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MINI Cooper Cars

Throughout several changes in ownership of the Mini Cooper, the present owner being BMW, there have been many models of the Mini during the course of fifty years. These have included the mainstream models, limited edition models and also specific models for certain markets in various countries. While the company was the British Leyland Company, a Mini pick-up truck was produced and during the Rover ownership more than forty special edition vehicles were created.

Presently in North America, one would find the MINI Cooper, the MINI Cooper Convertible, the MINI Clubman, all three in the “S” versions as well as the MINI Copper two door hardtop Classic. The Clubman, the newest addition only recently launched in early 2008, is the modern version of the Morris Mini Traveller, Austin Mini Countryman, and Mini Clubman Estate according to MINI. It is a station wagon/van type vehicle probably suited to families with children, animals and luggage to transport.

The differences between the regular and the S models are a more extravagant interior in the S, dual exhaust and the feel of a sports car. In fact, the MINI Cooper S was named “Best New Sports/Performance Car under Fifty Thousand Dollars” for 2008 by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC).

As one would expect, the MINI Convertible appeals to single professionals and others who want an expensive looking sports car that reeks of excitement and makes an obvious statement. It comes in a Sidewalk edition as well, which is basically a limited edition used to create interest while the company comes up with the newer version of the convertible. The interior of the Sidewalk edition is mostly leather and the outside is painted to look richer than the old model convertible. It also comes with a higher performance motor in some markets.

Further, the company offers a John Cooper Works Tuning Kit program for those individuals who prefer a supercharged, race-ready MINI. Working with John Cooper’s son, Mike, the MINI can be installed with equipment to resemble the original Mini racecars. And if you are not sure who John Cooper is, he is the person after whom the Mini Cooper was named when the British Motor Company and John Cooper formed an alliance to spruce up the Mini making it a racing icon.

Lastly, one will notice when reading promotional material and reviews on the MINI, that there are two spellings one in lower case letters and one in upper case letters. The latter, MINI, is used for the newer models so as not to cause confusion with the earlier Minis.

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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. 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 Citroen 2CV suspension at that time (according to an interview by Moulton with CAR magazine in the late 1990s), 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 size, after Dunlop choked on the eight-inch proposition.

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At the 2004 Salon International de l'Auto, Mini introduced a convertible model which was released in the 2005 model year and available in One, Cooper and Cooper S versions.


The convertible roof is fully automatic an unusual feature in such a small car and can be opened partially to act as a sunroof whilst the car is driving at speed. The convertible model forsakes the rear hatchback of the Hardtop Mini, replacing it with a drop down 'tailgate' that is reminiscent of the classic Mini it incorporates similarly prominent external hinges, and with the roof in the closed position, the rear roof section and luggage shelf can be raised with two handles, semi-tailgate style, to access the luggage space easier. The convertible also adds two small power windows for the rear seat passengers which are lowered automatically when the roof opens. The roof is made from a heavy cloth, with many layers of insulation; the rear window is glass with an integral heater/defroster, but no washer or wiper.


At the 2007 North American International Auto Show, Mini introduced the limited edition Mini Cooper S Sidewalk Convertible. It had a top speed of 215 km/h (134 mph) and accelerates from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour (0 to 62 mph) in 7.9 seconds. The engine provides 168 hp (125 kW) and 220 N·m (160 ft·lbf) of torque.

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The names Cooper and Cooper S echo the names used for the sportier version of the classic Mini, which in turn come from the involvement of John Cooper and the Cooper Car Company. The Cooper heritage is further emphasised with the John Cooper Works (JCW) range of tuning options that are available with the Mini. John Cooper also created a one-off racing model of the Mini Cooper S named the Mini Cooper S Works. This car features many extras which help to improve performance, such as a racing exhaust and air filter as well as uprated suspension. The car also has one-of-a-kind 17-inch (430 mm) racing wheels.


The Mk I Mini One, Cooper and Cooper S used some version of the reliable, Brazilian-built Tritec engine, co-developed by Chrysler & BMW; the Mini One D used a Toyota-built diesel engine. In August 2006, BMW announced that future engines would be built in the UK, making the car essentially British-built again; final assembly took place at Cowley, and the body pressings were made in nearby Swindon at BMW's Swindon Pressings Ltd subsidiary.

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The car, whose first generation was designed by Frank Stephenson, draws inspiration from the original Mini, which was manufactured by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 to 2000. The name of the car's brand, MINI, is all-capitalized to distinguish it from its predecessor. Development of the first generation had been done between 1995 and 2001 by Rover Group in Gaydon, United Kingdom and BMW AG in Munich, Germany. During this development phase, there was continual contention between the two design groups, especially concerning the positioning of the car, Rover wanted a straight economy car, whilst BMW supported a small, sporting car. Ultimately, BMW prevailed, and in 1999, they assumed control over the entire project following the departure of BMW's CEO, Bernd Pischetsrieder. When BMW divested itself of Rover in 2000, BMW elected to retain the Mini project, and to move the planned production site of the car from Rover's Longbridge plant, (the former production plant of the traditional Mini) to BMW's Oxford plant in Cowley, Oxford, United Kingdom (what was historically the Pressed Steel Company body plant).

The vehicles produced during the 2001 to 2006 model years (unofficially, the "Mk I Mini") included four hatchback models (referred to by Mini as the Cooper Hardtop): the basic "Mini One", the diesel-engined "Mini One/D", the sportier "Mini Cooper" and the supercharged "Mini Cooper S"; in 2005, a convertible roof option was added to the Mk I line-up. In November 2006, BMW released a re-engineered version of the Mini Hardtop (unofficially the "Mk II Mini") as a 2007 model-year vehicle. The Mk II is currently[update] available in the original Hardtop and Convertible body styles (the latter being introduced as a 2009 model). A third Mk II body style, an estate called the Clubman, was introduced as a 2008 model.

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A more powerful Mini Cooper, dubbed the “S“, was developed in tandem and released in 1963. Featuring a 1071 cc engine and larger servo-assisted disc brakes, 4,030 Cooper S cars were produced and sold until the model was updated in August 1964. Cooper also produced two models specifically for circuit racing, rated at 970 cc and a 1275 cc, both of which were also offered to the public. The smaller-engine model was not well received, and only 963 had been built when the model was discontinued in 1965. The 1275 cc Cooper S models continued in production until 1971.

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Sales of the Mini Cooper were as follows: 64,000 Mark I Coopers with 997 cc or 998 cc engines; 19,000 Mark I Cooper S with 970 cc, 1071 cc or 1275 cc engines; 16,000 Mark II Coopers with 998 cc engines; 6,300 Mark II Cooper S with 1275 cc engines. There were no Mark III Coopers and just 1,570 Mark III Cooper S’s. The Mini Cooper S earned acclaim with Monte Carlo Rally victories in 1964, 1965 and 1967. Minis were initially placed first, second and third in the 1966 rally as well, but were disqualified after a controversial decision by the French judges. The disqualification related to the use of a variable resistance headlamp dimming circuit in place of a dual-filament lamp.

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It should be noted that the Citroën DS that was eventually awarded first place had illegal white headlamps but escaped disqualification. The driver of the Citroën, Pauli Toivonen, was reluctant to accept the trophy and vowed that he would never race for Citroën again. BMC probably received more publicity from the disqualification than they would have gained from a victory - but had the Mini not been disqualified, it would have been the only car in history to be placed in the top three on the Monte Carlo for six consecutive years.