In the 1960's F1 Champion builder John Cooper attached his name to the Mini Sports car and helped the company realize its full potential. The Mini sport car became a success when celebrities began to buy them, treating not like a mode of transportation but a large but small fashion accessory. Companies like Radford that once modified Rolls Royce models for celebrities were now working with Mini sports car models. Adding electric windows, hatchbacks and leather seats created an air of regal ness that was not found on the factory installed options. This was the brightest period for the original Mini sports car company. They had gained success by way of celebrity status and the likes of The Beatles, Peter Sellers, and even Enzo Ferrari were all driving Mini sports car models of one modification or another.
In 1971, the Cooper name was removed from the Mini and it was replaced by the Clubman. Considered to be one of the worst times for the company, sales plummeted with the release of the Clubman. Not stylish at all in the eyes of consumers and celebrities alike, the Mini sport car was headed for what seemed to certain death.
In 1980, Rover took over the ailing Mini sports car company and rolled out new designs in hopes of reviving the company. Part of this campaign was to create several special edition Mini sport car models in hopes of bringing the celebrities back into the fold. The Mini anniversary editions are thought to be the soul reason why the company was able to stay afloat. Issued a reprieve from death, the Mini jumped back into full production. With renewed interest, sales began to climb and the Mini was once again popular with the public.
In 1990 the Cooper name was once again attached to the Mini brand. In an attempt to boast sales, Mini actively marketed their new line in Japan where the original Mini was very popular. In 1991 Mini introduced the first fuel injected model it would produce. This became one of the most popular Mini models. With renewed interest, Mini began to work on updating the safety features of their popular car. The interest was short lived however, and the last Mini rolled off the line in 2000.
In 2001 BMW purchased the rights to Mini and began to manufacture the all new Mini Cooper. With the money muscle of BMW behind it, Mini once again flourished. To this day the Mini Cooper remains a popular automobile with classic styling. The interior design is brand new and safety features have been completely updated. This has brought a completely new crop of car buyers to the show room floor to purchase the revitalized Mini Cooper. Though it looks small, the look is very deceptive. Four adults can ride in the Mini Cooper comfortably and the gas mileage is uncharted. With the release of the 2006 Mini Cooper, BMW has shown that the Mini is just too good a concept to fade into the night.