The Rover Group, which was formerly known as BL until 2000, launched and produced the MINI brand in 1969. After buying MINI in 1996, BMW created the MINI Cooper.
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MINIHatch (R50) (R50)
BMW retained the Mini when it sold the Rover nameplate in order to continue its expansion strategy on the burgeoning small-segment luxury vehicle market.
The MINI hatchback was the first model the British company released with the German involvement in late 2000. Its classic look made clear where it came from, and in just six years of manufacturing, BMW sold more than a million of them.
20th anniversary of the BMW Mini
The Mini, the most recognizable of all British automobiles, was introduced by BMC in 1959. In 2001, BMW repeated the process. We reflect on the brand’s 20-year history.
Even if the Mini brand is a member of the BMW Group, a group call with staff from Mini Oxford only takes a short while to let us realize how distinctive the Mini brand still is.
Speaking with individuals who have contributed to the brand’s reinvention for more than 20 years, it is surprising to hear stories of innovation, flexible engineering and production, and an amazing freedom to forge its own path.
Mini was a sort of boutique operation during the first 14 years of its second life, making a lot out of not very much, with engineering work carried out by outside contractors and the design team headquartered in a small Munich office.
Generations of the MINI Cooper
In 1969, the British automaker MINI was established. The MINI Hatch or Austin MINI was created by the British Motor Corporation. The classic British MINI Cooper was revived by the new owner of MINI, German automaker BMW, and relaunched in 2002. It seemed appropriate to bring back the compact car because the original MINI was well-liked decades before. Due to the revived model’s rapid popularity among American customers, the parent corporation BMW moved fast to add more variants and body styles to the Cooper model roster.
The little automobile was originally a two-door hatchback. Later years saw the crossover, roadster, two-seater coupe, three- and four-door models with all-wheel drive, and convertible.
The MINI Hatch is often referred to as the MINI One or just the MINI. It was first sold under the name MINI Cooper and later under the name MINI Hardtop. Sporty handling and a firm ride are traits that define the MINI brand. The brand’s iconic MINI front-wheel-drive automobile is still represented by the familiar family resemblance of the new MINIs.