A black and white photograph in the shape of a circle of a vintage MINI Cooper turning around a bend and onto the white background of the page.

heritage

THE ORIGIN STORY

We’ve been creating cars with the mission of evoking joy and inspiring Big Love for over 60 years. Decades later, that passion has only grown to new heights.

A black and white photograph in the shape of a circle of a vintage MINI Cooper turning around a bend and onto the white background of the page.

INTRODUCTION

ROOTS TO 
THE ROAD

The year was 1957, and in post-World War II England the Suez Crisis had sent fuel prices soaring, leading many to wonder if the large, gas-guzzling vehicles of the day made much sense anymore.

So, Sir Leonard Lord of the Morris Company issued his top engineer, Alec Issigonis, a challenge: design and build a small, fuel-efficient car capable of carrying four adults, within economic reach of just about everyone. As fate would have it, the challenge of fitting so much function into such a small package inspired a couple of historic innovations.

Issigonis created more room in the cockpit by pushing the wheels all the way out to the corners and turning the engine sideways, giving the car more stability on tight turns and more passenger space on the inside. The world had never seen a car quite like it. And when the first MINI launched in 1959, it quickly became the essence of culture.

An image of a hand sketching a vintage MINI Cooper with blue ink on white paper on a wooden surface.
A black and white cross-section sketch of a vintage MINI Cooper.
A black and white photograph of Alec Issigonis sticking his head out of the window of a vintage MINI Cooper.
An array of five MINIs from different generations, ranging from older models to more current ones, lined up on a white surface with a gray background.

Through dozens of generations, iterations, and innovations, the defining spirit of MINI has not only persisted, but thrived. Our retro roots and out-of-the-box origin, brought to life by the ingenuity of Issigonis, are forever engrained into the fabric of what drives MINI.

Two front-facing MINIs in different colors in the process on being built in a production plant.
A side-angle of a BMW Group employee working in a production plant.

MINI, a British automotive brand, founded in Oxford, has been owned by BMW Group for over 20 years - a powerful partnership, marked by German engineering, that’s brought us to new heights of MINIness. And now, for the first time ever, the all-new 2025 MINI Countryman is set to be made in Germany on BMW production lines.

The MINI logo in between the BMW logo and Rolls-Royce logo

WHAT’S NEXT?

With beta programs and partnerships like the 100% electric, zero-emissions MINI E and Urban-X, our platform for startups dedicated to reimagining city life, we're excited to see just how much progress we can pack into the next 60 years.

• Reduction of CO2 emissions
• Secure and transparent supplier network
• Resource-efficient circular economy
• Rethinking of urban mobility

A circular icon design mapping out to important touchpoints of the MINI brand, such as the MINI App and MINI Electric, with the MINI Logo in the center.
A side-angle of a 2025 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 against a green and brown background.

THE ALL-NEW 
ELECTRIC COUNTRYMAN

We’re go-karting towards an electrified future and entering a bold new era of maximum MINIness. The next generation of MINIs are defined by charismatic simplicity that’s built for tomorrow but ready for today.

PLACEHOLDER

 

RACING IN OUR
HEARTS & History

In 1961, the humble little people-mover fell into the hands of British racing legend John Cooper. A more powerful engine, bigger brakes and a few tuning tweaks later, the Classic MINI Cooper 997 was introduced. And a rally demon was born.

A black and white photograph of the inside of the front hood of a vintage MINI Cooper.
An angled view of a vintage MINI in a red color with a licence plate reading “1964” against a white background with drop shadows.

Shortly after in 1962, one woman shattered the gender roles of her time and chose a life of speed. Her name was Pat Moss, and she wasn’t just ahead of the curve, she set it, leading MINI to their first motorsport victory in the Netherlands Tulip Rally.

An angled view of a vintage MINI in a red color with a licence plate reading “1964” against a white background with drop shadows.
An image of Pat Moss smiling, taken through the driver’s window of a MINI, as she sits in the driver’s seat.
A front-view of a TEAM JCW race car coming down the bend of a racetrack.
A TEAM JCW racer, dressed in MINI racing gear, smiles as he holds a trophy up in one hand and puts his pointer finger up with the other.

Before long, the nimble little MINI was outracing and outlasting the larger, more powerful, but clumsier sedans of the day. Visits to the winner’s circle became a regular event as MINI chalked up numerous international race wins – including 3 at the prestigious Monte Carlo rally from 1964 to 1967.

A side-to-rear view of a 2025 MINI JCW Countryman ALL4 against a green and red background.

THE ALL-NEW JCW
COUNTRYMAN ALL4

The all-new MINI JCW Countryman ALL4 was made for every thrill and any adventure. With pack-leading power and intelligent all-wheel drive, this compact SUV is seriously unstoppable. 

CULTURE

THE KEYS TO
CULTURE.

