Mini

Morris Mini-Minor
Manufacturer	Britain British Motor Corporation (1959–1968) British Leyland (1968–1986) Rover Group (1986–2000) International Innocenti Authi
Production	1959–2000 Cowley, Oxford (1959-1968) Longbridge, Birmingham (1959-2000)
Class	City car
Body style	2-door saloon
Layout	FF layout
Engine	A-series, 850–1275 cc I4
Transmission	4-speed manual 4-speed automatic 5-speed manual (optional extra on some later models)
Wheelbase	2.04 m (80.3 in) (saloon) 2.14 m (84.3 in) (estate and commercials)
Length	3.05 m (120.1 in) (saloon)[1] 3.40 m (133.9 in) (estate and commercials) 3.30 m (129.9 in) (Wolseley Hornet/Riley Elf)[2]
Width	1.40 m (55.1 in)
Height	1.35 m (53.1 in)
Kerb weight	617 to 686 kg (1,360 to 1,512 lb)
Designer	Sir Alec Issigonis

The Mini is a small economy car that was made by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered a British icon of the 1960s,^[3][4][5] and its space-saving front-wheel drive layout — allowing 80% of the area of the car's floorpan to be used for passengers and luggage — influenced a generation of car makers.^[6] 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 of the 20th century, behind the Ford Model T.^[7][8]

This distinctive two-door car was designed for BMC by Sir Alec Issigonis.^[9][10] It was manufactured at the Longbridge and Cowley plants in England, the Victoria Park / Zetland British Motor Corporation (Australia) factory in Sydney, Australia, and later also in Spain (Authi), Belgium, Chile, Italy (Innocenti), Malta, Portugal, South Africa, Uruguay, Venezuela and Yugoslavia. The Mini Mark I had three major UK updates — the Mark II, the Clubman and the Mark III. Within these was a series of variations, including an estate car, a pick-up 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 through to 1967, although in 1966 the Mini was disqualified after the finish, along with six other British entrants, which included the first four cars to finish, under a questionable ruling that the cars had used an illegal combination of headlamps and spotlights.^[11] Initially 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 1969.^[12][13] The Mini was again marketed under the Austin name in the 1980s.

Design and development[link]

1959 Morris Mini-Minor interior

Cross-section shows how Mini maximises passenger space

Designated by Leonard Lord as project ADO15 (Austin Drawing Office project number 15) but the product of the Morris design team, the Mini came about because of a fuel shortage caused by the 1956 Suez Crisis.^[14] Petrol was once again rationed in the UK, sales of large cars slumped, and the market for German bubble cars boomed. Lord, the somewhat autocratic head of BMC, reportedly detested these cars so much that he vowed to rid the streets of them and design a 'proper miniature car'.^[15] 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 should occupy 6 ft (1.8 m) of the 10 ft (3 m) length; and the engine, for reasons of cost, should be an existing unit. Issigonis, who had been working for Alvis, had been recruited back to BMC in 1955 and, with his skills in designing small cars, was a natural for the task. The team that designed the Mini was remarkably small: as well as Issigonis, there was Jack Daniels (who had worked with him on the Morris Minor), Chris Kingham (who had been with him at Alvis), two engineering students and four draughtsmen. Together, by October 1957, they had designed and built the original prototype, which was affectionately named "The Orange Box" because of its colour.^[3]

The ADO15 used a conventional BMC A-Series four-cylinder water-cooled engine,^[16] but departed from tradition by mounting it transversely, with the engine-oil-lubricated, four-speed transmission in the sump, and by employing front-wheel drive. Almost all small front-wheel-drive cars developed since have used a similar configuration, except with the transmission usually separately enclosed rather than using the engine oil. The radiator was mounted at the left side of the car so that the engine-mounted fan could be retained, but with reversed pitch so that it blew air into the natural low pressure area under the front wing. This location saved precious vehicle length, but had the disadvantage of feeding the radiator with air that had been heated by passing over the engine. It also exposed the entire ignition system to the direct ingress of rainwater through the grille.

The 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, in addition to the normal dampers. 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.

