Austin Seven Cooper / Austin Mini-Cooper

Successful racing-car designer John Cooper was quickly won over by the sporty potential of the Austin Seven. However, the British Motor Corporation (BMC) was sceptical about the idea of a works-tuned Mini-Cooper. As far as they were concerned, the Mini was an affordable and practical small car, but it wasn't a potential sports car. After some intensive persuasion, Cooper triumphed and in 1961 the Austin Seven Cooper was launched on the public stage. It delivered 55 hp at 6000 rpm, had newly developed disc brakes on the front axle and achieved a top speed of 140 km/h. The substantial demand ensured the Austin Mini-Cooper, as it was known from 1962, became a fixed element in the Mini series. Even its first version saw more than 12,000 units being produced by 1964.