Mini Celebrates 50th Birthday
Technically, we’re a little early in wishing Mini a happy birthday. The iconic British (although now not so much) car manufacturing brand will turn 50 years old on August 26, 2009. That’s a fair accomplishment and a long run for a car company that held fast to its principles. Mini doesn’t currently produce a SUV, sport SUV, mini-van, hybrid or pickup truck to boost its sales volumes. Into its AARP years, Mini has continued to stay the course with small, fun-to-drive Coopers that still have a very devoted following.
From BMW:
Fifty years ago to the day, the British Motor Corporation (BMC) unveiled the result of its quest to design a new and revolutionary compact car. The very first sales brochures praised the Morris Mini-Minor’s “extraordinary future promise”. Fifty years later, we know that few vehicle concepts have survived as long or achieved such popularity. No other vehicle has ever spawned such a wide range of variants as the Mini.
Reducing fuel consumption was already becoming an important issue for vehicle developers fifty years ago. Back in 1956 the Suez crisis and petrol rationing were major factors for the automobile industry.
BMC management gave designer Alec Issigonis the following guidelines: the Mini must make creative use of the limited space available; accommodate four passengers; and guarantee perfect handling and low fuel consumption.
By 1962 – within three years of its market launch – Mini production already exceeded 200,000 vehicles a year. Once the world’s rich and famous (Peter Sellers, the Beatles, Brigitte Bardot, Clint Eastwood, Lord Snowdon, Twiggy…) adopted the Mini as their preferred city car, it rapidly became the symbol of an entire generation. Over the next 40 years the Mini became an icon – a brand with a unique tradition and charm that appealed to all ages.
Brand re-launch
Following its acquisition of Rover in March 1994, the BMW Group decided to revive the MINI brand tradition and continue writing Mini’s history: The new MINI was to create a unique premium brand with unmistakeable charisma and excellent product qualities in the compact segment – respecting its history, but at the same time meeting the needs of its present customers.
MINI as a pillar of the BMW Group
Since the MINI brand’s acquisition by the BMW Group, it has become an important element in the BMW portfolio. MINI sales have increased every year since 2002, with more than 232,000 MINI brand vehicles sold in 2008. The United States was the single largest market for MINI cars last year. To date almost 1.5 million vehicles have been sold worldwide since the “New MINI” was launched in 2001.
Its characteristic combination of driving fun, individualistic style and premium quality has led to rising sales on all continents in recent years. This unique premium compact car is now sold in 80 countries around the world, with Brazil becoming its newest market in 2009. The MINI brand has come of age and become an important pillar of the BMW Group in virtually all international markets.
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