About MINI
Originally known as the Morris Mini-Minor and the Austin Seven the Mini was a specific vehicle created by the British Motor Corporation
in 1959. It was eventually developed into a brand encompassing a range of small cars, including the Clubman, Traveller, and Moke. The original 2-door
Mini continued in production until 2000. The original Mini used an innovative space-saving front-wheel-drive layout, which allowed 80% of the car's
floorplan to be used for passengers and luggage. It is sometimes considered the British equivalent to Germany's Volkswagen Beetle. In 1999 the Mini
was voted the second most influential car of the 20th century, behind the Ford Model T.
In 1994 BMW purchased Mini and saw it as an opportunity to create a competitively-priced, yet premium, compact car. When the production of the Mini
ceased in 2000, BMW announced the successor the Mini. The brand name for the new car is MINI and is commonly called the "BMW MINI" or "New MINI."
The new MINI is much larger than the original and is now classified as a compact car rather than city car.
Today the MINI can be found all over the world including the United States, Europe, and Asia. In 2010 BMW AG, the owners of MINI had net revenues of
$85.1 billion and vehicle sales of 1.2 million. MINI had unit sales of 234,175 vehicles.
The MINI Paceman concept was revealed this year as MINI's first "Sports Activity Coupe." It is based on the newest addition to the MINI line-up,
the Countryman. It has a similar interior, and a range of options and drivetrains, including the ALL4 permanent all-wheel drive system. This vehicle
features an entirely new exterior design based on the MINI Coupe Concept from 2009. Production of this vehicle should begin 2012 for the 2013 model year.