spoke steering wheel with a "Mini" laurel leaf decal in the middle.

"Mini Special" badges were also included on the boot lid along with decals. Exacton 5x10-inch alloys with plastic centre caps and plastic wheel nut covers. Dunlop Formula 70 tyres are also standard. This is also the first production model to feature plastic wheel arch extensions as standard.

The exact production figures are not known. Initially made available in the Belgium market in Seneffe from 1976 to 1978 as an experiment to test the demand for special variants. The success on the European market convinced BMC to launch it officially in 1979 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the original Mini. This variant was also sold in France.

1983 Mini Sprite

1983 Mini Sprite

1983 Mini Sprite

Mini Sprite was based on the base Mini City. The engine was the 998cc unit. This variant was released in 1983 as an intermediate trim variant in between the City and Mayfair variants.

Exterior colours were "Cinnabar Red" and "Primula Yellow". Black bumpers and grille centre were also standard along with side stripes with a "Sprite" logo. Interior featured Grey Herringbone seat facings.

The Exacton 5x10-inch alloys with 165/70x10 tyres, Mini Special wheel arch extensions, twin door mirrors, Clubman derived upper dashboard fascia, and 1275 GT instrument cluster were standard.

Production was only 2500 units.

1990 Mini Studio 2

1990 Mini Studio 2

1990 Mini Studio 2

Mini City-based Mini Studio 2 could be ordered in "Black", "Nordic Blue", and "Storm Grey" colours. A Chrome grille, and black bumpers were the standard along with Studio 2 decals, green stripes, and three green dots below the window line.

Interior features Doeskin seat covers with green diagonal stripe, three-spoked steering wheel with unique green Mini badge.

Full-width wheel trims, opening rear quarter lights and an R750 stereo, 12-inch steel wheels with hubcaps, front disc brakes were also included as standard.

Production was limited to 1500 units for the UK in right-hand-drive configuration, and 500 for Germany in left-hand-drive configuration.

1991 Mini Neon

1991 Mini Neon

1991 Mini Neon

Mini Neon was originally meant to be produced in "Caribbean Blue Pearlescent" but some difficulties with the paint forced Rover to paint the initial handful of cars in "Nordic Blue".

Mini Neon is based on the Mini City and is equipped with the stock 998cc engine. Exterior colour options are "Nordic Blue" and "Pearlescent Caribbean Blue".

Exterior trims are chrome bumpers, door handles, grille, and exhaust tailpipe along with coachlines with "Neon by Mini" decals.

Full-width wheel-trims, standard passenger side door mirror, R280 digital radio with cassette player, and hinged rear windows were standard. Only 1500 were produced.

1990 Mini ERA Turbo

Mini ERA (Engineering Research and Application) Turbo was equipped with a turbocharged 1275cc engine. At 8psi boost pressure, the maximum power output was 96bhp. This was the only turbocharged variant of the original Mini.

Mini ERA Turbo featured "Flame Red" or "British Racing Green" colour options as standard, but black, silver, and white colours were available as special order colours. Exterior trim consisted of a turbo body kit, grilled with ERA badge, five-spoke wheels with ERA logo, rear windscreen wiper, turbo badge on the hood, ERA badge on the rear, ERA ID plate on slam panel.

Interior was finished in full or half leather trim along Austin Metro derived seats.

Only 99 units were allocated for the UK market along with 337 units for the Japanese market

1991 Mini Cabriolet

1991 Mini Cabriolet

1991 Mini Cabriolet

.Mini Cabriolet was produced as a marketing case study as Rover wanted to see the demand for a supermini cabriolet in the UK market. Rover ordered just 75 cars from Lamm Autohaus, to be converted into convertibles. Another 25 were also ordered. The success of this limited edition cabriolet convinced Rover to produce Mini cabriolet full-time.

1991 Mini Cabriolet was based on the Mini Cooper and featured the 1275cc engine. It was finished in "Pearlescent Cherry Red" colour and came equipped with a "LAMM" body kit along with "LAMM" decals and graphics on the sides, and "Cabriolet" badge on the boot lid.

Interior consisted of the wood-grain dashboard, three-instrument binnacle, wooden door cappings, and wooden gear knob, Mayfair derived seats and trim, leather steering wheel, and a Clarion CRH50 stereo. Revolite alloys were also standard. Only 100 were produced.

