There is a gem that sleeps in the rocks. Before it was discovered by humans, it was so insignificant. However, one day, an expert who loves gem exploration discovered it. After careful carving, the gem shone brightly... In the UK, people used to call it Mini. This name began in the 1960s. Era. Mini was originally produced jointly by two car companies, Austin and Morris, and sold under the names Austin Seven and Morris Mini-Minor respectively. The two models only differed slightly in the water tank, body color and hubcaps. In 1969, Mini finally had its own registered trademark. "I didn't invent the Mini, I just designed it." This sentence comes from Alexander Arnold Constantine Isigonis, the "father of the classic Mini". Isgonis joined the design team of Haber & Co. in Coventry in 1934 and was responsible for the development of independent wheel suspension. Two years later, Issigonis was hired by Morris Motors for his unique skills and experience in automotive chassis development. In 1952, Morris Motor Company merged with Austin Motor Company to form BMC (British Motor Corporation). Isgonis felt that this was no longer a place to display his creativity, so he joined Alves and began to develop luxury cars. In 1955, BMC rehired Issigonis as deputy technical director of Longbridge's Austin car plant, and began to develop small cars, mid-size cars and luxury cars to ensure the market position of Europe's largest car manufacturer. On July 26, 1956, Egyptian President Senar announced the nationalization of the Suez Canal one month after British troops withdrew from the canal zone. This decision blocked the transportation of oil to Europe, resulting in a serious shortage of oil in Europe. In the second half of 1956, Issigonis was invited by Leonard Lord, Chairman of the Board of Directors of BMC, to inherit the tradition of the Austin Seven and Morris Mini-Minor before World War II, develop a small energy-saving car in response to the oil crisis, and let this car Get on the road as soon as possible. Creating the perfect small car was Issigonis' biggest dream, and the task really excited him. Isgonis's basic idea is to make the most of the space provided and cleverly place four compact seats while ensuring optimal driving conditions. Such a car was technically and visually distinct from anything else on the market at the time, and it had to be affordable to the average consumer. With the joint efforts of the team, the classic Mini was finally born. The car adopts a front-wheel drive and transverse engine design, with a displacement of 0.848L, a maximum output power of 25kW, and a maximum speed of 120km/h. On August 26, 1959, the classic Mini was officially launched, priced at 496 pounds. Created, a new element of sport that is comparable to the classic Mini is the Mini Cooper. Its birth is attributed to the famous racing designer John Cooper. Cooper first developed a small GT racing car based on the classic Mini. Through a series of modifications such as shortening the bore, increasing the compression ratio, increasing the opening of the intake valve, and improving the strength of the crankcase, Cooper increased the maximum output power of the engine to 40kW, which was already very high at the time, and the maximum speed could reach 136km/h. . To ensure that the braking system can match the increase in speed, Cooper even installed 7-inch Lockheed brake pads on the front wheels. George Harriman, then chairman of BMC, agreed to produce a small batch of 1,000 Mini Coopers to see how the market responded. After these 1,000 Mini Coopers were launched in September 1961, they were enthusiastically sought after by car fans. Developing new models with greater power and higher performance has become a new goal pursued by Isgonis and Cooper. They increased the Mini Cooper engine capacity from 0.848L to 1.071L, with the maximum output reaching 51kW.

