Gallery: The Many Faces of the Iconic Mini
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Since its 1959 debut, the Mini has appeared in countless iterations.
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The original Mini was the work of Alec Issigonis, British Motor Corporation's technical director.
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Issigonis's task: Build a car that would take up little room on the road, yet provide a spacious interior for its passengers and their cargo.
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It didn't take long for the Mini to make it to the track—this is the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally.
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It was common to see multiple Minis on the track, like at this 1966 race, at Britain's Crystal Palace circuit.
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The car took on military uses as well. In 1964, BMC created the Mini Moke, a lightweight troop transport vehicle based on the Mini Countryman.
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This is the Wildgoose, one of the stranger Minis ever made. The camper van was made by Wildgoose Ltd, which used the Mini Van as a base model. Just a few dozen were built between 1963 and 1968.
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Unsurprisingly, the Mini served as a canvas, including for Paul Smith in 1999.
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Since the Mini's rebirth in the mid-90s, the car's been remade into a wide range of versions, including the Clubman.
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And the 2013 Paceman, a three-door crossover.
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Since the Mini's revival, BMW has shown no inclination to leave the basic car be. The Mini Superleggera vision is a two-seat convertible that has little in common with its 1959 ancestor.
