Angelina WagnerWhat is that thing? Is it a car or a toy? What business does it on the same street as my Land Rover?
The MINI, in short, is an American phenomenon, and it was a hard-fought struggle to the top. It’s odd, and charming, “like a leprechaun,” according to the MINI website.
1960.
“The Twist” played on the radio. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was elected to the White House. And the Mini mad its American debut for less than $800.
Like in all new markets, the new MINI faced relative obscurity. People didn’t know what to think about it. The British coupe looked like a cross between a Volkswagen Beetle and a bulldog, some, according to the MINI website, said.
But the MINI proved itself a worthy adversary in the years to come, winning numerous rallies between 1964 and 1968 when MINI lost its license to sell in the United States. MINI, however, continued to sell worldwide
The Bavarian Motor Works, commonly known as BMW, acquired MINI in 1994. “AutoCar” named the MINI “car of the century,” shortly thereafter.
In 2001, MINI was reintroduced to the U.S. to rave reviews and national excitement. Limited supplies ensured a waiting list and prestige demand.
Since then, Americans have fallen in love with the MINI.
“I think they’re the cutest little car in the world. I think they’re horribly impractical and I could never move my stuff all the way from Maine to here. And I hear they’re very fuel efficient,” Amanda Brown, a secondary education and math major from Maine, said.
“I was thinking about getting one this summer, but I wound up getting a different car. It is sporty, yet different from every other car these days; every other car is going for a high tech look, and since they are originally British made, they went for a older look,” Tom Langston, a junior business administration major, said.
Movie stardom dawned in 2002 when the MINI, circa 1960,was featured in “The Bourne Identity,” skidding down stairwells and sweeping through the back allies of Paris.
“The Italian Job,” released in June of 2003, featured tricked-out custom MINIs capable of luging through subways and down sidewalks while carrying thousands of pounds of gold.
So what’s next for the “adult go-kart?” MINI dealerships are opening their doors all over the country, including in Bala Cynwyd, and most BMW dealerships will have a MINI on location.
“Drop a MINI fleet on Iraq and maybe Saddam would ease up a little,” Shannon Sollinger of the Times Community Times wrote.
Posted to the web by Angelina Wagner
