MINI MARVELLOUS
The Mini was so successful that we’ve split its story into two halves. This issue we will focus on the cars produced in the UK.
On 26th August 1959, the British Motor Corporation unveiled their ADO15 project as the Morris Mini Minor and the Austin Seven. Aside from the grilles and names the two were identical, but the separate badging satisfied BMC’s dealer network. There were even different paint finishes – Farina Grey, Speedwell Blue or Tartan Red for the Austin and Old English White, Clipper Blue or Cherry Red for the Morris. The De Luxe cost £537 with a heater and windscreen washers as standard, while the basic model was £40 less.
At a time when the average male manual worker earned £13 per week, buying the reassuringly conventional Ford Popular 100E seemed a wiser investment than an FWD car with a transverse engine. As Gillian Bardsley wrote in her book Mini: ‘It was a bold move on the part of BMC to link advanced engineering with mass market sales.’ But Autocar reckoned it was an outstanding car, while the sliding windows were ‘ample enough for hand signals.’ In conjunction with the Danish Lard Council, the Daily Mirror offered a Mini as a competition prize – ‘Ideal for shopping and taking the children to school.’
BMC expanded the range in 1960 with the van, which Commercial Motor thought was an obvious choice for urban work, adding that its performance and surprisingly roomy driving position also fitted it for more sustained operation. It cost £360. By the autumn, the Mini was available as the Countryman (Austin) or Traveller (Morris) estate forms for £623. An ability to accommodate 35cu. ft. of luggage was a significant sales advantage, while the timber framing gave them middle- class appeal, even if Alec Issigonis disdained such frivolity. Queen magazine described the Mini estates as perfect for fashionable ‘just marrieds.’
1961 proved a year of significant developments, commencing with the pick-up. In September, BMC introduced the Super, and The Salesman’s Data Book highlighted the brightwork, carpeted boot floor, ‘new-type’ ashtrays, and a roof-mounted courtesy lamp instead of the illuminated rear companion boxes of the De Luxe. It was also the first Mini with a combined ignition-starter and an oval instrument panel with water temperature and oil pressure gauges.
The 20th September marked the debut of the Austin Seven and the Morris Mini Coopers, which BMC initially marketed as a sports car version of the Super. The Corporation
had loaned a new Mini to John Cooper of the Cooper Car Company Ltd two years previously. The resulting high-performance prototype impressed George Harriman, BMC’s Managing Director, and he agreed to build 1000 cars for homologation purposes, with Cooper receiving a £2 royalty per unit. Keen motorists noted the race-tuned 997cc 55bhp engine with twin SU carburettors, close-ratio gearbox and front disc brakes. The Motor described the Cooper as a ‘ Wolf Cub in Sheep’s Clothing’ and concluded: ‘This is the fastest production saloon car of its size ever to figure in our series of Road Test reports.’
The Wolseley Hornet and Riley Elf debuted on 12th October 1961 as upmarket Minis for the retired head teacher market. Dick Burzi devised the styling, and the Wolseley cost £672 1s 5d. The Riley was £693 18s 11d due to its full-width facia with twin glove boxes. BMC suggested the nation’s husbands purchase a ‘superb little Hornet for your wife,’ but L.J.K. Setright ranted about ‘those small-minded snobs who found the idea of a Mini intriguing but the name of Austin or Morris offensive.’
By January 1962, BMC sold all the Austin models as Minis, and sales passed the 500,000 mark in that year. In October, the Super De Luxe replaced the De Luxe and the Super, and Peter Sellers commissioned £2600 worth of work from Hooper on his Morris Cooper. His ambition was ‘the ultimate town car,’ and the actor’s ‘Hooper Cooper’ anticipated future Radford and Wood & Pickett conversions. For the East Cheam market, there was now a cheaper timber-free Countryman or Traveller, but potential owners had to balance any saving in £sd with a loss of social prestige.
On 2nd April 1963, BMC launched the Cooper S. Downton Engineering and Morris Engines developed the 1071cc power plant and at £695 7s 1d the S was £126 more expensive than the standard Cooper. However, it came with a Hydrovac brake booster, and Autocar found the Cooper S ‘a practical, safe, stimulating and extremely quick little car.’ The top speed was 91mph with 0- 60 in 13.5 seconds.
BMC initially expected Cooper S sales to be limited to competition drivers, but received so many orders, especially from overseas, that they decided to put it into volume production. For the more sedate motorist, the Elf/Hornet Mk2 had a 998cc engine. Motor Sport found the Riley ‘a useful business executive’s town- car and an appropriate present for debutantes, daughters, wives and mistresses.’ By 1963 the van was becoming associated with RAC and Automobile Association patrols, the latter preferring Austin to Morris.
1964 began with Paddy Hopkirk and Henry Liddon winning the Monte Carlo Rally in the 1071S. All three even guest-starred on Sunday Night at the London Palladium, and Issigonis reflected: ‘It never occurred to me that this thing would turn out to be such a fantastic rally car.’ The Cooper gained a 998cc engine, with the construction
of the 970S homologation special beginning in June. 1071S production ended two months later, succeeded by the 1275S. Autocar thought it was ‘one of the quickest ways of getting from A to B in safety’ for a mere £755 15s 5d. By late 1964 the Mini saloons had Hydrolastic suspension, although the Countryman/ Traveller, van and pick-up retained the earlier rubber cone set-up. The other new model in 1964 was the Moke, which will feature in our next Marques and Models.