When you get a MINI, you get more than the keys to a car. You unlock access to a community of likeminded drivers who live boldly and scream Big Love from the rooftops.

An angled view of a vintage MINI in a red color with a licence plate reading “1964” against a white background with drop shadows.

Our history is enriched by a long list of one-off cars. Whether they were created for movies, noble causes, or designed by celebrities to show the world the many faces of MINI’s personality, we love them all equally.

An image of actor Rowan Atkinson sitting in a lounge chair tied to the roof of a vintage MINI Cooper holding a mop on a track with grass in the background.
An angled birds-eye view of the striped MINI Paul Smith against a light grey background with drop shadows.

The MINI Paul Smith
One car, lots of stripes. The legendary Paul Smith obliged with a MINI that matched his sense of simplicity, while delivering an exciting and vibrant MINI Cooper design for the 40th anniversary of the creation of the very first MINI in 1999.

An angled birds-eye view of the MINI Cooper S Limousine against a light grey background with drop shadows.

A MINI Cooper S Limousine
We’re used to MINIs turning heads, but very few of our special models shot to the front pages like the MINI Cooper S Limousine, also known as the MINI Cooper S XXL did in 2004. The whirlpool in the back was just one of the crazy things about this extravagant 6.3-metre limousine.

A side-view of the MINI Ice Cream Van against a light grey background with drop shadows.

The MINI Ice Cream Van
The MINI Ice Cream Van is affectionately called the Batmobile Mini by many, although it delivers icy goodness instead of justice. It was created from the classic Mini Pickup – with just the roof and back removed – and took its design inspiration from the 1960’s Batman television show.

An angled view of Mr.Bean’s MINI – a vintage MINI with a chair and mop tied to the roof - against a light grey background with drop shadows.

Mr.Bean's MINI
There are few cars that are as perfect for their owners as the classic MINI is for Mr. Bean. On TV and in films, the two have been together through many memorable adventures. But did you know that Mr. Bean has had more than one MINI? Or that his first was orange?

An angled view of the Italian Job MINI against a light grey background with drop shadows.

The MINI ACV 30
Also known as the big "what if". In the middle of the 1990s, designers and decision-makers sat down to choose how the MINI for the next century would look. Looking at it today, you probably couldn’t even imagine the ACV 30 as the new MINI. But you’d be surprised just how big of an influence it still has on our brand to this day.

A side-view of the MINI Wildgoose against a light grey background with drop shadows.

The MINI Wildgoose
There have been many unique MINIs that have altered the base car in some way, but none more so than the cult classic MINI Wildgoose. This small motorhome gave a new meaning to the phrase “creative use of space” and allowed passengers to experience new horizons.

An angled view of the MINI David Bowie – a chrome wrapped MINI - against a light grey background with drop shadows.

The MINI David Bowie
There isn’t much we could say about David Bowie that hasn’t already been said. He was an artist who continually defined and redefined himself and challenged social and cultural expectations. “Reflect Yourself” - that was the idea David Bowie had when he wrapped a classic Mini Cooper in chrome for our 40th birthday.

An angled view of the MINI ACV 30 against a light grey background with drop shadows.

The Italian Job
When you need a high-speed chase through a busy city with cars that don’t just turn up the excitement but turn on the style, you go for the MINI. It was like that in the original The Italian Job, as well as its modern remake. Check out how these cars became the real stars of the movie, and all the magic that went into making the action happen.

THE FUTURE OF MINI

THE next
genERAtiON

Happiness comes standard with the all-new MINI family, our largest and most tech-advanced lineup yet, with in-car experiences designed to turn morning commutes into joyrides.

A rendering of a futuristic-looking MINI with a blue tint against a bright yellow circle.

Kick every drive into high gear with a high resolution, circular 9.4” OLED display — a world-first, complete with up to eight unique MINI Experience Modes to match the mood. Let the light in with a Panoramic Moonroof and ambient light projections, enjoy stunning new styles and rooftop colors like Vibrant Silver, and be sure to say hi to Spike — our first fully-fledged voice assistant at the ready for direction tips and tricks.

A rendering of a futuristic-looking MINI with a blue tint against a bright yellow circle.
A rendering of a futuristic-looking MINI through a pill-shaped opening set in an animated blue and green world with a coral background.
A rendering of a futuristic-looking MINI with purple and green hues from a slightly higher angle with a coral and purple background.
A rendering of the circular display, showcasing a vehicle’s speed and text that reads “HELLO FRIEND”.
A rendering of Spike – the animated digital voice assistant – on a circular display with purple and coral stripes behind in the background.
An angled view of a MINI Countryman S with the side-view of a MINI Hardtop Two Door peeking out behind it against a purple circle with a blue background.

THE NEW MINI FAMILY

MEET YOUR NEXT MINI

Step into a new world of wanderlust - one that’s MINIer than ever. Our next generation of models is a more immersive experience in the making, with breakthrough designs and game-changing technology.