Posted by MINI Cooper Cars Blog on 5:10 PM
Classic Mini Cars - Mark I Mini (1959–1967) Part 2Picture Of Classic Mini CarsUntil 1962, the cars appeared as the Austin 850 and Morris 850 in North America and France, and in Denmark as the Austin Partner (until 1964) and Morris Mascot (until 1981). The name Mini was first used domestically by BMC for Austin's version in 1961, when the Austin Seven was rebranded as the Austin Mini, somewhat to the surprise of the Sharps Commercials car company (later known as Bond Cars Ltd) who had been using the name Minicar for their three-wheeled vehicles since 1949. However, legal action was somehow averted, and BMC used the name Mini thereafter.Picture...
Posted by MINI Cooper Cars Blog on 4:40 PM
Classic Mini Cars - Mark I Mini (1959–1967) Part 1Picture Of Classic Mini CarsThe production version of the Mini was demonstrated to the press in April 1959, and by August several thousand cars had been produced ready for the first sales.Picture Of Classic Mini CarsThe name Mini did not appear by itself immediately—the first models being marketed under two of BMC's brand names, Austin and Morris. The name Austin Seven (sometimes written as SE7EN in early publicity material) recalled the popular small Austin 7 of the 1920s and 1930s. The other name used until 1967 in the United Kingdom (and in Commonwealth countries such as Australia), Morris...
Posted by MINI Cooper Cars Blog on 12:21 AM
Design and development Part 3Picture of Classic Mini Cars 1Sliding windows allowed storage pockets in the hollow doors; reportedly Issigonis sized them to fit a bottle of Gordon's Gin. The boot lid was hinged at the bottom so that the car could be driven with it open to increase luggage space. On early cars the number plate was hinged at the top so that it could swing down to remain visible when the boot lid was open. This feature was later discontinued after it was discovered that exhaust gases could leak into the cockpit when the boot was open.Picture of Classic Mini Cars 2The Mini was designed as a monocoque shell with welded seams visible...
Posted by MINI Cooper Cars Blog on 12:09 AM
Design And developmentPicture of Classic Mini Cars 1The suspension system, designed by Issigonis's friend Dr. Alex Moulton at Moulton Developments Limited, used compact rubber cones instead of conventional springs. This ingenious space-saving design also featured rising progressive-rate springing of the cones, and provided some natural damping. Built into the subframes, the rubber cone system gave a raw and bumpy ride which was accentuated by the woven-webbing seats, but the rigidity of the rubber cones, together with the wheels being pushed out to the corners of the car, gave the Mini go kart-like handling that would become famous.Picture of...
Posted by MINI Cooper Cars Blog on 2:10 AM
Design And developmentPicture of Classic Mini Cars 1Designed as project ADO15 (Austin Drawing Office project number 15), the Mini came about because of a fuel shortage caused by the 1956 Suez Crisis. Petrol was once again rationed in the UK, sales of large cars slumped, the market for German Bubble cars boomed. Leonard Lord, the somewhat autocratic head of BMC, reportedly decreed: 'God damn these bloody awful Bubble Cars. We must drive them off the road by designing a proper miniature car'. He laid down some basic design requirements: the car should be contained within a box that measured 10 × 4 × 4 ft (3 × 1.2 × 1.2 m); and the passenger accommodation...
Posted by MINI Cooper Cars Blog on 11:23 PM
A Brief Overview Of The History Of A Classic Mini CarsPicture of Classic Mini Cars 1The Mini is a small car that was made by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered an icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout (that allowed 80% of the area of the car's floorpan to be used for passengers and luggage) influenced a generation of car-makers.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 the second most influential car...
Posted by MINI Cooper Cars Blog on 12:19 AM
The History Of The Classic Mini CarsPicture of Classic Mini Cars 1By the millennium, Rover had encountered financial problems and the Mini line was completely taken over by BMW, with Rover's other Marques, MG and Land Rover being sold to Pheonix and Ford respectively. The Mini Cooper continued to be produced by Rover on a temporary basis until the last ever Mini Cooper was produced on October 4 2000 - a red Cooper Sport - which was presented to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust.Picture of Classic Mini Cars 2The Mini Cooper was no longer. The Mini Cooper is dead, long live the MINI Cooper. Of course BMW had plans to revamp the Mini, now...
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