They're still rare enough on the Midwestern US streets that the sight of a Mini Cooper does register no matter how many other things I have on my mind. When I saw a Mini Cooper Sport convertible zipping through the stoplight with a big grin on the driver's face I knew I had to learn more about this car.
The Mini Cooper was designed and built to fulfill a very specific challenge. In 1957, the Suez Canal Crisis sent fuel costs in England soaring. So leaders at the Morris Car Company challenged their engineers and production teams to come up with a car that fit four very specific needs. It had to be small, fuel-efficient, capable of carrying four adults and affordable for just about anyone.
The Mini Cooper represented a real revolution in its design. To fit the small size requirement the engine was turned sideways. The make sure four adults could ride inside, the wheels were pushed all the way to the outside edge of the body. While people were a little skeptical at first, by 1961 the car was becoming very popular with younger british drivers. When racing legend John Cooper adopted and modified the Mini Cooper into his race car of choice, the Mini Cooper Sport was born. When it was driven to victory three years in a row in the Monte Carlo rally from 1964-1967 it's worldwide popularity exploded.
