The original Mini was a "People’s Car", a British response to the fuel shortages of the 1956 Suez Crisis; and to the German and Italian Bubble cars. It went on to become a legend: the best selling British car in history, with a production run of 5.3 million cars and a massive influence on car design.

·  50 years ago (August 1959) Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, Greek–British designer, launched the Mini under the brand Austin SE7EN, for the British Motor Corporation.

·  40 years ago (2 June 1969) the car was immortalised in The Italian Job, starring Michael Caine.

50 years on the Mini, now owned by BMW, is again looking at fuel economy by turning electric.
It is leasing its Mini-E to 500 customers in the US for 2009 for them to help decide what the next step in “personal transportation” for the general public could be.

Click here for 50 years of the Mini
Click here for a pictorial history of the electric car