Overview & Reviews

Few cars are as instantly recognizable as the Mini. Loved for its diminutive dimensions and cheerful good looks, the British-born car has inspired passionate devotion both in the U.S. and abroad. The brand was briefly discontinued, but was revived in 2002 with help from BMW. Successfully paying homage to the original Mini Cooper of the 1960s, the reincarnated Cooper combines an athletic, BMW-engineered chassis with a space-efficient interior and a generous standard features list.

The history of the Mini make began in 1959. The original Mini car was produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) in England and its mission was to be a lightweight, agile four-passenger car that took up minimal space. In a sense, the brand was born out of necessity. The United Kingdom was subject to fuel rationing in the wake of the Suez crisis, and British consumers clamored for vehicles that offered optimum fuel efficiency.

The car was originally sold under BMC's Austin and Morris brands; the Mini name didn't make an appearance until 1961. Although it had just 34 horsepower, the Mini was the ideal urban car and proved popular in crowded European cities. In 1961, John Cooper, a man who built Formula One racecars, put his magic hands on the Mini and the result was the ferocious Mini Cooper. His Cooper S model had (at 76 hp) more than double the output of the standard Mini. That infusion of power, along with suspension tweaks and some really good driving, had Mini winning the Monte Carlo Rally four years in a row (1964-'67). The marque landed on American shores in 1962.

The '60s truly was the decade of the Mini. New variations on the car's theme came with the introduction of vehicles like the Mini Pickup and the Mini Moke, a vehicle that resembled a quirky cross between a Mini and a Jeep. The car's abbreviated proportions are even rumored to have played a part in sparking a fashion trend; the miniskirt raised hemlines and became emblematic of an era. Mini motorcars tore up the asphalt on the silver screen, with the brand's appearance in the 1969 film The Italian Job. By the end of the decade, more than 2 million Mini motorcars had been produced. Sadly, the vehicle was pulled from the United States in 1968, in the wake of strict new emissions regulations.

Though no longer available in the U.S., Mini remained in production in Europe through the '70s and '80s. By the mid-'80s, more than 5 million Minis had been produced worldwide. In 1994, the brand was acquired by the BMW Group. The marque went on hiatus in 2000, but was resurrected (and brought back to American shores) in 2002 with the launch of the entry-level, front-drive Mini Cooper hatchback. Thoroughly modern in every way, right down to its BMW-engineered suspension, steering and brakes, the Mini Cooper is sold alongside its cousins at BMW dealerships.

Today, Mini's offerings include various derivatives of the Cooper, including a coupe, a roadster and a convertible; the slightly longer Clubman; high-performance John Cooper Works variants; and even the crossover SUV-inspired four-door Countryman. With such a diverse, fun-loving lineup, it's no wonder that Mini has become one of America's most desirable small car automakers.

User Reviews:

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  Great Little Car! - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By DH - January 26 - 1:23 pm

  I bought the Mini base model in mid October 06 (red body and white roof) and its been so much fun to drive! It has great handling and solid steering, true to its BMW heritage and it really drives like a BMW! Though only 115 hps, it does not feel under-powered if you know how to work a stick shift. It is wonderful that the base Mini comes with Leatherette and not fabric since fabric covers eventually get all icky and cant be wiped down.

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  Hot Ride! - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By HBMini - January 24 - 3:10 pm

  I already have another second Mini on order! My son just called to thank me for lending him the car for a road trip to San Diego. He said "Cruisin along the 405 following a BMW Dad, going 80 and getting 35.5 MPG, pretty amazing." The Mini is a blast to drive, with its go-cart-like handling and super brakes. On the downside it is short on brute horsepower, but hey getting to speed is half the fun anyway because the gearbox is as precise as is the clutch. The car is just for two since the rear seats are only good for small kids or small pets. this car is a great value. Happy motoring!

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  my toy - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By pedro fonseca - January 24 - 9:10 am

  I love my little car, i am 70 years old and I feel very confortable driven my mini, the power is more than enoug, already drive to Tampa at 70 and 80 miles per hour and run beautifull, stability is great and brake excelent, I just trade a BMW 330 convertible and i have more fun with my mini, every body look at the car and ask question. I wish if can running with regular gas but they recomended high grade that is expensive.

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  Fun Ride - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By cool guy - January 12 - 10:00 am

  Great little car

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  Cant Stop Driving It - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By RLP - January 12 - 2:00 am

  Unlimited fun-havent driven my 530i since I got the Mini. Superb design and build quality for the price.

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  too much fun - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By gobama1982 - January 10 - 11:38 am

  if you dont like strangers looking,asking questions,or huddled around your car when you go to get in it at the bank,store, restaurant ect . this may not be the car for you because trust me it will happen !!! if you love to drive ,have fun driving,love life,are a happy person then you need to own one !!!!

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  What a deal! - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By Darren D - January 6 - 10:00 am

  The MINI Cooper S has NO competition! Think about it...sports car speed, sports car (or better) handling, great style & looks, great fuel economy for the performance, all at an unbelievable price! Compared to the WRX which I was seriously looking at, the MINI has more low-end torque (no turbo lag here), better handling, more luxury options, better looks and is $4,000 LESS! Plus, a 6-speed manual! I have to agree with some of the others - if you cant get the S to move with the 6-speed manual, you arent a very good driver. A good driver will have great acceleration and power at any speed. Very highly recommended. Make sure you test drive the S.

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  caught every one looking - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By mackie - January 6 - 10:00 am

  I have had my car 3 days. Every one looks and smiles. On the first family outing, We took the ferry accross the James river and were invited on the bridge of the ferry boat to inform the captain on "what kind of car that is?" He said " I look down on a thousand car a day and hardly pay any attention any more. But that car caught my attention."

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  My Mini Time - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Heinz O. Georg - January 4 - 6:30 am

  Before "Mini", I always drove BMWs.After the lease for my BMW 535 expired, my wife & I went to the BMW dealer. She expected that I would buy a new BMW.Just a short distance away from BMW was the Mini sales facility. I (German) always loved Minis (since I was a student). My wife (American) had no idea what a Mini is. I had changed my job & didnt need a big car anymore.I was free to choose the car, I really wanted. After my wife "inspected" the car, she still could not believe that I could become happy with a Mini. I looked to the Mini and she looked into my eyes and she knew that I was happy with it.

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  My Mini = Fun and Value - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By Toma - December 31 - 10:00 am

  So far I have 5,000 miles on my Cooper, and have found everyone of them to be wonderful. I would like a little more power and probably would have that with the Cooper S and or a manual transmission rather than the automatic.