adminweighed in with its Ford T6 truck.
Walking through the stands, I was impressed to see the rosy plum coloured baby Defender at the Premier Auto Stand and the VW Touareg at the FCM stand.
We need more organised events like this one. This week I wish to go back in time to trace the roots of a legendary car that has stood the test of time — the Mini Cooper.
The Mini Cooper is a compact car that was meant to conserve fuel during a fuel crisis in England.
The car has survived through many decades and model updates despite threats of discontinuing the brand.
It is both economical and affordable, but still fun to drive and easy to maneouvre.
The first Mini Cooper debuted in 1959 and was developed by Sir Alec Issigonis.
Sir Issigonis designed the car for the purpose of having an enjoyable compact car that was still comfortable for four adults to sit in.
He also wanted to make sure the car was safe and affordable.
The car was manufactured by the British Motor Corporation until 1994 and quickly gained popularity in Europe, Africa and the United States.
John Cooper, an award-winning race car constructor, added to the Mini Cooper’s dependability and power.
In 1961 the Mini Cooper came out with a more powerful engine and began to be used in rallies.
The Mini Cooper won three titles at the Monte Carlo Rally from 1964 to 1967.
John Cooper further upgraded the car and produced the Mini Cooper S that handled even better than the original.
The Mini Cooper found fame in the 1969 movie entitled “The Italian Job”.
This film based on a gold heist starring Michael Caine required the use of small, fast and agile cars to speed around the streets of Turin with the stolen gold in their boots.
In 2003, the film’s remake was released starring Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron.
The film utilised BMW’s newly updated version of the Mini Cooper and regenerated the excitement of the name.
After safety requirements were updated in the United States in 1968, the Mini Cooper’s production team had to pull the car from American markets because the car did not have all of the requirements.
From then until the 1990s, the Mini Cooper did not sell well, and the car was sold under several names that did not include Cooper.
Anniversary editions were popular in the 1980s, but the early 90s brought about a fresh look on the original model.
A sports package came out in 2000, the original car’s final year.
Bavarian Motor Works bought the Mini Cooper production company in 1994 and set to work releasing new options for the car.
The modern Mini Cooper, introduced in 2001, now offers three engine options, one of which is a supercharged version.
There are also different styles of wheels, colours and a convertible top option.
The launch of the New Mini produced by BMW in 2001 adds perhaps not a new chapter, rather a whole new book to the Mini story.
The new Mini’s three models are the standard Mini with a 1.6 litre 90bhp Chrysler engine, another powered by a 115bhp version of the same engine and the Copper S with a supercharger.
First impressions always last, the Mini despite is enlarged stature drives almost as well as the original in terms of enjoyment, but is far better at long distance cruising.
Overall, while the New Mini is a far cry from Issigonis’ original design, in my opinion it is a great car.
With the newly introduced crossover, the new Mini Clubman is fast taking over the streets of big busy roads in the US, Europe and Asia.
Here is a quick fact that will make you laugh . . . Fashion designer Mary Quant was so taken with the new car that she was inspired to create the Mini Skirt (yes, really).
So till next week, enjoy and stay blessed.
Fact D. Jeke is a motoring enthusiast who has attended auto shows, rallies and has written for various publications in the region for the last decade. She can be contacted via email on [email protected], Facebook: Torque with Fact Jeke
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