TwelveTwelve months MORRIS mini

TwelveTwelve months MORRIS mini-minor 850
Achievement Achievement
NoNo ordinary car
Thee Morris Mini-Minor saloon was announced by The
Britishh Motor Corporation Limited on 26 August 1959.
Neverr before in the whole history of motoring had
aa new model offered so complete a break with traditionall design. Here for the first time was high-performancee motoring for four adults, plus luggage. being
madee available by a car having an overall length of
onlyy 10 ft.!
Thiss miracle of compact motoring design was
achievedd by turning the engine sideways, mounting
thee gearbox in the sump, and using front-wheel drive,
four-wheell independent rubber suspension, and 10 in.
diameterr wheels.
Andd the car was so roomy inside that it provided
amplee parcel, seating, arm, and leg room. Road
performancee was astounding. Endless cruising at
600 m.p.h. plus, with a maximum speed in excess of
700 m.p.h. And. with all this, easy parking within 12 ft.
off kerb space.
B.M.C,, confidence in the new model was such that
£100 million was invested in new plant and equipment
forr its production.
Inn its first 12 months this car, and its sister model
thee Austin Seven, have become famous. This brochure
recordss some of their major achievements.
ThisThis is the design
thatthat has set new standards
inin automobile efficiency,
performanceperformance and safety
Thiss sectional view shows how small a proportionn of the overall length is required to house
thee power unit and transmission, thereby permittingg maximum utilization of space for passengerr accommodation. Likewise, the positioning
off the small wheels at the four corners and the
compactnesss of the rubber suspensions ensure
onlyy marginal encroachments on body space by
wheell arches and suspension mountings.
Inn addition to freeing more space for passengers
andd luggage, a characteristic of the rubber suspensionn is that it ensures constant road-holding
qualitiess whatever the load. On a car weighing
lesss than 12 cwt. this is of vital importance.
Manyy other factors contribute to the car's
exceptionall stability, including the low centre of
gravity,, the wide track, and the positioning of
thee wheels at the four corners, but none of these
aree at the expense of ground clearance, which at
6161 in. is equal to that of many very much larger
cars. .
AA Few Facts and Figure*
Enginee cylinders and valves
Enginee capacity . .
B.H.P P
Maximumm torque
B.H.P.. per laden ton
M.P.H,, at 1,000 r.p.m.
topp gear
Maximumm speed ..
M.P.G.. at steady 40 m.p
Fuell tank capacity
Wheelbasee . .
Track—front t
Track—rear r
Overalll length
Overalll width
Overalll height
Turningg circle
Groundd clearance
Approximatee weight
4,, o.h.v.
8500 c c .
377 at 5,500 r.p.m.
455 lb. ft. at 3,450
r.p.m. .
46 6
14-82 2
722 m.p.h. approx.
53 3
5^^ gallons
66 ft. 8 in.
33 ft. 111 in.
33 ft. 91 in.
100 ft. 0 in.
44 ft. 1\ in.
44 ft. 5 in.
299 ft. 0 in.
6$$ in.
\\\\\\ cwt.
'Throwingg convention to the winds often
Announcement Announcement
producess freaks in the automobile world, but
roadroad tests
whenn done by a clever and imaginative designer
thee result may be outstanding. This is certainly
byby a leading
thee case with the Morris Mini-Minor which,
motormotor ing journal
duringg a road test of the de-luxe model, was found
too set new standards of comfort and roadworthinesss in the very small family car class. . . .
43-55 m.p.g. at
ExtractsExtracts from T h e Autocar' Road
40-44 m.p.g. at
TestTest No. 1740
111 9 cwt.
Overalll Fuel Gonsumption
1,4222 miles averaged 40-1 m.p.g.. (71 litres
1000 km.)
61-3/38-7 7
14-99 cwt.
1-97 7
Approximatee Normal Range
35-533 m.p.g. ( 8 1 - 5 1 litres per1000 km.)
Weight t
Withh 5 gallons of fuel
Weightt distribution front/
rear r
Ladenn weight as tested
Lb.. per c c . (laden) ..
Autocar Autocar
Maximumm Speeds on Gears
Thee manufacturers are to be congratulated on
Topp gear (mean)
producingg at a truly competitive price an outTopp gear (best)
standingg car providing unusual body space for
Thirdd gear
Secondd gear
itss size, and one in which four persons can enjoy
Firstt gear
comfortable,, safe and economical motoring.
28th28th August, i9$g
Itt is far from being an underpowered miniature,
Fuell Consumption
Steadyy Speeds in Top Gear
RepmducedRepmduced by permission of
too interest the sporting motorist because of its
T H EE A U T O C A R
59-88 m.p.g. at steady 30 m.p.h. .
finefine handling qualities.'