Initially an interconnected fluid system was planned—similar to the one that Alec Issigonis and Alex Moulton were working on in the mid-1950s at Alvis. They had assessed the mechanically interconnected Citroën 2CV suspension at that time (according to an interview by Moulton with Car Magazine in the late 1990s),^{[citation needed]} which inspired the design of the Hydrolastic suspension system for the Mini and Morris/Austin 1100, to try to keep the benefits of the 2CV system (ride comfort, body levelling, keeping the roadwheel under good control and the tyre in contact with the road), but with added roll stiffness that the 2CV was very much lacking. The short development time of the car meant this was not ready in time for the Mini's launch. The system intended for the Mini was further developed and the hydrolastic system was first used on the Morris 1100, launched in 1962; the Mini gained the system later in 1964. Ten-inch (254 mm) wheels were specified, so new tyres had to be developed, the initial contract going to Dunlop. Issigonis went to Dunlop stating that he wanted even smaller, 8 in (203 mm) wheels (even though he had already settled on ten-inch). An agreement was made on the ten-inch (254 mm) size, after Dunlop choked on the eight-inch (203 mm) proposition.

Sliding windows allowed storage pockets in the hollow doors; reportedly Issigonis sized them to fit a bottle of Gordon's Gin.^[9] 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.

The 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 between the body and the floor pan. Those that ran from the base of the A-pillar to the wheel well were described as 'everted' (lit., 'turned outward') to provide more room for the front seat occupants^{[citation needed]}. To further simplify construction, the hinges for the doors and boot lid were mounted externally.

Production models differed from the prototypes by the addition of front and rear subframes to the unibody to take the suspension loads, and by having the engine mounted the other way round, with the carburettor at the back rather than at the front. This layout required an extra gear between engine and transmission to reverse the direction of rotation at the input to the transmission. Having the carburettor behind the engine reduced carburettor icing, but the distributor was then exposed to water coming in through the grille. The engine size was reduced from 948 cc to 848 cc; this, in conjunction with a small increase in the car's width, cut the top speed from 90 mph (145 km/h) to a more reasonable (for the time) 72 mph (116 km/h).

Despite its utilitarian origins, the classic Mini shape had become so well known that by the 1990s, Rover Group—the heirs to BMC—were able to register its design as a trade mark in its own right.^[17]

Mark I Mini: 1959–1967[link]

The first Morris Mini-Minor sold in Texas being delivered to a family in Arlington, Texas, in 1959.

The 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.^[18] The Mini was officially announced to the public on 26 August 1959. Some 2,000 cars had already been sent abroad and would be displayed that day in nearly 100 countries.^[19]

The very first example, a Morris Mini-Minor with the registration 621 AOK, is on display at the Heritage Motor Centre in Warwickshire.^[20] Another early example from 1959 is now on display at the National Motor Museum in Hampshire.^[21]

The name Mini was not used alone—they were marketed under BMC's two main brand names, Austin and Morris until 1967. The Morris version was known to all as the Mini or Mini-Minor. The word minor is Latin for "lesser"; so an abbreviation of the Latin word for "least"—minimus—was used for the new even smaller car. One name proposed for the Austin version was Austin Newmarket. Austin dealers sold their almost identical car as an Austin Seven (sometimes written as SE7EN in early publicity material – the '7' the letter V rotated left so it approximated the number 7) which recalled the popular small Austin 7 of the 1920s and 1930s. Morris Mini-Minor, seems to have been a play on words. The Morris Minor was a larger, well known and successful car which continued in production.

1963 Austin Mini 850 Mark I

Until 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 to match the Morris version the Austin Seven was rebranded as the Austin Mini,^[22] 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,^[23] and BMC used the name Mini thereafter.^[24]

In 1964, the suspension of the cars was replaced by another Moulton design, the hydrolastic system. The new suspension gave a softer ride but it also increased weight and production cost and, in the minds of many enthusiasts, spoiled the handling characteristics for which the Mini was so famous. In 1971, the original rubber suspension reappeared and was retained for the remaining life of the Mini.

From October 1965 the option of an Automotive Products (AP) designed four-speed automatic transmission became available. Cars fitted with this became the Mini-Matic

Slow at the outset, Mark I sales strengthened across most of the model lines in the 1960s, and production totalled 1,190,000.^[25] Sold at almost below cost, the basic Mini made very little money for its makers. However, it still did make a small profit. Ford once took a Mini away and completely dismantled it, possibly to see if they could offer an alternative. It was their opinion though, that they could not sell it at BMC's price. Ford determined that the BMC must have been losing around 30 pounds per car, and so decided to produce a larger car – the Cortina, launched in 1962 – as its competitor in the budget market.

