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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  I LOVE my MINI Cooper! - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Ship2Shore - July 21 - 2:00 am

  This is the best car I have ever owned! Not only is it fuel-efficient and a pleasure to drive, but this car actually has a "personality".

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  This car is GREAT!!!!!!! - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Toe - July 21 - 2:00 am

  I love my Cooper! This is the most fun car I have ever owned. It is well worth the money! My fiancee often compares the Cooper to our Trailblazer. He said the Trailblazer is a cautious vehicle on the highway going through the curvey mountains while the Cooper just says, "Go ahead take the curve, take the curve. No need to hit the breaks."

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  Fun Car to Drive - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Sho - July 21 - 2:00 am

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  Mid Life Crisis - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By srdl - July 21 - 2:00 am

  I have wanted a Mini Cooper S since I was in high school, but of course then I couldnt afford one and when I could they had stopped making them. So many years on BMW start making them again, off I trot to the dealership. The salesman (21 year old I guess) said "youll have to wait for an S maybe a year!" I said I have been waiting 35 years for this car I can wait a year to get exactly what I want. Now I LOVE to drive my Mini,(electric blue with black trim and blue and black leather seats). I take detours to go around rotaries sometimes twice if theres not too much traffic! I love the sunroof, almost as good as a contertible.

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  CUTE CAR...HEADS WILL TURN - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By KTAZ - July 21 - 2:00 am

  I love this car! Its so cute, unique, and fun to drive. It can be a little jerky at times because its very sensitive to the touch (in terms of steering, accelerating and braking) but once you get the hang of it its amazing. Really zippy-- it hard not to speed in it!! Its also extremely fuel efficient and comfy inside. However, the back seats only suit small children because there is not a lot of leg room.

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  My Mini - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By J. Wilson - July 21 - 2:00 am

  The Mini Cooper is fun to drive, great on gas mileage, and easy to park. Its amazing how much stuff you can pack into this car. I would definately buy another one. By the way it is also safe, 6 airbags!!!!

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  Love my Mini - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By MiniLou - July 21 - 2:00 am

  I picked up my new Mini Coper S two weeks a go. What a hoot! Lots of room, fun to drive, a head turner wherever I go. Even my ex-wife likes it!. BMW got it right in designing this, and its affordable. I was also considering an Aidi TT, but this is just more fun!

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  MINI Cooper S - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By gonsie - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Car is fund to drive and verry peppy. Only car I have ever owned that people just stop on the street and talk to you about. It is red with a white top and sun roof with a vanity plate so it seems to attract a lot of attention

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  Well worth the price of admission! - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By JLewis7141 - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Overall, a very fun to drive and practical vehicle. The interior layout make maximum use of availible space. Good gas milage.It is comfortable on long trips due to the very nice seats, ample leg room, and long wheel base for its size. Very precise steering too...move it an inch and change a lane! so dont curl your hair/pluck eyebrows/ or read in this one..it has low tolorance for driver inattention. Also its one of the few cars I have owned that gets this much notice on the road, or anywhere it is . It is a sports car rather than a muscle car (rather like a Mazda Miata )meaning that its a light ,very nimble car that will excell in curves and twisty roads.

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  luv my mini - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Debbie T - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Traded my jeep for this wonderful mini, so glad I did, it handles like a dream, love the six gears, plenty of room, with 2 teenagers in the back seat plus my sons sax in the boot. Cant go anywhere without someone remarking on how "super" the car is! No problem parking, great on gas, yet if I need to move in traffic it never fails to leave everyone in the dust.