53-44 m.p.g. at steady 40 m.ph. .
andd has a very lively performance; it is certain
steady 50 m.p.h.
steady 60 m.p.h.
72-77
74-55
6100
4000
2400
m.p.h.
m.p.h.
m.p.h.
m.p.h.
m.p.h.
Accelerationn Times From Standstill
0-300 m.p.h
6-22 seconds
0-400 m.p.h
1000 seconds
16-99 seconds
0-500 m.p.h
0-600 m.p.h
26-55 seconds
Standingg quarter-mile
23-33 seconds
Accelerationn Times on L'pper Ratios
TopTop Gear
IrdIrd Gear
13 0 seconds 8*66 seconds
10-300 m.p.h.
20-400 m.p.h.
12-6 seconds 8-66 seconds
30-500 m.p.h.
14 3 seconds 1000 seconds
19-9 seconds 15-66 seconds
40-600 m.p.h.
33
"Theyy olfer the artisan, clerk, and wage- 'Motorr Industry':
earnerss at large a "people's car". . . . They pro'Thee B.M.C, "babes" represent a major
'Thee Most Sensational Car Ever Made Here'
videe motoring. without compromise, at a penny
engineeringg
triumph in the development of the
'.. . . After testing it yesterday I can say con- aa mile (on fuel).'
smalll
car,
and
they abound both in advanced
tidentlyy that this car—nicknamed the Sputnik by
featuress and in thoughtful planning for driver
B.M.C,, workers—will start a motoring revoluandd passenger comfort.'
'Thee Times':
tion.' '
Courtenayy Edwards in the 'Daily Mail":
FirstFirst press
comments comments
'B.M.C.. Baby Cars Set Up a New Standard
inn Low-price Motoring'
Tomm Wisdom in the 'Daily Herald":
'Itt can be asserted that these B.M.C, cars set 'Engineering': :
ann entirely new Standard in low-priced motoring
'Thee new baby car . . . is a rcmarkable exercise
Tt'ss a People's Car that Opens Up a New
becausee they make no sacrifices in the way of inn compact construction.'
Eraa in Family Motoring'
performancee and comfort.'
'Forr two days I hurled the little car through
everyy imaginable test, ending up with a real
bashingg on the Army's testing ground at Chob- Motoringg Correspondent of the 'Financial l 'Automobilee Engineer':
Times': :
ham.. I gave up. I couldn't fault the machine.'
'Undoubtedlyy the most interesting and original
'Thee suspension is quite rcmarkable: I drove the carss to emerge from a major British factory for
carss over deep potholes in a broken-up concrete manyy years.'
Basill Cardew in the 'Daily Express':
roadd and hardly feit a jar, and this goes for the
backk as well as the front seats.'
'Rightt for the Family and Any Kind of Traffic'
'Topp Gear':
'11 reached 60 m.p.h. in under half a minute.
'Motoringg News':
Clearlyy the car will outstrip many on the road.
T h ee "power package" style engine and trans'Ass outstanding was its fuel consumption:
'Withoutt doubt the most revolutionary and missionn system developed by B.M.C, engineers
moree than 50 m.p.g. at a steady 40 m.p.h. and an excitingg cars ever to be produced in volume by a forr the new "babes" certainly marks the beginning
all-roundd average thirst of 45 m.p.g.'
off a significant design phase.'
Britishh manufacturer.'
Charless Fothergill in the 'Daily Sketch':
'Wizardryy on wheels! That's what I think of the
B . M . C ss long-awaited baby cars, the Austin
Sevenn 850 and the Morris Mini-Minor announced
today. .
'Linkedd to the liveliest road performance is
exceptionall safety. I found road-holding magnificent.' '
A.. McKenzie in the 'Daily Telegraph':
M.C.. twins—a new Austin Seven and
Mini-Minor—fulll details of which are
releasedd today, spark off a revolution in British
carr design, and represent a new era in democratie
motoring. .
IMU^l IMU^l
MORRIS S
Mini-Minor r
and and
AUSTIN N
Seven n
win win
Dewar Dewar
Trophy Trophy
Thee Dewar Trophy was awarded for 1959
too The British Motor Corporation Limited,
coupledd with the name of Mr. Alec Issigonis, for
advancedd development in automobile design as
exemplifiedd by the Austin Seven and Morris
Mini-Minor.. The accompanying photograph of
thee presentation shows Mr. A. Issigonis, Lord
Nuffield,, Sir Wilfred Martineau, Mr. G. W.
Harriman,, and Mr. S. V. Smith.
Donatedd in 1906 by Sir Thomas Dewar, the
trophyy may be awarded annually for any outstandingg British technical achievement in the
automotivee field during the previous year or for
anyy design that is known to have reached a
significantt stage of development, application, or
utilizationn during that year.