BMC insisted that the way company overheads were shared out, the Mini always made money.^[26] Larger profits came from the popular De Luxe models and from optional extras such as seat belts, door mirrors, a heater and a radio, which would be considered necessities on modern cars, as well as the various "Cooper" and "Cooper S" models.

The Mini etched its place into popular culture in the 1960s with well-publicised purchases by film and music stars.^[27]

Mark II Mini: 1967–1970[link]

Mark II

Also called	Morris Mini Austin Mini
Production	1967–1970
Assembly	Longbridge, Birmingham, West Midlands, England, Cowley, Oxfordshire, England Pamplona, Spain Seneffe, Belgium Arica, Chile Setúbal, Portugal Cape Town, South Africa Petone, New Zealand, Novo Mesto, Yugoslavia
Body style	2-door saloon 2-door estate 2-door van 2-door truck
Engine	1,275 cc (1.3 l) I4 998 cc (1.0 l) I4 850 cc (0.9 l) I4

The Mark II Mini featured a redesigned grille which remained with the car from that point on. Also, a larger rear window and numerous cosmetic changes were introduced. 429,000 Mark II Minis were made.^[25][28][29]

A bewildering variety of Mini types were made in Pamplona, Spain, by the Authi company from 1968 onwards, mostly under the Morris name.

The Mini was arguably the star of the 1969 film The Italian Job, which features a car chase in which a gang of thieves drive three Minis down staircases, through storm drains, over buildings and finally into the back of a moving coach. This film was remade in 2003 using the new MINI.

Mini Magic II (North America)

Variants[link]

The popularity of the original Mini spawned many models that targeted different markets.

Wolseley Hornet and Riley Elf (1961–1969)[link]

1968 Riley Elf Mark III

Built as more luxurious versions of the Mini, both the Wolseley Hornet and the Riley Elf had longer, slightly finned rear wings and larger boots that gave the cars a more traditional three-box design. Wheelbase of the Elf and Hornet remained at 2.036m, whereas the overall length was increased to 3.27m. This resulted in a dry weight of 638kg/642,3kg (rubber/hydrolastic suspension) for the Elf and 618kg/636,4kg for the Hornet respectively. ^[30] Front-end treatment, which incorporated each marque's traditional upright grille design (the Hornet's grille with a lit "Wolseley" badge), also contributed to a less utilitarian appearance. The cars had larger-diameter chrome hubcaps than the Austin and Morris Minis, and additional chrome accents, bumper overriders and wood-veneer dashboards. The Riley was the more expensive of the two cars.^[31] The name "Wolseley Hornet" was first used on a 1930s sports car, while the name "Elf" recalled the Riley Sprite and Imp sports cars, also of the 1930s. The full-width dashboard was a differentiator between the Elf and Hornet. This better dashboard was the idea of Christopher Milner the Sales Manager for Riley. Both the Riley Elf's and Wolseley Hornet's bodies were built at Fisher & Ludlow under their "Fisholow" brandname. Plates in the engine compartment on the right side fitch plate bear evidence of this speciality. Very early Mark I versions of both cars (e.g. press photo of 445MWL) had no overriders on the bumpers and a single piece front wing (A-panel and wing in one piece, no outside seam below scuttle panel) that was soon given up again, allegedly due to cost. The Elf's and Hornet's special bumper overriders first appeared in 1962. Early production Mark Is also had a combination of leather and cloth seats (Elf R-A2S1-101 to FR2333, Hornet W-A2S1-101 to FW2105) whereas all later models had full leather seats. ^[32] Mark I models were equipped with single leading shoe brakes on the car's front.

