In August 1959, the British Motor Company (BMC) made a curious premiere: the Morris Mini Minor and Austin Seven models were introduced and were almost 1:1 alike. Only the radiator grille, the hubcaps and the colors could be discerned.
This double premiere resulted from the diversity of the brands of the British automobile group, which had been created in the early 1950s through the merger of the Austin Motor Company and the Morris Motor Company. Due to this diversity, different target groups should be addressed in order to find the right vehicle in each case.
In 2001, BMW presented what had become of this legacy. The changes to the classic model hurt some purists, but new regulations for occupant protection and increased customer comfort and safety demands required deviations from the tiny dimensions of the original.
Mini is betting on electrification. Studies on an all-electric crossover (Aceman) and a convertible have already been presented. By 2025, the last model with an internal combustion engine will be introduced, and the full electrification of all models is expected to be completed by 2030. Mini boss Bernd Körber and his team are working on refreshing the model range, which launched in 2023 with the new generation of the base model, accompanied by an all-electric small car.
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