Thee Royal Automobile Club Technical and
Engineeringg Committee is responsible for making
thee award. This has happened on only 22 occasionss since 1906.
Thee last occasion the trophy was awarded was
inn 1958, when the recipients were Mr. Tony
Vandervelll and his colleagues jointly responsible
forr the design and development of the Vanwall
racingg car.
Thee trophy was not awarded for 1960 and it is
still,, therefore, held by The British Motor
Corporationn Limited.
AA group of leading Canadian journalists
MORRIS Sjointlyy
named the Austin Seven and Morris
Mini-Minorr
as 'The Car of The Year' for 1960.
Mini-Minor r
Inn the illustration Mr. John O'Keefe. editor of
and and
thee Canadian magazine Track and Traffic, is seen
AUSTIN N
presentingg the award to Mr. R. J. Lucas, repreSeven nsentingg B.M.C, in Canada.
JointlyJointly named
Thee wording on the citation is as follows:
"Car"Car
'Carrof
of the year award: this award is presented
annuallyy
thethe Year" by Canada Track and Traffic Magazine
too the manufacturers of the automobile judged
byby Canadian
thee best example of good design and customer
journalists journalists
value.' '
RoiuidRoiuid Britain
inin a weekend
mm
-ll O B , :
Onn the day that the Morris Mini-Minor was conditionss encountered on the route, and the
Mediterranean announcedd
Mediterranean
Ronald Barker and Peter Riviere of vigorouss manner in which the little car was
TheThe Autocar took one and set off from London indrivenn the drivers were astonished to find little
Mini Mini
ann attempt to prove the car's endurance by driv- evidencee of their hard work on the dismantled
gg
ingg over 8,000 miles around the Mediterranean.
parts.' '
Inn all major respects the car used was perfectly
Roughh roads, smooth roads, hills, valleys, and Standard.. The main modifications were the
deserts:: the route planned promised to provide additionn of a steel sump guard (which, it was
alll these in sufficiently arduous quantities to appreciated,, would cause a slight rise in oil
provee whether the new car really had stamina or temperature)) plus a six-bladed radiator fan.
not.. Thirty days and 8,197 miles later the car
AA Summary of Staristics
wass back in England, where it was literally
Weightt (all up, ncluding g
strippedd down to the last nut and bolt. It had
drivers) )
17ii cwt.
successfullyy accomplished its mission. Now it
Londonn to London
8,1977 miles
wass a question of examining all the parts to see
Fuell consumed
2288 gallons
howw they had withstood the test. The Autocar
Overalll consumption
35-955 m.p.g.
articlee stated:
Oill consumed ..
311 pints
Oill consumption (approx.)
2,2000 m.p.g.
'Hardd working and highly stressed parts of the
Bestt day's run (Benghazi to o
engine,, transmission and chassis were measured
Misurata) )
5066 miles at
forr wear and crack tested, while even the wheels
53-33 m.p.h.
weree stripped of their paint and checked for
Fastestt average recorded (Libya) 822 miles at
indicationss of fatigue or failure. The body shell,
655 6 m.p.h.
too,, was minutely inspected for any signs of
Greatestt distance covered in
movement,, distortion or splitting. Bearing in
onee day (Turkey) ..
6622 miles
mindd the variety of road surfaces and climatic
(Reproducedd by permission
°A °Aroiuia
roiuia
EpicEpic trip tests car's
enduranceendurance and
performance performance
infullinfull measure
o / T h ee Autocar)
Cologne Cologne
ThreeThree men and a
B.M.C,B.M.C, small car
AverageAverage 36.3 m.p.h.
forfor 3,024 miles
Thee coast roads of Great Britain, with their
manyy hills, sharp bends, and varying surfaces,
offerr a quite remarkable test route for checking
endurance,, performance, and road-holding. In
thee summer of 1960 Michael Burgess, Terry Keith,
andd Brian Woodifield set out in a B.M.C, 'babe'
inn an attempt to complete this challenging circuit
withinn a long week-end.
Theyy divided their duties into fïve-hour spells
off driving, navigating, and resting. Essential
stopss were at five ferries, 14 refuelling points, and
144 motoring association call-boxes which were
too serve as route checks. Here is a brief log of
theirr progress.
Thursday,Thursday, 6 p.m.
Sett out from Christchurch in Hampshire and
headd east.
Friday,Friday, 3 a.m.
Approachh King's Lynn.
Friday,Friday, 2.20 p.m.
Crosss border into Scotland. 800 miles completed. .
Saturday,Saturday, 3.15 a.m.
Arrivee at John o' Groats. 1,314 miles completed. .
AcrossAcross New Zealand
SouthernSouthern A
Saturday,Saturday, 8.20 p.m.
