10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT... THE MINI COOPER AND COOPER S
The Mini Cooper was launched on 20th September 1961, just over two years after the original Mini. Although the Mini itself revolutionised motoring, it was never intended as a sporty car. Indeed, the original engine size was going to be 948cc, but that was thought to be too fast during the prototype testing phase and so it was downgraded to 848cc.
However, it didn’t take long for people to start tinkering with Mini engines, and for companies like Downton Engineering, Speedwell and a host of others to start tuning them. Twin carburettors, modified heads, performance manifolds and exhausts all became very popular, and in very short order Minis were entering – and winning – races at race tracks in the UK and around the world.
One person to see the potential of all this was John Cooper. Alec Issigonis and
