There was once a man of British-Greek origin named Alec Issigonis, and thanks to him, we’ve been given one of the most timeless automotive designs ever: the original Mini (the one written without capital letters, that is). But even though his masterpiece was groundbreaking in every single way, Issigonis never intended the Mini to become a pop culture icon. Yet it did, and what an icon!
Voted in 2015 the most British car of all time, the Mini was and still is a packaging marvel. Turning the engine sideways and sending the suck-squeeze-bang-blow to the front wheels meant that there was enough room inside the car to fit four adults. The transverse engine configuration also meant the floor was adequately flat, translating to a low driving position.
Then there's the tiny wheels, which are located as close to the car’s corners as possible, translating to seriously good handling. It’s no wonder some people call it a go-kart, though if you’ve ever driven a go-kart, you know that’s not the case, not even with the original Mini and Cooper S. Speaking of the high-performance model that came to be thanks to the motorsport legend known as John Cooper, it won the Monte Carlo Rally four years in a row, albeit Mini was disqualified in ‘66 for a stupid reason: the headlights.
Probably the most impressive thing about the Mini is its longevity. The year was 2000 when BMW rolled out with the 21st-century MINI, and until then, it didn’t change too much from the original. It was that good from the very beginning, but as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.
Ever since the BMW Group took control over the British automaker, loyalists of the brand had to put up with the likes of the Countryman, a plug-in hybrid powertrain, and the sort. There’s even an all-electric MINI waiting to pounce in 2019, and the 2020s are sure to bring even bigger surprises.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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