When the first Mini, made in Birmingham, went on the market on August 18, 1959, none of the people involved at the time are likely to have imagined that the concept of a revolutionary small car would turn into one of the automotive industry's most impressive success stories stretching over a period of five and a half decades.
Fifty-five years ago, two models were presented to the public which differed solely in their radiator grille, hub caps and paint finishes: the Morris Mini Minor and the Austin Seven.
Designer Alec Issigonis' concept was both simple and ingenious: lots of interior space combined with minimum exterior dimensions, four seats, perfect driving properties, low fuel consumption and a reasonable price. These brilliant ideas had an impact that was to extend into the 21st century.
The brand's underlying principle was confirmed once more when it was restarted with the market launch of the Mini by new owners BMW in 2001: a superior concept gained popularity in a range of different forms and eventually became firmly established.
Since then Mini has combined the classic values of the early generations with the demands of a modern automobile.