Passs through Ayr. 1,832 miles completed.
Sunday,Sunday, 4 a.m.
Reachh Liverpool and enter the Mersey Tunnel.
Totall mileage now 2,048.
Sunday,Sunday, 11.30 a.m.
Refuell at Carmarthen.
Sunday.Sunday. 10.25 p.m.
mpleted. .
Arrivee at Land's End. 2,775 mi
Monday,Monday, 5.20 a.m.
Arrivee back home at Christchurch. Total
mileagee 3,024.
Thee trip, with its many inevitable delays at
ferriess and in traffic, was completed at an average
off 36-3 m.p.h., which meant that cruising speeds
inn the 60 m.p.h. region must have been maintainedd for many very long periods. The car ran
beautifullyy throughout, clinging to the road like a
leechh on all corners.
Factss and Figures
Totall time taken
..
83 hours 20 minutes
Totall driving time
..
76 hours 10 minutes
Averagee driving speed
39-68 m.p.h.
Fuell consumption
..
411 m.p.g.
Peterr J. Lowe decided to cross the Southern
Alpss of New Zealand twice by Mini saloon.
Hee and his two companions found the scenery
spectacularr and the roads appalling. Their route
tookk them from Christchurch across the Alps to
Westport,, south to Greymouth, and then across
thee Alps via Arthur's Pass to Christchurch. He
writes: :
'Ass I looked at the pile of cases, coats, rugs,
clothes,, four-gallon can of petrol. camera gear
andd odds and ends required by the three of us for
ourr trip across the Alps I feit sure we would never
gett it all in the car. However, it soon became
apparentt that considerable thought had been given
too this major problem in small car design and the
carr swallowed everything in sight.'
Later,, when negotiating an appalling surface.
hee continues:
'Thee handling of the car in these conditions
wass quite amazing. Although we could feel the
smalll wheels thudding into the deeper ruts the
carr continued to give a well-balanced ride.'
Inn all they covered 650 miles at 40 m.p.g. Oil
andd water used was nil.
EstablishingEstablishing the
newnew era in motoring
Livingg standards throughout the world are rising
higherr and higher. More and more cars will be needed
byy more and more people, and the density of traffic on
thee roads and in parking areas will become acute in
manyy countries.
Thee Morris Mini-Minor was designed to meet this
need.. It gives to those who are motoring for the first time,
andd to seasoned drivers too, transport that is in every
sensee of the highest Standard of performance and
economyy with plenty of seating and luggage space.
Yett at the same time it is low in price and is as
compactt as possible in overall dimensions.
Soo far this booklet has traced a pattern that has
revealedd features of design, given evidence of approval
off that design by independent and competent authorities,, and offered facts to prove that the car has the
staminaa and endurance necessary to ensure long and
satisfactoryy operation anywhere in the world.
Thee following pages provide further evidence of its
manyy other achievements in tests, trials, and rallies.
Alll this has been accomplished by saloon cars, but
thee design has been adapted to give Traveller, Van, and
Pick-upp versions.
Thesee derivatives were announced successively in the
midsummerr and early autumn of 1960. Already many
aree in use throughout the world. The Van has earned
forr itself the title of 'The Errand Boy of the Sixties',
andd the Traveller has proved a favourite with many
becausee of its exceptional luggage space. The Pick-up,
thee last to be introduced, is finding a ready market in
thee building and similar trades.
MonzaMonza and back
RoyRoy Salvadori puts new
B.M.C,B.M.C, small car
throughthrough its paces and
isis tremendously impressed
Thiss was the result achieved by a Standard
Amazing Amazing
B.M.C,, 'babe' driven over the 1,000-mile Mobil
Economyy route in Great Britain.
economy economy
Noo coasting or other freak driving methods
61J861J8 Hl.pg.
weree allowed and two R.A.C, observers travelled
inn the car to ensure strict compliance with these
for forconditionss
and with the Highway Code.
1,0001,000 miles
Drivenn
by H. G. W. Kendrick the car completedd the arduous test at an average speed of
30066 m.p.h. Speeds of 50 to 55 m.p.h. were,however,, often necessary to maintain the pace. Still
thee 'babe' reeled off the miles at 61 m.p.g.
"H "H
Everyy year, at the Snetterton Motor Racing
6262 m.p.h. average
Circuitt in Norfolk, there is keen competition for
forfor 24 hours
thee Hesseltine Trophy awarded for the fourseaterr saloon car, costing under £1,000, which
BrilliantBrilliant success
coverss the greatest number of laps in 24 hours.
atat Snetterton Inn 1960 the award was won by Mann Egerton
andd Co. Ltd., who entered a Standard B.M.C.