1991 Mini After Eight

1991 Mini After Eight

1991 Mini After Eight

Mini After Eight cars were developed in conjunction with Nestle to promote both brands in French, Spanish, and Portuguese markets. All the cars were painted in British Racing Green Metallic paint. Gold anodized alloy grille, gold Minilite style wheels, bullet mirrors, and twin gold coachlines. All the cars were equipped with the 998cc engine mated to a four-speed transmission unit.

Only 1500 cars were made.

1991 - 1992 Mini Canvas Top Japanese variant

The Mini Canvas Top variant was sold exclusively in Japan. The Japanese Canvas Top model could be opened from the rear as well as the front. Opening from the rear was done manually by releasing two latches on the inside rear of the top frame and pushing the top forwards. Opening from the front was done using an electrically operated mechanism.

1992 Mini British Open Classic

1992 Mini British Open Classic

1992 Mini British Open Classic

The Mayfair-based Mini British Open Classic featured the same 1275cc engine. As in the namesake, the car is finished in "British Racing Green", a reference to the 1950s and 1960s racing cars.

All these cars featured carburetted engines and single-point injection as it has a bracket on the bulkhead to the right of the carburetor.

Exterior trim consisted of chrome bumpers, grille, and door handles, body colour door mirrors, black wheel arch extensions, and sill finishers.

Interior features "Stone Beige Countryman" Tweed upholstery with leather inserts and green piping, cream leather steering wheel, two pod dashboard, matching door cards and seat belts, "By Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen" label stitched to seats.

Electrically operated full-length Webasto sunroof, Minilite style alloys, R552 stereo, opening rear windows were standard.

Only 1000 were made and sold exclusively in the UK.

British Open Classic was also made for other markets in left-hand-drive configuration. These were fuel-injected and featured no tweed inserts in the seats. The export variants featured a three-pod dashboard. The German and Italian cars were painted in black and the Italian variant had beige cloth upholstery, no leather trimming. These cars were delivered without an actual stereo unit but had speakers, antenna, and cables for the radio.

1992 Mini Italian Job

1992 Mini Italian Job

1992 Mini Italian Job

Mini Italian Job variant was introduced following the inspiration taken from the 1969 movie bearing the same name. Original Mini cars in the Italian Job were basic production cars modified to look like Mini Coopers, packing 50hp maximum power output.

Mini Italian Job was based on the Mini Mayfair and was equipped with the 1275cc engine. It could be ordered with "Flame Red", "Metallic British Racing Green", "Diamond White", and "Electric Blue" colours.

Body-coloured wing mirrors, white grilles, black bumpers, "Italian Job" badges, crossed Italian and British flag graphic decals, and bonnet stripes were added as standard.

The interior featured black tweed, a three-spoke steering wheel with an Italian flag on the steering wheel, and front seats. Tinted glass, twin driving lamps, opening rear quarter windows were standard.

Only 1000 were allocated for the UK market while 750 were allocated for the Italian market.

1993 Mini Rio

1993 Mini Rio

1993 Mini Rio

Mini Rio was based on the Mini Sprite and was equipped with a 1275cc engine. It could be ordered with black, "Pearlescent Caribbean Blue", and "Metallic Polynesian" colours with chrome bumpers, and "Rio" decals on flanks and the boot lid.

Interior was done in black and bright green Spira panels on the doors and seats. R562 radio with cassettes was equipped as standard.

Only 750 units were made.

1993 Mini Tahiti

1993 Mini Tahiti

1993 Mini Tahiti

Mini Tahiti was based on the Mini Sprite and came equipped with the 1275cc engine. It was finished in Tahiti Blue colour and featured chrome bumpers and "Tahiti" decals with silhouetted palm trees on the flanks and boot.

Interior featured black trim with blue and black door and seat inserts and colour-coded seat belts. Minilite style alloys and an R652 radio with cassette were standard.

Only 500 units were produced.

1995 Mini Sidewalk and Mini Tartan

Mini Sidewalk and Mini Tartan were based on the Mini Sprite. It could be ordered in

"Charcoal Metallic", "Kingfisher Blue", "Diamond White", and "British Racing green" colours. Chrome bumpers and "Sidewalk" graphic decals completed the package.

