New Mini in 2021 it celebrates 20 years: an intense history of the brand that within BMW Group he “dared” several choices, even unconventional ones, but always with success. The iconic British brand was born exactly theSeptember 8, 2001: exactly twenty years have passed since that day and Mini celebrated this anniversary through the book “THE BIG LOVE – A 20-year (love) story “, written by the reporter Paolo Matteo Cozzi, published by Electa.
New Mini 20 years, the anniversary and the celebrations
Mini turns 20 in Italy. An important anniversary for the British brand that was relaunched by the BMW Group, first in Great Britain (April 26, 2001) and subsequently on the other European markets, including the Italian one. The modern Mini arrived in our country on 8 September 2001.
The history of the new Mini 2001-2021
April 26, 2001 | Start of the new MINI production at the Oxford plant. |
2002 | Just 13 months after the start of production, the 100,000th MINI leaves the production line at the Oxford plant. |
2004 | The BMW Group announces a £ 40 million investment in the Swindon plant. The MINI Convertible is presented. |
2006 | The Hams Hall plant produces a new generation of engines and supplies Oxford for MINI production, creating the “British MINI production triangle” consisting of three MINI production plants. The MINI Cooper S with the John Cooper Works GP kit is presented. |
2007 | MINI’s Oxford plant pioneers innovative paint technology. The Oxford plant is the BMW Group’s first production site to use the Integrated Paint Process (IPP). This highly innovative system leads to energy savings and emissions reductions of over ten percent in the bodywork painting process. |
2008 | MINI Clubman is launched. |
2009 | Testing begins for the MINI E, supported by the British government. Worldwide field trial by the BMW Group to evaluate the technical and social aspects of driving a fully electric vehicle in everyday life. |
2010 | The brand’s first all-wheel drive model is launched: the MINI Countryman. |
2011 | Expansion of the model range to include the MINI Coupé. |
2012 | MINI Roadster is launched |
2013 | Première of the MINI Paceman. |
2014 | The first MINI 5-door is launched. One of Britain’s largest solar parks is installed on the roof of the MINI factory in Oxford. The solar park has more than 11,500 panels, covering 20,000 square meters (five football fields). It generates enough electricity to power the equivalent of 850 households (over 3 megawatts). This allows the Oxford plant to reduce its carbon footprint by approximately 1,500 tonnes of C02 per year. |
2015 | The new MINI John Cooper Works GP is presented. |
2016 | The latest generation of the MINI Convertible is announced. |
2017 | The second generation of the MINI Countryman is presented. |
2019 | The MINI plant in Oxford builds its 10,000,000th MINI. Two new additions to the model range are announced: the third MINI John Cooper Works GP and the production of the brand’s first fully electric vehicle, the MINI Cooper SE. |
January 2020 | Production of the MINI Cooper SE begins at the Oxford plant. The purely electric MINI is fully integrated into the production process. This makes it the first BMW Group plant to operate electric vehicles on the same line as models with combustion engines, enabling flexible production in line with global demand. By the end of 2020, a total of 17,580 vehicles will be delivered to customers around the world. |
October 2020 | MINI announces future product plans and new strategy, focusing on electromobility, the introduction of a new crossover model and model production in China starting in 2023. |
March 2021 | MINI confirms that the brand’s latest model with an internal combustion engine will be presented in 2025. From the beginning of 2030 the brand will be driven exclusively electrically. |
In 20 years he has rewritten history establishing himself above all among young people, with sports versions (John Cooper) until the last one arrived with electric motor.
Icon Mini since 1957
Officially BMW Italia has brought to light and reconnected to the iconic historical image of the Mini after about 3 years from its launch, but this is deliberately as they declared on the occasion of the presentation of the book in Rome.
The Mini actually has much more years of age. It was the 1957 when, in Great Britain, the BMC – British Motor Corporation – asked Issigonis to design a small car that consumed little since the Suez Oil crisis was underway. Thus was born the car that we all know and revolutionary with transverse front engine (BMCA with 848 cc and 34 horsepower) and gearbox directly coupled to it and front-wheel drive.
Mini book, the history of the last 20 years
The whole story of the Mini 20 years in Italy has been collected in the book “THE BIG LOVE – A 20-year (love) story” by Paolo Matteo Cozzi, available in bookshelf and on the main digital platforms. This volume traces the Italian history of the brand: from the communication before the launch, when the project was still top secret, to the interaction with the ecosystems of design, cinema and fashion.
The twenty years of history have been told through images that trace the various initiatives that MINI has shared over the years with its Community of enthusiasts and more, and testimonies of those who have experienced it firsthand with the stories of Massimiliano Di Silvestre, Stefano Ronzoni, Mario Calabresi, Marco Makaus, Luca Scotto, Anna Agnelli, Aldo Colonetti, Francesco Festuccia, Pier Francesco Favino, Michele Lupi, Ildo Damiano, Massimo Bottura, Oliver Heilmer And Renzo Vitale.
In fact the book was also a tribute to some of the gods protagonists which in these 20 years have contributed to making Mini a point of reference in Italy.
How to order the book of the new Mini
The book, published by Mondadori Electra, is on sale in bookstores or can also be ordered on AMAZON.
They might interest you (indeed I recommend it!)
👉 MINI John Cooper Works
👉 New Mini, features
👉 Mini electric, Cooper SE battery features
👉 MINI price list 👉 Used MINI ads
💥 I notify: to stay updated and receive latest news on your mail subscribe to the automatic Newsauto newsletter HERE.
👉 What do you think? Take a leap on the FORUM!
#Mini #celebrations #birthday #years #history