'babe'' with B. J. Bleaney, M. B. McKee, and
M.. S. Fenton as drivers. The car completed 550
lapss at an average speed of 6206 m.p.h. This
meantt that at times the needie was often over
thee 80 m.p.h. mark! In fact, full throttle was
thee order of the day (and night too), which
accountss for the high fuel consumption.
Thee pits were manned by mechanics from Mann
Egertonn who skilfully changed tyres, added fuel,
checkedd oil and water, and washed the windscreenn all within 60 seconds per stop. The total
timee spent in the pits throughout the 24 hours
waswas only 25 minutes.
Thee record run, which will not easily be beaten,
subjectedd the car's engine, transmission, and
suspensionn to tests more severe than would
10 0
normallyy be encountered in a lifetime of ordinary
Inn September 1960 Roy Salvadori drove one
roadd running. Not only was the car always on off the B.M.C, small cars from London to
fulll throttle; it was also continually cornering at Monzaa to attend the Italian Grand Prix, and
thee limit on the same lock.
thenn back again to London. He writes:
'II soon saw the car was practical, easy to enter
Heree is a full summary of the facts and fïgures.
andd leave, and excitingly manceuvrable. My first
Entrant t
Messrs.. Mann Egerton & openn road impressions were extremely good.'
Co.. Ltd.
Thee car was flown from Lydd to Le Touquet
Car r
Saloonn in Standard trim byy Silver City at a charge of only £4, due to its
Venue e
Snettertonn Circuit, Nor- moderatee length. Salvadori made Monza 36 hours
folk k
afterr leaving London, by which time he had been
Date e
27/288 May 1960—2.45 completelyy won over by the little car's performp.m.. to 2.45 p.m.
ance.. As he said:
Drivers s
B.. J. Bleaney, M. B.
'Althoughh the car was an eye-opener on
McKee,, M. S. Fenton corners,, I thought the performance was at its
Conditions s
Excellentt weather for full bestt on hills, where the acceleration in third and
244 hours
evenn top gear can show up to tremendous
Lapss completed ..
550 0
advantagee against many much larger and more
Miless covered
1,489-5 5
powerfull cars.'
Averagee speed
622 06 m.p.h.
Onn the return trip a distance of 200 miles was
Lapp distance
2-711 miles
coveredd at an average speed of 51 m.p.h., and on
Fastestt lap
22 minutes 48 seconds
onee occasion through France an average of
Totall time at pits..
244 minutes 48 seconds
633 m.p.h. for one hour was maintained.
Petroll used
566 gallons (26-6 m.p.g.)
{Ri'produced{Ri'produced by permlssion of Sporting
Off the car Mr. Kendrick had this to say:
'Economicall this small car may be, but I have
neverr before in my experience driven a car,
largee or small, British or foreign, with such outstandingg handling qualities and "roadability".
Inn my attempt to maintain a steady speed on the
tripp it was necessary to take some bends at really
highh speeds and never once did the car deviate
fromm the chosen path. This car runs on rails.'
Austinn Seven and Morris Mini-Minor cars
ïst,ïst, 2nd, 3rd,
tookk first, second, and third places in Class I of
inin thethee 1960 British Mobil Economy Run. The route
waswas over a 1,215-mile course and the test lasted
1960 1960
fromm 9 to 13 April, with overnight stops at
Harrogate,, Weston-super-Mare, and Weymouth.
British British
Thee start and finish were at Worthing in Sussex.
Mobil Mobil
Thee route chosen took in a wide variety of
notoriouss
hills and climbs, including Porlock Hill
Economy Economy
inn Somerset and Blue Hills Mine in Cornwall.
Unclassifiedd roads and hills made up a large
Kun. Kun.
proportionn of the route.
ClassClass
Thee 1
winner was T. T. Wolfendale, driving an
Austinn Seven. He averaged 57-15 m.p.g.
Secondd came J. M. Readings with 54-86 m.p.g.
inn a Morris Mini-Minor, and third was D. H. F.
Keen,, also in a Mini-Minor. His average was
54-744 m.p.g.
Motorist
Thee winner's average of 57-15 m.p.g. was the
highestt ever recorded in this competition in
Classs 1, which includes cars between 500 and
10000 c c . capacity.
"The"The ó>thino
and I"
ó>
byby Frances Howell
Tests,Tests, trials and rallies
Misss Howell
tortuouss route
andd Tregaron.
quentt article in
ïfrii >
SomeSome racing successes of 196c
test-drove a Morris Mini-Minor over a
in the Welsh hills between Llandovery
Here are some extracts from her subseThe Motor.
ii set out from Cowley with my trusting heart high,
albeitt full of prejudice. Wizardry was all very well and a
Dewarr Trophy impressive, but I did not think this
cunningg little box on four absurd wheels was quite my
idea.. Three hours 20 minutes and 138 miles later I
kneww how wrong I had been.'