The interior featured red seat belts and blue tartan trim. Radio cassette unit was included as standard.

Only 1000 units were made and sold exclusively in the UK.

1996 Mini Equinox

1996 Mini Equinox

1996 Mini Equinox

This variant was also based on the Mini Sprint and was equipped with a 1275cc engine.

Available body colours were "Amaranth", "Charcoal Grey", and "Platinum Silver". Chrome bumpers and grille were standard along with "Equinox" decals.

Interior featured purple and black moon and stars printed fabric seat inserts with leather edging. Tinted glass, opening rear quarter windows, alarm/immobilizer, and a radio/cassette unit were included as standard.

Only 750 units were made.

London Series

1982 - 1996 Mini Mayfair

1982 - 1996 Mini Mayfair

1982 - 1996 Mini Mayfair

Mini Mayfair was based on the Mini city. It came equipped with either a 998cc or a 1275cc engine. Exterior trim consisted of several coloured grilles, door handles, bumpers, door mirrors, plastic wheel arch extensions, and sill finishers. "Mayfair" logos with coachlines. From 1992, chrome trim and silver plastic wheel arches.

Interior featured various colours, seats, and door panels in chalk stripe velour, prism velour, chevron velour, and Windsor velour.

12-inch wheels, opening rear windows, radio, head restraints, tinted glass, tachometer, and locking fuel cap were standard. From 1984, front disc brakes were included as standard. Brake servo was added from 1988 onwards.

1985 Mini Ritz

1985 Mini Ritz

1985 Mini Ritz

Mini Ritz is based on the Mini City and comes equipped with a 998cc engine. "Silver Leaf" exterior colour, chrome exterior trim, and black cantered grille gave the car distinct looks.

Interior was done in Claret Red, Prussian Blue, and Osprey Grey velvet. 12-inch alloys are also standard. Production was limited to 2000 units for UK and 1725 for Italian market.

1985 Mini Chelsea

1985 Mini Chelsea

1985 Mini Chelsea

Mini Chelsea is based on the Mini City. It is equipped with a 998cc engine. Only exterior colour option for the Mini Chelsea was "Targa Red" for UK market and "Silver Leaf" for Japan. Silver and red coachlines with "Chelsea" logos, "Osprey Grey" interior with red piping. 12-inch alloys, and opening rear windows were included as standard.

Only 1500 units were allocated for the UK market. Exported figures are not clear.

1986 Mini Piccadilly

1986 Mini Piccadilly

1986 Mini Piccadilly

1986 Mini Piccadilly is based on the Mini City and comes with a 998cc engine. It is finished in "Cashmere Gold Metallic" paint and features black bumpers, and a black centred grille along with twin coachlines with "Piccadilly" logo.

Interior is finished in "Bitter Chocolate", "Coffee", and "Claret velvet" colours. Full-width wheel trims, push button radio were standard.

Only 2500 units were produced. Majority of those were sold in UK, France, and Japan.

1987 Mini Park Lane

1987 Mini Park Lane

1987 Mini Park Lane

Mini Park Lane is based on Mini City. It is equipped with 998cc engine. It is finished in black and comes with chrome bumpers and grille surround.

"Park Lane" logo decals on doors and boot lid, stripes on rear quarter panels made the car look unique. Interior featured either beige or black velvet trimming.

Full-width wheel trims, tinted windows, opening rear windows, and a stereo radio/cassette were included as standard.

1500 units were allocated for UK market, 700 units for Japan. A total of 4000 units were made.

1987 Mini Masters / Mini Advantage

1987 Mini Masters / Mini Advantage

1987 Mini Masters / Mini Advantage

Mini Advantage was known as the Mini Masters in Germany. Mini Advantage was based on the Mini Mayfair. The engine was the same 998cc unit.

Only exterior colour option was "Diamond White". Exterior trim consists of grey bumpers, door handles, black door mirrors, white wheel covers for the 12-inch steel wheels, Nimbus grey plastic wheel arch extensions and sill finishers. "Advantage" logo with a Tennis theme decals on lower body sides and "Advantage" logo on the boot lid.

Interior was finished in "Flint Grey" and "Jade Green" Tennis Net cloth on seats and door panels. A tachometer, radio/cassette, tinted glass, opening rear windows with chrome surrounds were also standard.

Only 4675 units were sold including the 2500 units allocated for UK.

