The Mini and its 50 years of appeal
Designed as an fuel-friendly runabout after the Suez petrol crisis of 1956, the Mini has sold by the millions. But the car’s evolution means it is now more a luxury brand than cheap motoring.
A child of the sixties, the Mini is now truly an icon of the noughties.
With news of parent company BMW putting £250m into the brand’s UK manufacturing sites, the car seems to be going on forever.
Last August, Prime Minister David Cameron drove the two millionth Mini off the firm’s production line in Cowley, Oxford.
The first cars had sliding windows and went on sale for just under £600 – but with prices starting at almost £12,000 with options like sat-nav and matching sunglasses for the driver, there are lots more rivals which offer new cars for much less – so how has it kept its appeal?
Sam Hardy, news editor of Auto Express said: “It has got the desirability factor.
“When BMW relaunched the car in 2000, people got the chance to personalise their car, which gave it that cheeky appeal.
“It made the car a bit bigger and updated it – but they also made it a premium product which feels like it is expensive.
“The car is cheap to produce and is very well made – buyers simply love it.”
Famous fans
And legions of celebrity fans can’t harm its appeal either. From Goldie Hawn to David Hasselhoff to Rachel Stevens, the Mini has built on a famous fan base from the sixties which included Mick Jagger, Ringo Starr and Peter Sellers.
Tom Smith is a freelance motoring journalist. He said: “When the Suez crisis hit the UK in 1956, petrol was rationed and the country was crying out for a cheap runaround – here we are again and the country seems to want smaller cars.
“I suppose you could say people have BMW taste and Mini money – and one is far cooler to see and be seen in.
“In terms of business, the car’s versatility is also a big draw – you can buy a Mini estate if you’ve got kids, a Mini Cooper if you’re a boy racer, and a soft top if you want to pose.
“BMW is not stupid, it knows the Mini is linked with the UK, so to have its production mostly based here boosts the ‘Brit appeal’ of the car.
“Investing the money not only helps the 5,500 people who build the Mini in the UK, but also the supply chain.”
Supply chain
Cab Automotive, based in Tipton in the West Midlands, won a £4m order last month to design a new armrest for the next generation of Minis.
The contract will increase the firm’s turnover by 20 per cent and create 15 new jobs at the firm’s base.
John Faulkner, the firm’s managing director, said: “This is a significant order for us – it took 12 months to land it.
“The car is a cult for many and you can personalise it how you want it, which is why it has such an appeal – it is an exciting time for all of us.”