!
S !M^ ^
Somee of the rough tracks were truly m o u n t a i n o u s
butt the car came through faultlessly.
Misss Howell concluded: 'I can think of n o other car,
withoutt four-wheel drive, that could have brought me
throughh this Welsh fantasy.'
II feel that Alec lssigonis has built more safety into
thee 850 c c . B.M.C, car than is possessed by any other
smalll machine.'
(Reproduced(Reproduced by permission «/Autosport)
ConcoursConcours d'Elegance
Duringg its first 12 m o n t h s of production the B.M.C.
8500 c c . cars have won over 20 recorded successes in
nationall rallies and meetings. These are tributes to its
performancee and endurance, but that it can also win a
'goodd looks' award is proved by the success achieved
byy Miss Jane Collis in the Eighth Southsea Concours
d'Elegance.. With her Morris Mini-Minor polished to
perfectionn she won Class Five for cars entered and
drivenn by lady members.
Threee Sevens entered in the Austrian Tauernringfahrt
Hilll Climb in the spring of 1960 by Arge A u t o put up
ann impressive performance. Facing slrong opposition
fromm Continental makes of small cars, they dominated
theirr class, winning one gold and two silver medals.
RallyRally successes 1959-1960
R.A.C.. Rally 1959
jt&HgSgSS^jt&HgSgSS^
Austin Seven
T.. &t^^iLc£ dw;irds
2nd
Sis.'
Rallvee International de (ienive l%0
»» u s t i n Seven
/^i^^^d^a,
O - ' ^ ^ ^ H U ^ - ^ J ^ I f i e yy
lst 700 ro 850_c.c
00 850 ci
isss P. Alliso
Misss P , ^
Tulipp Rally 19'
T.. Christie and M. Pattf8ppsss!»^\ 3rd Class
J.. Sprinzel and M. H u t h t s i \ \ 2nd Class K.
Alpinee Rally 1961)
Minii Minor
T.. Gold and M. HugMl
I S s t 500 to 1000 c.c.
HH
Mini-Minorr ™
D.. Astle and M. SutclirTe
2nd in Class
R.A.C.. Rally 1960
Mini-Minor r
D.. Seigle-Morris and V. Elford
2nd Class I
3rd Class I
T.. Clarke and K. Coombs
AA model as new and as revolutionary as one of the
B.M.C,, 'babes' was bound to excite keen interest
whereverr it m a d e a first public appearance. G. J.
Lichtenbeld,, driving one to Czechoslovakia to report
onn the 1960 Six-day Motor-cycle Trial, found that
wheneverr he stopped for a rest people soon crowded
r o u n dd the car. If he lifted the bonnet they nearlj
feill into the engine c o m p a r t m e n t in their eagerness to
see. .
Alll in all, in reporting this trial he averaged 2.500
trouble-freee miles at high speeds and an average
consumptionn of 42 m.p.g.
Anotherr kind of commentary comes from Revue
Automobile,Automobile,
who conducted a trial totalling
12.0000 miles on two models in and a r o u n d Switzerland.. They sum up their assessment as follows:
AlpineAlpine rally success
AustrianAustrian Hill climb
"First"First ten thousand" by John Bolster
'Thee Mini-Minor was offered to me for a year's
extendedd testing. After only a quarter of that time, I had
persuadedd B.M.C, to accept a cheque and the little blue
carr was my very own. F r o m this it will be understood
thatt the brilliant ideas of Alec lssigonis are as effective
inn practice as they are attractive in theory. N o w that I
havee covered 10,000 miles in England and France, I
cann confirm that this is a very good car. . . .
Brandss Hatch International Meeting 1960
ProductionProduction Car Race
Austinn Seven
J. Blumer
3rd Up to 1000 c.c.
Britishh Empire Trophy Meeting, Silverstone 1960
ProductionProduction Car Race
Mini-Minorr
J. Aley
3rd Up to 1000 c.c.
Internationall Race Meeting, Silverstone 1960 (May)
Austinn Seven
G. Shepherd
2nd Up to 1000 c.c.
Mini-Minorr
J. Aley
3rd Up to 1000 c.c.
Americann Grand Prix Meeting, Riverside 1960
CompactCompact Car Race
Mini-Minorr
G. Beavis
lst in Class and 5th
Generall Classification
Johoree Coronation Grand Prix Meeting 1960
Austinn Seven
D. Arblaster
lst in 750 to 1300 c.c.