Colour Series

1988 Mini Red Hot

1988 Mini Red Hot and Jet Black

1988 Mini Red Hot and Jet Black

Unveiled in 1988 and is based on the Mini City. It is equipped with a 998 cc engine. Exterior colour option available is GPO Red. Exterior trim consists of Chrome bumpers and grille surround along with decals/badges, black coachline and 'Red Hot' logos. Interior features black velour trims. Standard equipment are full width wheel trims, opening side windows, tinted glass, push button radio. Total production is 3,000 units with 1,000 allocated for UK market.

1988 Mini Jet Black

1988 Mini Jet Black

1988 Mini Jet Black

Mini Jet Black was unveiled in 1988, based on Mini City and is equipped with a 998cc engine. Exterior colour is black. Exterior trim consists of chrome bumpers and grille surround along with a red coachline and 'Jet Black' logos. Interior features black velour trimming. Standard equipment are full width wheel trims, opening side windows, tinted glass, and a push button radio.

Total production is 3,000 (1,000 for UK)

1989 Mini Rose

1989 Mini Rose

1989 Mini Rose

Based on Mini City and is equipped with a 998 cc engine. Exterior colour is white with pastel pink roof. Exterior trim consists of grey bumpers, wheel arches and grille centre, coachlines with 'Rose' logo. Interior featured pink and blue 'Crayons' fabric. Standard equipment were a full-width white wheel trims, radio cassette. Production was just 500 units. This 1960s theme was introduced in preparation for the Mini's 30th birthday.

1989 Mini Sky

1989 Mini Sky

1989 Mini Sky

This 1960s theme was introduced in preparation to commemorate the Mini's 30th birthday. Based on Mini City. The engine is the 998 cc unit. Exterior featured white paint with "Pastel Blue" roof. Exterior trim consisted of Grey bumpers, wheel arches, grille centre, and coachlines with "Sky" logo. Interior featured Pink and Blue Crayons fabric. Standard equipment were full-width white wheel trims, radio cassette. Production was limited to just 500 units.

1988 Mini Racing

1988 Mini Racing

1988 Mini Racing

Mini Racing is based on Mini City and comes equipped with a 998cc engine. Several Mini Racing cars were converted with John Cooper Works tuned 998cc engines.

Exterior is finished in British Racing Green Metallic with white roof. Exterior trim consists of Chrome bumpers, black grille centre, and coachlines with "Racing" logo. Interior features black crayons fabric. Standard equipment are full-width white wheel trims, radio cassette. Production is limited to just 1,000 units.

1989 Mini Flame

1989 Mini Flame

1989 Mini Flame

Mini Flame is identical to the Mini Racing, except for the exterior colour and decals. Based on Mini City with a 998 cc engine. Exterior colours are flame Red with a white roof. Exterior trim features chrome bumpers, black grille centre, and coachlines with "Flame" logo. Interior is finished in black crayons fabric. Standard equipment are a full-width white wheel trims, and a radio cassette. Production is limited to just 1,000 units.

1989 - 1990 Mini Racing Green

1989 - 1990 Mini Racing Green

1989 - 1990 Mini Racing Green

Mini Racing Green is also based on Mini City and comes equipped with a 998 cc engine. Exterior colour is British Racing Green Metallic with white roof. Exterior trim consists of chrome bumpers and grille along with decals coachlines with "Racing" logo. Interior features black crayons fabric. Standard equipment are a three-instrument binnacle, R361 Radio Cassette, with an optional automatic gearbox. It was also fitted with a 3.44 final drive, a reference to the 1961 Mini Cooper. This car could be ordered from a Rover dealership with the John Cooper conversion along with a John Cooper Works certificate.

1990 Mini Flame Red

1990 Mini Flame Red

1990 Mini Flame Red

Mini Flame Red is based on Mini City and comes equipped with a 998 cc engine. Exterior is finished in "Flame Red". Exterior trim consists of chrome bumpers, black grille with chrome surrounds, coachlines with "Racing" logo. Interior features black crayons fabric. Standard equipment are a three-gauge binnacle, R361 Radio Cassette, optional automatic gearbox. It was also fitted with a 3.44 final drive and could be bought with the Rover-approved John Cooper performance kit.

