Mini named the best British car ever
The Mini has been named the greatest British car ever made.
Judges looked at each car in terms of their engineering pedigree, design, commercial success, significance in automotive history along with their heartfelt emotion and reduced the list of 75 down to 50.
The Mini topped the Auto Express list as the undisputed champion, with judges saying: 'Put simply, we reckon no other British- built vehicle better represents the relevant, innovative and pioneering UK automotive industry quite like the world's original small car.'
Phil McNamara, editor at large, Auto Express, said: 'What's the best British car of all time?
'Jaguar has made some crackers, and we can't forget motors from pinnacle manufacturers such as Land Rover, Aston Martin, McLaren, Bentley and Rolls-Royce.
'However, there was only ever going to be one winner of our Top 50 Brit cars rundown. After a short and somewhat snappy group discussion in the boardroom at AE Towers, the Mini was crowned undisputed champion.'
During the late fifties, designer Alec Issigonis was tasked by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) with delivering a sub-three-metre compact car that could carry a family of four.
The Mini's popularity soared when celebrities and racing drivers, including John Cooper, got behind the wheel and the modern car is nearly 90cm longer than the original.
Mr Cooper modified a Mini before driving it to victory at the Monte Carlo Rally four times and his name is on the three-door hatchback, along with the firm's superminis and family SUVs.
Mr McNamara added: 'While more than 5.3 million original Minis were built at the firm's Oxford site between 1959 and 2000 (1.6 million sold in the UK), the modern MINI as we know it (launched in 2001) has cemented itself as a cult classic. Plans to build the new electric Mini in the UK may have been paused, but in excess of 1,000 cars are currently built in Cowley daily, equivalent to one every 67 seconds.
'There really can be little doubt – the Mini (not forgetting the modern-day MINI) truly is the best car this green and pleasant land has ever built. Long may it continue.'
The Jaguar E-Type came in second, with the Land Rover Series/Defender in third.
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