They’re small, cool and – after starring in a cult movie classic – they’re very much a Kiwi icon.
Minis are loved by drivers from all walks of life and have been popular with us Kiwis since their launch 47 years ago – more than a lifetime for some of us. And while the rest of us have undergone some serious changes over our lifetimes, the Mini doesn’t really look a whole lot different to that cheery wee model we first glimpsed back in 1960.
Unlike any other make of car out there, this little brick on wheels is instantly recognisable as a Mini no matter what era it’s from.
We took to the Mini like a duck to water: this first car of the modern era was rushed into local assembly and New Zealand offered more versions of the Mini than anywhere else on the planet.
Yes, we love our Minis and this book is a celebration of that Kiwi fascination.
Let’s face it, who hasn’t sat in a Mini and wanted to shout out for all the world to hear: “We’re taking this car to Invercargill!”
(And if you don’t get that reference, bah humbug you young whippersnapper).