This month, we're celebrating 25 years since the last classic Mini rolled off the production line!
The world's largest collection of historic British cars
The world's largest collection of historic British cars
4th October 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of ‘60s pop icon Lulu driving the last classic Mini off the Longbridge production line in front of workers and the press. ‘Self-Preservation Society’ from the 1969 movie The Italian Job was playing in the background in a nod to the car’s association with the Swinging ‘60s. This same car - the last of over five million built - was presented to the Museum’s Trust on 6th December 2000 by the Deputy Chairman of MG Rover and is now a key part of the Museum’s collection.
At only 10 ft long the Mini was ‘wizardry on wheels’ thanks to Alec Issigonis’ innovative design. Sliding windows, a transverse engine and wheels mounted close to each corner all meant that up to 80% of the Mini’s floorspace was given over to the passengers. A 2014 world record proved this with 27 people squeezing themselves inside!
Launched in 1959, for 42 years the Mini established itself as part of British culture. A ‘Cool Britannia’ icon established in the 1960s, Minis were owned by celebrities such as Peter Sellers, the model Twiggy, and all four members of the Beatles, who each had a Mini Cooper ‘S’ bought by their manager Brian Epstein. George Harrison’s psychedelic red and gold Mini even went on to feature in the 1967 movie Magical Mystery Tour whilst Ringo Starr’s had a hatchback added for his drum kit by Radford Coachbuilders!
In 1980, the Austin Mini Metro was launched as a replacement for the then 21 year old Mini. With a transverse A-series engine and front wheel drive, the Metro built on the legacy of the original Issigonis design. Unlike the Mini however, it had a hatchback; a feature the Mini had almost gained with the 1969 Mini 9X concept. Despite winning What Car’s ‘Car of the Year’ award twice, the final Metro (by now called the Rover 100) rolled off the production line in 1998, 3 years before the car it was built to replace would end production. Signed by 1,200 people involved with the production of the car, it is now on display in the Museum’s Collection Centre.
Looking back, the classic Mini remains a testament to British style and engineering prowess. Although it may have been small, the Mini was mighty and echoes of Issigonis’ revolutionary design still manifest in the Frank Stephenson designed BMW built Mini, such as the analogue dash styling and rounded headlight.
Stephenson designed hypothetical updates to the classic Mini to see how the design might have evolved since 1959 yet retained its distinctive and recognisable look. He compared the side view of the original Mini to a ‘3 tiered cake’ with the roofline, glass, and the body making up the layers, incorporating these cues in his concept car. The 2001 ‘New Mini’ is now approaching 25 years old itself - time will tell whether that design will be looked on with similar fondness in the future.
Have you ever owned a classic Mini? Like Ringo, have you ever had yours modified? Post a picture and your Mini Memories to our Facebook page - don’t forget to use the hashtag #ExploringBMM.
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