1990 Mini Check Mate

1990 Mini Check Mate

1990 Mini Check Mate

Mini Check Mate is also based on Mini City and comes equipped with a 998 cc engine. Exterior is finished in black. Exterior trim consists of chrome bumpers, black grille, Minilite alloy wheels, and coachlines with "Checkers" logo. Interior features black crayons fabric. Standard equipment are a three-gauge binnacle, R361 Radio Cassette, and an optional automatic gearbox. It was fitted with a 3.44 final drive as standard and could be bought with the Rover-approved John Cooper performance kit.

Mini Racing Green, Mini Flame Red, and Mini Checkers were identical to each other in terms of mechanical configurations and trim, with the only difference being the colour. Production of all three variants were limited to just 2500 units.

Mini Designer Series

1988 Mini Designer

1988 Mini Designer and Mary Quant

1988 Mini Designer and Mary Quant

1988 Mini Designer and Mary Quant interior

1988 Mini Designer and Mary Quant interior

Mini Designer variant featured a fashion and pop culture themed interior designed by Mary Quant, the designer of the Mini skirt. The interior was finished in black and white stripped fabric and featured "Quant Daisy" motifs on the steering wheel and hood badge. Mini Designer was sometimes simply called "Quant".

1988 Mini Designer is based on the Mini City and comes equipped with a 998 cc engine. Exterior colours available are either white or black. Exterior trim is Nimbus grey along with twin coachlines and "Designer" logos on the rear side panels and boot lid. Interior is finished in black and white striped fabric with "Mary Quant" signatures embossed. Standard equipment are Tinted glass, opening rear side windows, leather-rim steering wheel and two vanity mirrors in the sun visors. Production was limited to just 2,000 units.

1998 Mini Paul Smith

1998 Mini Paul Smith

1998 Mini Paul Smith

Sir Paul Smith, a British fashion designer, designed the interior and exterior looks of the car.

Mini Paul Smith is based on the Mini Cooper and is equipped with the 1,275 cc engine. Exterior was finished in "Paul Smith Blue". It was also available in Black and White, Japanese market only. Exterior trim consisted of chrome grille, handles, bumpers, and green Great Britain isle badge on the grille along with 24ct gold enamelled "Paul Smith" badge on the hood, Paul Smith rear window sticker.

Interior was finished in black leather trim, "Paul Smith" engraved instrument graphics, Citrus Green glovebox interior, fuel cap, and solid boot liner. Standard equipment were "Charcoal grey" Minilite alloy wheels, two spotlamps, Special "Paul Smith" denim jack and a tool bag. Production was limited to just 300 units for the UK market, and 1,500 for export markets.

Paul Smith also designed a one-off Mini featuring eighty six unique coloured stripes.

1998 Mini Paul Smith one off

1998 Mini Paul Smith one off

Special Variants by third parties

1963 - 1965 Radford Mini de Ville

1963 - 1965 Radford Mini de Ville

1963 - 1965 Radford Mini de Ville

Radford Coachbuilders founded in 1948, a renowned coachwork for luxury British marques such as Bentley and Rolls Royce, later developed a prototype variant of the Ford GT40.

In 1963, understanding the demand for Mini in the higher social orders, Radford began to offer an up-class Austin Mini. It was called Radford Mini de Ville. Radford Mini de Ville is exclusively based on the Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S.

The most expensive Grand Luxe variant had a completely reworked interior including a walnut dashboard, Connolly leather upholstery, improved sound deadening, Smiths gauges, electric windows, new door handles, and wooden interior and exterior trimming. AN optional Webasto sun roof was also available.

Radford Mini de Ville interior

Radford Mini de Ville interior

The bodywork featured minor changes such as new door panels to accomodate electric window system, Riley headlight rims and chrome strips. The Benelite front grille featured built in Lucas 567 fog lights. The taillights were sometimes replaced with Volkswagen Beetle or Aston Martin derived units. Front hood and rear trunk featured automatic lights.

Speedwell worked on the stock engines to deliver more power upon request, but was mostly left in the original condition.

In 1965, Radford offered the de Luxe GT variant, featuring a reworked rear hatchback

1965 - 1996 2005 - present Mini Marcos

Mini Marcos

Mini Marcos

Mini Marcos was sold as a kit car. The fiberglass bodywork, the monocoque, Mini drivetrain, and Mini derived subframes were provided upon ordering. Five variants came to life during the production run.