Coupee de Paris 1960
Mini-Minor r
J.. Aley
lst in Class
Mini-Minor r
T.. Threlfall
3rd in Class
EuropeanEuropean commentary
Thee Alpine Rally provides a tough test of a car's
road-holdingg and hill-climbing ability as well as testing
itss capacity for maintaining a high average speed over
Thiss is how motoring correspondent Pat Gregory,
veryy tortuous roads. T. Gold and M. Hughes, driving
writingg in Farm and Country, summed up 5,000 miles aa Mini-Minor in the 1960 Alpine Rally, won first
cxperiencee of a Mini-Minor.
placee in the G r a n d Tourina 500 to 1000 c.c. Class and
T oo justify the title Lilliputian he comments as camee fourteenth in the General Classification. A. 1'itU
followss on the car's external and internal dimensions: andd A. A m b r o s e , also driving a Mini-Mfrior. came
'Modestt though its measurements may be, the interior fourthh in the 500 to 1000 c.c. Class. Some idea of the
accommodationn is practically the same as the Morris terrainn encountered is indicated in the accompanying
Minor.. This is the essential ingrediënt in " M i n n i e ' s " illustrationn of G o l d ' s car, T M 0 5 6 1 , climbing powerwinningg formula. Its designer, Alec lssigonis, has fullyy u p a winding, loosely surfaced mountain pass.
cleverlyijoimbjnedd characteristics that have often been
t h o u g h T u T ^ g yy incompatible, and the outcome is a
veryy small car externulh. but a surprisingly roomy
vehiclee internally.'
B.M.CsB.M.Cs
amazing Lilliputian
Hee latet\jj£fects nis main reactions to the car's performancee by saying: ' W h a t makes " M i n n i e " deceptivelyy faster than many cars is its ease in negotiating
curvess with hardly any slackening of speed, lts ability
too corner like a dodgem with n o roll or keeling over is
matchedd by the absence of any pitching, regardless of
loadd and despite the short wheelbase. This is due to the
ffact that its rubber cone springs are so designed to
becomee progressively stiffer as the weight on them
increases.' '
'Suchh a clean break with established tradition (of
design),, a break also marked by the adoption of a
strictlyy functional form of bodywork. deliberatelj
divergingg from current fashions, calls for a certain
periodd of familiarization on the part of the public.
nn the Swiss market, where the customers are particularlyy difficult, this period now seems to have been
completedd and it is now admitted that the brilliaru
ideass which preceded the carrying into effect of thissmalll car have marked a veritable progress. . . . The
' b a b e '' reveals itself as a small car of quality capable of
highh performances and with exceptional road-holding
characteristics.' '
some
HH
Africa:: Now very much part of the landscape.
AtAt home on the veldt or in the towns. A favouritc
secondsecond car
Canada:: Economical and so easy to park.
OnOn ice and snow, tenacious. Additional
shipmentsshipments had to be made
PublicPublic Opinion
SpeaksSpeaks its mini
Letterr to The Autocar
II admit, with some apprehension. I finally sat
inn the
'Interesting'Interesting and Exciting.' Due to the kindness
of driver's seat and, once having seen the
aa friend, I enjoyed the most interesting and fïfthh member settled (a one-year-old baby girl) in
excitingg week of 38 years of motoring, covering thee back, started off to Nottingham.
ann annual mileage of 30,000 in all weathers on
Luggagee and passengers gave an additional
bothh sides of the Channel. The car I borrowed?
weightt of 43ï stone plus 5 gallons of petrol.
Onee of the latest Austin Sevens! 'Very nice for
Itt may be obvious by the following figures that
shopping,'' I thought, as I drove in the direction
off the industrial north, but I was soon to be wee were not out to prove anything, but very
surprisedd and delighted with this amazing vehicle's commendablee results were nevertheless returned.
performance.. I covered over 650 miles in four Thee m.p.h. averaged over both journeys was
dayss on a business trip through Yorkshire, accuratelyy checked and was found to be 38.
Durham,, and Lancashire, and back via the AA fuel consumption of 52 m.p.g. was, I thought,
Blackk Country and the Midlands, and I have no excellentt (5 gals.—260 miles). The first hour of
hesitationn in stating that this latest B.M.C, pro- thee journey was in rain and the last two hours
ductt is the finest vehicle ever offered to the motor- off the returning journey were in darkness.
ingg public in the world [in its price class.—Ed.].
II experienced not an iota of fatigue, having
Thee speed, general manceuvrability, and, most foundd the seats, driving position, vision, etc.,
important,, the safety of this car are a credit to quitee comfortable. The interior room can only
thosee responsible for its design and production.
bee believed by personal experience—excellent.
Yatton,, Somerset.
Leonard Taylor.
Althoughh our average yveighiof }0J\stone isn't
heavy,, our heights were 5 ft. 8 in. to 5 ft. 11 in..
