Mini U.K.: Mini, styled as MINI, is an English automotive marque specialised in small cars. The company was founded in the in 1969, it is subsidiary of the BMW since 1994. The Mini was originally a product of the British Motor Holdings. British Motor Holdings merged with Leyland Motors in 1968 to form British Leyland. In 1969, Mini became a marque in its own right. In the 1980s, British Leyland was broken-up with the Mini and then Mini was acquired by British Aerospace. Also, in 1994, Rover Group was acquired by BMW. In 2000, Rover Group was broken up by BMW, with BMW retaining the Mini brand. The Mini Hatch/Hardtop, Clubman, Convertible, Coupe and Roadster are assembled at BMW’s Plant Oxford in Cowley, England, and the Countryman and Paceman are assembled by Magna Steyr in Austria.
Established
1969 (used since 1959 in model names)
Headquarters
Cowley, England, United Kingdom
Before BMW’s ownership, the traditional Mini had been made at both Cowley, Oxfordshire and Longbridge, Birmingham. However, as a result of the change of ownership, BMW redeveloped the entire Cowley plant, demolishing much of the factory, to create a new factory and renamed this “Plant Oxford”, on the site of what was historically the Pressed Steel Company’s Cowley Body Plant and next door to what was historically the Morris factory. Mini sub-assemblies and pressings such as doors are supplied by the plant at Swindon. Minis are primarily developed in the United Kingdom by BMW’s Development Division.
History
1959 – 1990 :
The original Mini was a two-door small car produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) from the 1959 until 2000. The vehicle is in some ways considered the British equivalent to its German contemporary, the Volkswagen Beetle, which enjoyed similar popularity in North America. In 1999, the Mini was voted as the second most influential car of the 20th Century, behind the Ford Model T. This distinctive two-door car was designed for BMC by Sir Alec Issigonis. The Mini Mark I had three major UK updates: the Mark II, the Clubman and the Mark III.
These was a series of variations including a wagon, a pickup truck, a van and the Mini Moke—a jeep-like buggy. The Mini Cooper and Cooper “S” were sportier versions that were successful as rally cars, winning the Monte Carlo Rally four times from 1964 to 1967. In 1969, Minis were marketed under the Austin and Morris names, as the Austin Seven and Morris Mini-Minor, until Mini became a marque in its own right. In 1980a, Mini was again marketed under the Austin name.
1990 – 2000 :
In the 1990s, BMW was looking to broaden its model range through the addition of compact cars and SUVs. The first were the E1 and Z13, powered by an electric motor and a rear-mounted 1100 cc BMW motorcycle engine, respectively. In 1994, BMW acquired the Rover Group from British Aerospace, which owned Mini, among other brands. BMW insisted that even a compact model must feature iconic BMW characteristics, however “MINI” do not shares these standards and BMW saw this as an opportunity to create a competitively priced, yet premium, compact car.
So, BMW’s plan to launch the premium BMW 1 Series and the mid-range Mini. In 1998, BMW set out on creating the production Mini. Stephenson penned the new Mini One R50 and Mini Cooper leading the team which developed the E50 car in Munich. his design, being a city car, also fitted into BMW’s plan of two compact cars, leaving the supermini class for the BMW 1 Series.
2000 – Present :
The last Mark VII Mini and the original two-door Mini to be produced, a red Cooper Sportas built at the Longbridge plant in October 2000. In January 2011 at the North American International Auto Show, BMW announced that it would be extending the Mini range with the launch of two new two-door sports crossover vehicles based on the Mini Paceman concept car, with a coupe version planned to enter production in 2011 and a roadster to follow in 2012.
Models Produced By Mini
Mini Mark I (1959 to 1967) :
Mini Mark I (1959 to 1967)Mark I Minis can be identified by exterior door hinges, sliding door glass, tail lights smaller than later cars and a “mustache” grille. The A-series engine came in a wide range of capacities, initially as an 848 cc, but later the 997, 998, 1071 and 1275 cc engines were added.
Mini Mark II (1967 to 1970) :
The Mini Mark I received some minor modifications in 1967. Also sold as the Austin or Morris Mini in most markets.
Mini Mark III – Mark VII (1969 to 2000) :
The Mark III Mini was an updated version of Mark II with a modified bodyshell. The most visible changes were larger doors with concealed hinges. Production at the Cowley plant was ended, and the simple name “Mini” completely replaced the separate Austin and Morris brands.
Mini Hatch/Hardtop (2001 to 2006) :
The hatchback/hardtop Mini was the first model of the new generation Mini which was introduced in the 2001. It was available in Cooper, Cooper S and One variations at launch. In the European markets, the Mini One was powered by a 1.4 litre I4 version of the Tritec engine but all other petrol powered Minis used the 1.6 litre I4 version.
Mini Convertible/Cabrio (2005 to 2008) :
The convertible roof is fully automatic and also can be opened partially to act as a sunroof whilst the car is driving at speed. The convertible model forsakes the rear hatchback of the Hardtop Mini, replacing it with a drop down ‘tailgate’.
Mini Clubman (2008 to 2014) :
Mini Clubman is a wagon Mini, introduced in 2008 and available in One, Cooper, Cooper S, and Cooper D variations. The use of the name “Clubman” for the Mini wagon van was a break with classic Mini tradition. “Clubman” was originally the name given to the 1970s face-lift of the classic Mini. However, BMW did not initially purchase the rights to use those names.
Mini Countryman (2011 to 2016) :
In January 2010, Mini Countryman was launched at the Geneva Motor Show. It is the first Mini crossover SUV, and the first five-door model to be launched in the BMW-era. The Countryman has a longer wheelbase, more interior room, and higher ground clearance than the Clubman.
Mini Coupé (2012 to 2015) :
In June 2011, Mini introduced the Coupé. It is the first two-seat Mini and the first to have a three-box design. It will also be the fastest production Mini ever – in John Cooper Works trim it does 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in 6.4 seconds and it’s top speed is 149 mph (240 km/h).
Mini Roadster (2012 to 2015) :
In september 2009, Mini Roadster was first shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It is the convertible version of the Mini Coupe. The Roadster is available in three trim levels: Cooper, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works.
Mini Paceman (2013 to 2016) :
The Mini Paceman is a three-door crossover version of the Countryman and was debuted as a concept car at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show. On 5 July 2012, senior vice president of Mini brand management, Dr. Kay Segler, announced that, “the Mini Paceman is the official name of the brand’s seventh model, which will be launched next year (2013) in the U.S.”. The production version was launched at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, with sales starting in most international markets by the second quarter of 2013.