Both the Elf and the Hornet went through three versions. Initially, they used the 848 cc 34 BHP engine (engine type 8WR)^[30] with a single HS2 carburettor, changing to a single HS2 carburettor 38 BHP version of the Cooper's 998 cc power unit (engine type 9WR)^[30] in the Mark II in 1963. This increased the car's top speed from 71mph (114km/h) to 77mph (124km/h). Therefore, Mark II cars also came with increased braking power in the form of front drum brakes with twin leading shoes to cope with the increased power output. Both Mark I and Mark II featured four-speed, gearboxes (three synchromesh gears) with rod gear change, a.k.a. "magic wand" type. Automatic gearboxes became available on the Mark II in 1965 as an option. The Mark III facelift of 1966 brought not only wind-up windows and fresh-air facia vents, but disc brakes replaced front drum brakes, too. Concealed door hinges were introduced two years before these were seen on the mainstream Mini. The gear selecting mechanism was updated to the rod type, as seen on all later Mini type cars. Automatic gearboxes were available to the Mark III in 1967 again. Full-four synchromesh gearing was eventually introduced during 1968. 30,912 Riley Elfs and 28,455 Wolseley Hornets were built.^[25] Production ceased in late 1969 when British Leyland decided not to use the Riley and Wolseley brand names anymore.

Vehicle Identification — Serial Number Prefix Letter Code: 1st prefix letter — name: R-Riley, W-Wolseley 2nd prefix letter — engine type: A 3rd prefix letter — body type: 2S — 2-door Saloon 4th prefix — series of model: 1 — 1st series, 2 — 2nd series, 3 — 3rd series 5th prefix (used to denote cars different to standard right hand drive): L — left hand drive Code example: R-A2S1-154321 (Riley, A type engine, 2 door saloon, 1st series, serial number "154321")^[32]

Morris Mini Traveller and Austin Mini Countryman (1961–1969)[link]

Austin Mini Countryman Mark II

Two-door estate cars with double "barn"-style rear doors. Both were built on a slightly longer chassis of 84 inch (2.14 m) compared to 80.25 inch (2.04 m) for the saloon.

The luxury models had decorative, non-structural wood inserts in the rear body which gave the car a similar appearance to the larger Morris Minor estate which had some of the look of an American-style 1950s Woodie. Approximately 108,000 Austin Mini Countrymen and 99,000 Morris Mini Travellers were built.^[25]

Mini Van (1960–1982)[link]

Austin Mini Van in The Automobile Association livery

A commercial panel van (technically a sedan delivery) rated at ¼-ton load capacity. Built on the longer Traveller chassis but without side windows, it proved popular in 1960s Britain as a cheaper alternative to the car: it was classed as a commercial vehicle and as such carried no sales tax. A set of simple stamped steel slots served in place of a more costly chrome grille. The Mini Van was renamed as the Mini 95 in 1978, the number representing the gross vehicle weight of 0.95 tons. 521,494 were built.^[25] Despite this renaming, the motoring public continued to call it the Mini Van, as a result of which^{[citation needed]} the class of vehicles known as minivans in other countries are referred to in Britain as MPVs.

Mini Moke (1964–1989)[link]

1967 Austin Mini Moke

A utility vehicle intended for the British Army, for whom a few twin-engined 4-wheel-drive versions were also built. Although the 4WD Moke could climb a 1:2 gradient, it lacked enough ground clearance for military use.^[33] The single-engined front-wheel-drive Moke enjoyed some popularity in civilian production. About 50,000 were made in total,^[25] from 1964 to 1968 in the UK, 1966 to 1982 in Australia and 1983 to 1989 in Portugal.^[34] The car featured in the cult 1967 TV series The Prisoner, and is popular in holiday locations such as Barbados and Macau, where Mokes were used as police cars. Mokes were also available to rent there as recently as March 2006. "Moke" is archaic British slang for a donkey.

Mini Pick-up (1961–1982)[link]

Mini Pickup.

A pick-up truck (technically a coupé utility by definition), 11 ft (3.4 m) from nose to tail, built on the longer Mini Van platform, with an open-top rear cargo area and a tailgate. The factory specified the weight of the Pickup as less than 1,500 lb (680 kg) with a full 6 Imperial gallons (27L; 7.2 U.S. gallons) of fuel.

As with the Van, the Pickup did not have a costly chrome grille. Instead, a simple set of stamped metal slots allowed airflow into the engine compartment. The Pickup was spartan in basic form, although the factory brochure informed prospective buyers that "[a] fully equipped Mini Pick-up is also available which includes a recirculatory heater." Passenger-side sun visor, seat belts, laminated windscreen, tilt tubes and cover were available at extra cost.^[35] Like the van, the Pickup was renamed as the Mini 95 in 1978.

A total of 58,179 Mini Pickups were built.^[25]

Morris Mini K (March 1969 – August 1971, Australia only)[link]