1965 began with Timo Mäkinen and Paul Easter achieving a second Cooper S victory at the Monte Carlo Rally and concluded with sales passing one million. 970S production ended that year, while the standard Minis became available with optional four-speed AP automatic transmission. The Mäkinen/ Easter Cooper S unofficially won the Monte Carlo Rally the following year too, but after 18 hours of scrutiny, the authorities disqualified them for a lighting infringement they were aware of two and a half days earlier. The publicity for BMC was immense, with a BBC report referring to a ‘scandal.’
Later in 1966, Heinz commissioned Crayford Engineering to build 57 Wolseley Convertibles as prizes for their Greatest Glow on Earth soup competition. For the Margot Leadbetterstyle customer, the Elf/ Hornet Mk3 gained reclining front
seats, fresh air vents and a Cooper-style remote control gear change. There were also winding windows, a first for a British Mini. In January 1967, Rauno Aaltonen and Henry Liddon achieved the final Cooper S Monte Carlo victory, causing a certain degree of smugness in Cowley and Longbridge. That October, BMC facelifted the entire range as the Mk2, immediately recognisable via their larger grille and tail lights. There was also the option of a 998cc engine with ‘a lot more punch under the bonnet,’ while the Morris lost its Minor suffix.
The Mk2 Mini gained an all-synchromesh gearbox in 1968, but the major news for that year was the BMC/ Leyland merger to form the British Leyland Motor Corporation on 17th January. Issigonis was knighted in 1969, when Mini sales reached the two million mark. Donald Stokes, BLMC’s managing director, proclaimed he saw ’no reason why the Mini, albeit in other forms, should not continue for another 10 years,’ not least because he had cancelled its 9X intended heir! In October, British Leyland erroneously proclaimed of the new Mk3: ‘For the first time a Mini has wind up windows.’ They also dispensed with Hydrolastic suspension on the 850 and 1000, Car arguing it was ‘never suited to the characteristics of the Mini.’ Nor was there separate Austin and Morris badging, as Mini was now a brand in its own right. The Clubman, with a long nose devised by Roy Haynes, replaced the Elf and the Hornet, with the specification including instruments in front of the driver, a carpeted floor and fresh air vents, all for £720 6s 11d. One advantage of the Clubman to Leyland’s management was lower production costs than the Riley and Wolseley.
To further refine the line-up, the Mk3 Mini estate was only available in Clubman guise. When Motor tested the saloon, they headlined their report: ‘At last – a comfortable Mini,’ but somewhat ominously noted: ‘Regular readers will probably have noted our recent waning enthusiasm for Mini motoring.’ The other news for 1969 was the demise of the Cooper and the new £834 1275 GT with power from a single carburettor version of the 1.3-litre A-series engine. Motor Sport subsequently derided it as ‘a totally emasculated Cooper S,’ but Autocar praised its ‘cheeky but business-like appearance.’ The Cooper S remained available in Mk3 form, although production did not commence until March of 1970, a dispute between John Cooper and Leyland is believed to be the reason and production ceased in June 1971 after just 1572 units. Stokes later said: ‘We lost about £20 per Mini. Then people wonder why I scrapped the Cooper. We were giving more money to Mr Cooper than we were making in profit.’ In that year, the Clubman and 1275 GT also dispensed with Hydrolastic suspension.
In 1972 the demise of the Morris Minor van led to the Post Office using the Mini en masse, and sales passed the three million mark. In 1973 the 850 cost £692.35, and Autocar thought: ‘Family man, district nurse or impecunious would-be racer – all fall victim to its charms.’ By 1974 the 1275 GT gained 12in wheels, with Dunlop Denovo tyres as an optional extra, and in 1975 the Clubman came with a 1098cc engine when ordered in manual gearbox form. However, there was a sense that British Leyland neglected the development of the Mini. Motor Sport thought of the 850 ‘the foreign imitators of Issigonis’ principles have reaped greater rewards’ and described the 1275 GT’s price of £1635 as
‘laughable.’ Car was more blunt, referring to the 1000 as ‘an embarrassment.’
Yet sales reached the four million mark in 1976. January of that year saw the 1000 LE with reclining front seats, twin door mirrors, striped cloth upholstery, fresh air vents and a Brooklands Green or white paint finish. The 850 and 1000 became the Mk4 with a rubber-mounted subframe in May, and the Clubman estate had decals instead of the earlier Formica ‘wood’ trim.
In 1979 BL celebrated the Mini’s 20th anniversary with a new special version. ‘You take the Daimler dear, I’ll drive the Mini’ may have been an appalling slogan even in 1979, but the 1100 Special had the 1098cc engine, your choice of Silver Grey or Rose Metallic paintwork, a vinyl roof, alloy wheels, extra instruments, tinted glass and cut-pile carpeting, all for £3300.