Letterr to Sir Leonard Lord
II am so impressed with my new Mini-Minor, I andd therc were no conrpTaints ut all.
simplyy have to write and teil you what splendid
Ass I have read neïny^$lT ""f^/ various road
valuee it is for the money, and it is the only car testss of this A7 and the Mini, I have not always
forr city travellers. Its parking and performance foundd the appraisals easy to believe, but I have
makee it the most notable car of its class in the foundd them true for myself, with immense
world. .
pleasure. .
Youu have my permission to use my name in
Thiss is a fabulous little car, and it is very much
anyy publicity for this motor-car. Gratis.
aa
car by any standards. I hope to be able to buy
Spikee Milligan.
onee for myself next year. This will replace my
Letterr to The Austin Magazine
Rileyy Nine 1932 in spite of its excellent character.
Itt was my pleasure, three weeks ago, to hire an Welll done, Mr. Issigonis and B.M.C.! Please let's
Austinn Seven for a day trip to Nottingham. havee some more of your models with I.R.S.
Onn collecting this car, with 3,000 miles on the andd give us this excellent road-holding and ride.
'clock'.. the passengers climbed in and I watched,
Allenn W. Taylor.
14 4
Extractt from an Autocar Article, 'Style by
Design',, by D. N . Stephenson
'.. . . The Morris Mini-Minor or Austin Seven
iss the most basic bit of transport conceived in
thiss country since the war. It shows not the least
tracéé of being soiled by the sticky hands of the
stylist,, and yet avoids the grotesque appearance
thatt has characterized some of the equally
utilitariann concepts of the past. Its delightful
andd cheeky appearance accurately reflects its
performancee and engineering. Nothing could be
removedd and nothing should be added—a firstclasss design....
Letterr to The Autoca
AA Real Motor-car.'' For^^fSite some time urffil
justt recently I owned and drove an A35, which
II agree is a real motor-car and gave me a good
deall of pleasure to drive. However, recently I
soldd it in favour of a Morris Mini-Minor, which
too date I have driven 1,000 miles, and have no
hesitationn in saying that it^g^fo excels my former
A35,, especially in road-holding and stability on
corners;; the suspension is delightful, not to
mentionn more room inside, ease of maintenance
betterr performance, visibility, and petrol economy.
ll
Experiencee has shown that people in this
countryy do not want an overworked air-cooled
twin-cylinder-enginedd car, but a vehicle that
keepss pace with other traffic without strain and
hass ample room for four adults.... Finally, I
wouldd sum up by saying that there is a great
futuree for this car, even more so than the advent
off the original Austin 7, and have no doubt at
alll that it is, even more, a real car.
J.. N. Kennedy.
Malaya:: 514 miles at 4804 m.p.g. carrying 788 Ib. Gibraltar:: Prototype models covered a total of 250,000 miles of proving
ofof human cargo and luggage. A week-end trip,
beforebefore production plans were finalized
SingaporeSingapore to Kuala Lumpur and back!
Neww Zealand: Keen interest in Auckland. An announcement test-drive offer
broughtbrought in 3,000 drivers in this city alone
Sincee its introduction the B.M.C, 'babe' has been exported to
BuiltBuilt somee
for 124 countries. In every instance the reactions have foliowed a
veryy similar pattern. After driving—enthusiastic acceptance.
WorldWorld markets
Forr instance, in Canada, where the model was not officially
launchedd until the early summer of 1960, public enthusiasm increasedd so much that special shipments had to be made.
Southh Africa has taken large quantities, and in New Zealand
demandd quickly outstripped the first shipments.
Thee Middle East and the Far East have provided homes for many
more,, particularly Malaya.
Finally,, Europe, from Sweden to Portugal, has acclaimed the
car'ss suitability for both crowded cities and mountain tracks.
Thee first 12 months have established a sound foundation for
futuree expansion.
15 5
_XJC C
Thee basic concept of an cntirely nevv kind of car for
FromFrom twelve monthseveryone,,
of with which the B.M.C, design team started
onn their task five years ago, has now reached practical
achievementachievement to
a plannèd
fulfilment..
In terms of maximum space and performancee within minimum dimensions, there has never
of up to
productionproduction increase
bcforee been a range of models so completely efficiënt
the Seven and Mini-Minor saloons and their estate
400,000400,000 vehicles perass
annum
car,, van, and pick-up versions.
'Twelvee Months of Achievement' summarizes some
off the many successes achieved by these lusty newcomerss to the world of motoring.
B.M.C,, have full confidencc in their prodigy and will
increasee production to 400.000 per annum as world
tradee mirrors the growing and incvitable pressure for
efficiëntt and economical transport for all.
PrintedPrinted
in England
by The Nuffield
Press Limited,
Cowley, Oxford.
25/99 (35016) 3/61 — 1 0 0 ;
PublicattonPublicatton
N o . H. & E. 6 I 3 7