The increased power increased the car's top speed to 160km/h, which forced Cooper to increase the diameter of the brake pads to 7.12 inches and install a very advanced brake assist system at the time. This powerful Mini Cooper was named Mini Cooper S and launched in 1963. Production of the Mini Cooper ended on its 10th birthday in July 1971. However, global demand for the Mini Cooper is still strong, so its modification and upgrade components are very popular. In 1990, the Rover Group, which is in charge of the classic Mini, realized that this model still had huge market potential and decided to return the Mini Cooper to the car industry. Challenges never stop The classic Mini is destined for rally racing. Six months after this new car was launched, no fewer than six cars participated in the 1960 Monte Carlo Rally. Three years later, this little elf began to show aggressive competitiveness: in 1963, Rauno Aaltonen drove the classic Mini to his first victory. In 1965, Makinen and co-driver Paul Easter continued the Mini Cooper's legend in the Monte Carlo Rally and won the highest award. At the same time, he was the only driver in the rally that year who was not penalized. This victory marked the beginning of the classic Mini's glorious legacy as the first "popular sports car" after World War II. Racing enthusiasts suddenly realized that this small sports car from Britain had the potential to defeat many illustrious competitors in both rally and track races, so the classic Mini became very popular around the world. However, in 1966, this sports car full of honors was forced to undergo an eight-hour technical inspection after the race, and then the most controversial decision in the history of Monte Carlo racing occurred: the Mini Cooper was disqualified. The reason is that the headlights attached to the Mini Cooper's radiator grille do not comply with France's certification standards for similar products. Looking back at the classic Mini models, while seeing their evolution, we can't help but admire the designers' fantastic ideas: the transverse engine, the outward-facing metal welds between the wheel arch and the body, the disc-type instrument panel, the round With design elements such as headlights, they give each model a connotation called the "soul of the car." The first variant car - Mini Van. The Mini Van was launched on the market in January 1960. It was a two-seater car. The body length was increased to 3300mm based on the classic Mini, the body height was increased by 10mm, and the wheelbase reached 2130mm. This change There is no adverse impact on this front-wheel drive vehicle, and no additional cost is added. The trunk of this car has no windows and the rear is equipped with split doors. The C-pillar extends toward the rear at a certain angle, and the two doors open diagonally, with a maximum opening angle of 90°. The vehicle is ideal for transporting goods through narrow city streets. Mini Estate (Wagon): The Traveller and Countryman Estate is a compact 4-seater car with the same dimensions as a Van but with windows all around. The rear side windows, like the door windows, use a sliding opening and closing device. Traveller and Countryman target two completely opposite groups in society, and this exactly reflects the humanistic care of the classic Mini. Countryman is designed for people living in rural areas. Traveller inherits the wooden style of Morris Mini-Minor and uses a wooden frame on the exterior of the car behind the B-pillar. The difference is that Morris Mini-Minor uses the wooden frame as a load-bearing structure, while Traveler just uses it as a decoration. From military to leisure - Mini Moke The Mini Moke, launched in 1964, is the most open classic Mini. This recreational vehicle was originally designed for military use and was also the first Mini convertible model in history.

Moke's solid structure, compact shape and lightweight body can meet various stringent requirements such as being dropped to the ground by parachute or being transported by helicopter suspension. The seats are quite simple, with seat cushions embedded in a metal frame, and the foldable roof provides only the most basic protection for the occupants from wind and bad weather. Classic Mini Clubman In the autumn of 1969, the name Clubman appeared for the first time in the classic Mini family, and it made its debut as a new version of the Estate. Between 1980 and 1983, the Clubman, Estate and Van were withdrawn from the production lines one after another. For a long time, people could only see the three-door hatchback classic Mini and later the new MINI. The final version of the classic Mini - Mini convertible. As the only overseas model of the classic Mini, the Mini convertible debuted in Germany in 1991. The car came from a Baden-based franchise, who managed to remove the classic Mini's hood and transform it into a striking convertible, which sold for ￡12,250 in the UK at the time. The 5,387,862nd Mini rolled off the production line in Birmingham, England. The gem of Mini was collected and given birth to a new life. In 2000, the management of the BMW Group had a unique vision and created a new MINI era. In 2001, the birth of MINI One and MINI Cooper opened a new page for this classic brand with a long history. MINI Cooper BMW has re-developed MINI's 4-cylinder engine. The new engine has many innovative technologies. The interior of the MINI Cooper adopts a completely new design, while the exterior retains the unique Mini features. The advanced power unit together with the improved chassis and suspension allow drivers to fully experience the go-kart driving experience that MINI deliberately pursues. MINI Cooper is equipped with a 1.6L naturally aspirated engine with a maximum output of 88kW. The new generation MINI convertible is a symbol of the passion for open-top driving and has a distinctive MINI brand style. Compared with the classic Mini model, the unique characteristics of the MINI convertible have been raised to a higher level, with appropriate enhancements and improvements in appearance design, handling, power, efficiency and functionality. The soft-top two-door body with separate sliding roof function ensures unparalleled proportions, rounded horizontal lines and a truly individual style. MINI Cooper S The MINI Cooper S differs from the MINI Cooper in its more muscular bonnet and the air intakes on the bonnet. The MINI Cooper S is a direct descendant of the legendary Mini Cooper S and it has proven to be a very special MINI. MINI Cooper S is equipped with a 1.6L twin-scroll turbocharged engine with a maximum output of 128kW. Before being acquired by BMW, people used to call Mini "Mini" (lower case), but after the acquisition, BMW officially called it "MINI" (upper case). This is why BMW hopes that the new MINI will be bigger and stronger.