The arrival of the Mini Metro in October 1980 resulted in the end of the 1275 GT and the Clubman saloons. Of the remaining Minis, the 1-litre City replaced the entry-level 850, and the HL became the most expensive 1-litre model. The Clubman estate was now known as the 1000 HL until its demise in 1982. The HLE succeeded the HL saloon in April that year, and City became the City E. A higher compression engine powered both, and in September 1982 the Mayfair took the place of the short-lived HLE.
1983 saw the demise of the van and the pick-up and the launch of the limited edition Sprite. In 1984 BL introduced the Mini 25, a Mayfair with Silver Leaf metallic paint, tinted glass, a radio- cassette player and ultra-1980s red seat belts for £3865. It anticipated the Mk4 of October, which came with 12in wheels and front disc brakes. In 1985 the City E finally dispensed with the central speedometer, and when Motor tested it for their 7th September edition, the price was £3387.95. The report found: ‘It remains the definitive small car’ even if the City E had ‘the liveliest ride this side of a horse and cart.’ Another 1985 new model appealed to the would-be Yuppie. For £3799, they could order the Ritz in Silver Leaf, the first of the London Collection special editions. The following Mini in this theme was the Chelsea of February 1985, with Osprey Marle upholstery and Targa Red paintwork. The Piccadilly, in Cashmere Gold Metallic, followed in May 1986.
By the end of 1986, the Mini finally gained servo-assisted brakes, but the year’s main news was the government selling British Leyland to British Aerospace, to become The Rover Group. January 1987 saw the arrival of the Park Lane, the last of the London versions, boasting a ‘distinctive black exterior with graphics.’ As with the Ritz, Chelsea and Piccadilly, it was City-based, for Rover was moving the Mini’s image away from low-budget family transport. BL had sold them with an Austin badge for the past few years, but 1987 saw that marque’s demise. The MD Graham Day believed: ‘Young people do not want to drive an Austin.’ In 1988, a new City replaced the City E with standard front head restraints and rear seat belts.
In June of 1989, the Mayfairbased Mini 30 had black or Pearlescent Cherry Red paintwork, Minilite wheels and part-leather seating for £5599. Each owner also received a leather-bound copy of Rob Goldings’ Mini 30 book. The range received a Mk5 facelift in 1990, and 10th July saw the premiere of the limitededition Cooper RSP engineered by Rover Special Products. Power was from the 1275cc A+ engine, the top speed
was 89mph, and the cost was £6995. Mr Setright wrote in Car: ‘Always enjoyable is the driving of something so elemental as to reveal the driver’s shortcomings as well as its own.’ Craig Cheetham notes on www.aronline.
that ‘its popularity was sufficient for Rover to commission a standard Cooper almost immediately.’ Sales began in September, the production versions lacking the sunroof and hide trim.
A Cooper S followed in 1991, and well-heeled buyers could order a Mini Cabriolet for £12,250 on 12th June. Rover commissioned the German coachbuilder Lamm Autohaus to build 75 dropheads sold via only 12 dealerships. The Cabriolet was available in any colour that was Cherry Red. Later that year, the modified Cooper 1.3i and Cooper Si had singlepoint fuel injection and are retrospectively known as the Mk6. The sixth-generation standard Minis debuted in May 1992, with the City replaced by the 1.3-litre Mini Sprite, ending production of the 998cc unit. For the more affluent driver, the £7195 special edition British Open Classic, based on the Mayfair, sported an electrically operated fabric sunroof. In August 1994, the Sprite and Mayfair engines gained single-point fuel injection. The year’s almost inevitable limited edition Mini was the Sprite-derived 35 with an eye-catching blue and pink Jamboree fabric upholstery.
1994 was the year that BMW acquired the Rover Group, and 1996 saw the last significant facelift of the Mini with the Mk7. The Cabriolet was no more, and the 1.3i succeeded the Sprite and the Mayfair. The latest model had multi-point fuel injection to comply with EEC regulations. At the same time, Rover introduced a more opulent Cooper 1.3i, with a Sports Pack option for the keen driver. The Cooper 35 featured two spot lamps and two fog lamps to appeal to motorists with Michael Caine aspirations. The end was clearly nigh in 1999 when Rover unveiled the Mini 40 with walnut veneer and leather trim, and in April 2000 the company announced the final ADO15 line-up. The looks of the Seven harked back to the early 1000 Mk3, and it was available in Old English White, Solar Red or Black. The Cooper Sport augmented the Cooper, and Rover intended the Knightsbridge for European markets. The final 500 cars were Cooper Sport 500 – a Cooper Sport with a dashboard plaque and a branded bag containing a T-shirt, a perfume atomiser and even a pocket knife. In October 2000, Lulu and the Longbridge manager Geoff Powell drove a red Cooper Sport off the production line, the last of 5,387,862 Minis.
In many respects, the Mini represents the best and worst of the BMC/ British Leyland saga. It was made by a concern that at times seemed more dedicated to corporate infighting than product development, while the quality control was often lamentable. But the ADO15 redefined the nature of a small car around the globe. Look at any modern lightweight hatchback if you wish to see the Mini’s abiding legacy today.
Next issue we will look at the various Minis produced around the world.