A small car icon of the 60s turned to be the recipient of the European Car of the Century Award. Who would ever think that an undersized car such as the Austin Mini would create such a huge and distinguished mark in the car world? Austin Mini has defied the several counterparts by its revolutionary engine design, astounding packaging and extraordinary handling features. Known for its diminutive size and energizing design, this British-born car has been one of the inspirations of the several aspects beyond the automotive field.
The first Austin Mini was manufactured by the British Motor Corporation (BMC). The car’s design was conceptualized while thinking about ways to manage the 1956 Suez Crisis, where UK faced an oil shortage and forced them to introduce fuel rationing. During that period, the sales of large-bulky vehicles declined and the trend was shifted to the small fuel efficiency cars. BMC had perceived the demand the led them to produce small cars without delay. The Austin Mini was designed to be lightweight and although it is small, the huge portion of the floor space was utilized to have room for four adult passengers and luggage. The standard engine was only had 34 horsepower but the Mini was made compatible with the crowded and ever busy streets of Europe’s metro.
Originally, the car was sold under BMC’s Austin and Morris brands. The model branched out into several versions with the name Austin Mini at its side. Years passed and term Austin was dropped leaving name Mini as its known label. It becomes popular not only in Great Britain but also around the world.
The year 1961 marked the launch of the first Mini Cooper, which eventually become known and recognized in the racing sphere. From the standard 848cc engine with 34bhp it was enhanced into 997cc engine developing 55bhp and even equipped with front disc brakes, the first model to have one. This version of the Mini can still be found and use in UK as well as in other corners in the world today. Others are preserved and become collector’s items.
Unfortunately, every legacy has its end. New modern models were released diverting the attention from the Austin Mini. Eventually, the sales of the Mini collapsed and the production was finally stopped in 2000. But after a year, MINI, as its new brand label was resurrected with the help of BMW. Today, equipped with a modern style and up to date features, the MINI’s legacy continue to lives on.
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Think of the “Mod 1960’s” – Carnaby Street , Apple Records with the Beatles et al and most likely you will picture that cute little , or almost ugly “Austin Mini” motor-car vehicle. No doubt about it – the marvelous Mini set the stage for the worldwide acceptance of small front wheel drive , transversely laid out engines front wheel drive automotive car engine designs that we take for granted on our roads and highways today.
For example to begin with the Austin Mini – in its various forms is credited widely as being the inspiration for the global block buster car seller – the Honda Civic, which in itself set the basis and backbone for many of the current automobile models that we consider today as our basic standards. To start with the mini was a runt – no more than ten feet long between its bumpers – when automobiles on the roads and highways of the USA were boats and behemoths. On top of that compared to similar vehicles on the road, it had less than half the horsepower. Top that with an actual starter motor button on the floor back of the manual stick shift, located back (towards the rear window) of the floor mounted, through a hole in the floorboards, manual transmission stick.
Initially the car was released in two almost identical variations – an Austin badged product , and an identical product introduced into the marketplace as a “Mini Minor”. It seems that the two products were produced at two different factories and divisions in the U.K. – the Austin and Morris automotive factories. Part of this decision were production allotments – some centered on consumer marketing preferences. Just as in Canada and in the US where similar products from different automotive divisions of the same manufacturers had downright die hard fans and loyalists. In the same way that some auto buyers and consumers were die-hard Ford or Mercury “men”, while others preferred similar Pontiac products over Chevy branded autos – auto enthusiasts might swear by their nearly identical Austin Se7en’s or Morris Mini-Minors.
Yet this little mutant of a car not only had a low cost and external size, it held an innovative design that even though tiny in size it could seat 4 adults and perhaps 5. The secret was an adoption of front wheel drive with a transversely mounted engine and transmission. Now held as the standard, at that point in automobile history most autos were “rear wheel driven” with a large drive train running down the middle of the floor of the vehicle taking up passenger space and adding weight. Rear engine vehicles are simpler to build and maintain and less expensive to design, engineer and install at the factory level. Yet the heavy drive train not only adds weight to the vehicle, requiring a larger and heavier engine, it also takes away from interior passenger space. So the innovative design of the Austin Mini had great merit in allowing for a smaller vehicle, with a smaller engine that had a reasonable interior seating space, and had reasonable pickup all with less cost, and overall auto owner and motorist’s driving costs and budget.
Hence it is no accident that the Austin Mini became such a favored and revered role model for future designs and implementations along the path of the development of smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles.
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