A Mini Marcos finished 15th in the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans in the hands of Jean-Louis Marnat and Claude Ballot. Marcos entered their factory team car to compete in 1967 event, but the car retired due to mechanical failures after just 13 laps.

Mini Marcos set four different British land speed records; flying mile, half mile, half kilometre, and kilometre for cars up to 1600cc.

1978 onwards Midas

Midas is British kit car manufacturer, specialized in making kit cars using Mini chassis and running gear. Designed by Richard Oakes and improved by Gordon Murray. From 1978 onwards, several variants were manufactured and sold by four different companies. Midas Bronze coupe, Midas Gold, Midas Cortez, and Midas Excelsior featured fibreglass bodies.

End of Production

1964 Morris Mini Cooper

1964 Morris Mini Cooper

Throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, the Mini was offered as special edition or limited-edition product. This was done so to make it more of a fashion or performance icon rather than being just a mass-market model.

In 1994, Bernd Pischetsrieder became the head of the Rover when BMW took over the Rover Group and its operations including the Mini. This is the first year for a Mini to be equipped with a front air-bag to comply with European highway and safety regulations.

By the early 2000, it was evidant that Rover Group was still causing massive losses to the BMW, and this convinced BMW higherups to get rid of its operations. MG and Rover were sold to a new British consortium called the Phoenix. Land Rover was sold to the Ford Motor Company.

BMW decided to retain the Mini and decided to end the production of the original Mini and granted temporary rights to the brand so the Rover company can manufacture and sell the classic Mini until the production end.

After continues production of 41 years, Mini and the 1275cc engine powering it were discontinued.

1965 BMC Morris

1965 BMC Morris

On 4 October, 2020, the last Mini, a red colour Cooper Sport was built and was presented to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust. It was driven out by Singer Lulu to the theme of the Italian Job.

With 5.39 million cars had been sold including 1.6 million in the UK, it was the most popular British car ever made. However, most of the cars were sold from 1960 to the end of 1970, and there's a visible decline of sales in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Mini name passed to BMW ownership as per the agreement. The Mini name was then bestowed upon the Mini Hatch, an all-new model produced by BMW.

The new BMW Mini is mechanically unrelated to the classic Mini and doesn't share anything other than the transverse inline-four engine and front-wheel-drive layout and many of the classic design elements.

However, the last Mini to leave the Longbridge plant was a 1970s Mini 1275GT which was used by the staff to travel around the factory. It was recovered from the abondoned tunnels under the plant with visible damages caused to it by a storage container unit falling on top of it. It was left without an engine or a transmission unit for over 30 years until it was rediscovered in 2012 during work to infill the tunnels. It was sold at an auction in July 2013 for £1400, making it the last Mini to be sold.

Royal Family and Mini

It is said that Lord Snowdon, a renowned photographer, designer, husband of Princess Margaret, and personal friend of Alec Issigonis, was among the first to purchase the classic Mini. The car was in their possession for a long time.

Soon, His sister-in-law Queen Elizabeth took an interest in the funny little car, and was chauffeured by Alec Issigonis through the Windsor Castle's park in a Mini. Alec Issigonis was bestowed the Knighthood nine years later.

Celebrity Magnet

last mini to leave longbridge

last mini to leave longbridge

The charming good looks, affordable price tag, driving position, sporty handling, compact size, and practicality made the car a hit among the fashion designers, musicians, and artists. Among these were big names who further established an international fame for it.

John Lennon ordered a Mini in 1964, even though he didn't even have a driving license at the time. Paul McCartney purchased a one in 1967. George Harrison had a up-class Mini de Ville, improved by Radford.

David Bowie owned several Mini cars as he found them practical in the busy streets of London. In 1999, he designed a mirror-plated Mini to compete in a celebrity design contest held by London's Design Museum to mark the 40th anniversary of the car. Kate Moss also participated. Madonna also got a one, which she prefers to drive around in London.

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Comments (2)

  • The 1966 Montcarlo rally "L'affaire" debacle gets even better when you discover the 5th place Citroën that was promoted to winner used single-filament quartz iodine headlights. French event, French motorsport authorities, French winner...

      6 months ago
  • I say it’s one of the best looking cars to

      6 months ago
2