Name a famous British car, and most people will say the Mini. It’s a small car that was designed to be economical, reliable, easy to repair and to provide a family car for all members of UK society at a price that wasn’t prohibitive. What it became is a racer, a film star, a cult hero and a collectable, along with all of the original design intentions. Whilst the Aston Martin DB5 or the Jaguar E-Type may be fast and sleeker. The Mini is still a popular car to own, borne out by its rebirth and reboot by BMW in the 1990s. However, it is the models from the 60s and 70s that capture the public imagination and fuel the desire to own one. Mini’s, like most cars at the time, are subject to rust and decay. It’s why you need to have good storage space like a garage. garagedoorsrus.co.uk/garage-door-repairs-watford/ a Garage Door Repair Watford based firm can be there to help with this.
Despite being small, the design of the Mini actually maximises the space available to the passengers and for luggage. Morris engineers and designers were able to shrink the size of the engine so that it was small enough to power the car but also not be obtrusive. It was this front-wheel drive and the transverse engine that was to influence so many other makes of small cars afterwards.
The driving force behind the creation of the Mini was borne out of a shortage. Fuel-efficient cars were needed following the Suez Crisis of 1956. This saw the sudden lack of petrol available in the UK. Gas guzzling cars were not wanted, and the smaller, more economical models became popular worldwide. Morris was quick to capitalise on this. It was also a strong desire to stop the rise of the compact German bubble car and the very well received Fiat 500.
With cool, cute looks, the car soon began to attract the attention of stars and cultural influencers. As soon as the Beatles Paul McCartney was seen driving one on the streets of London, its future was assured. It’s used in the iconic film ‘The Italian Job’, using Mini Cooper cars that were only slightly modified. As the little motors made their way through crowded Italian Streets, shopping centres, and even the sewer system, it was the best advert to own one.