cultural influences and societal influences?

I just cant seem to find anything that talks about
that...anyone want to share ideas

i guess its made people thinking differently about
cars but not much cultural or social in that

The mini was classless, everyone from the beatles, to the district nurse had one. It didn't matter who you were the mini was cool for everyone.

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In the 40 years the mini was built, it hardly changed, when comparing it to other makes and models.

The only major changes were for safety and costings and even then they were not that major.

The mini hasn't really changed from 1959 to now, in terms of socio-cultural influences. It was built, as mini mad says, as a classless car. It was accessible to everybody. If they were a rockstar it was cool, if they were a young worker it was practical, if it was a rev-head it was cheap, easy to tune and quick.

Have you read "Mini - The Definitive History" by jon Pressnell. It is a great read and dispels many of the myths and outlines the changes.

However, if you are trying to answer the question "What are the main reasons why the mini has changed due to cultural influences and societal influences?" you are really going to struggle, because in reality, it never did, nor will it.

Even today, as a classic car, they still hold all the same cultural and social values they did in 1959.
They are still cool
They are still cheap, easy to tune and quick
They are still reasonably practical

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Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

and that is why I love them!

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Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

Well, the mini wasn't successful when it was first released. It could have gone on to be as boring and unappreciated as the A30/A35. It's success is a rarity born of several factors.

The beat generation loved vespas, pop music and alternative fashion. The mini was probably the only car to make the leap from transport to fashion accessory, and BL was lucky enough to profit from it. The Beatles, Twiggy, Peter Sellers - a massive vote of coolness that meant that to drive down the Kings Road in a mini was pretty much as cool as it got.

The other aspect of the mini becoming a cultural icon was the recession of the 70s. It's hard looking back to realise how desperate those times were for the UK. 3 day working weeks. Rolling blackouts. Crippling strikes. It meant that BL couldn't update the mini, and it really needed it (from a business model point of view). But the mini wasn't a model that could be easily reskinned, as the Marina, Princess and other dreary models were. A lot of other cars remained basically unchanged under the skin, yet received more fashionable clothes. So the mini remained the same basic shape and that helped it become a cultural icon.

Obviously, when things picked up, they did try with the Metro. Although the initial models still had the A series engine, the later models were significantly better cars if judged by performance only. But luckily the car buyers were happy to forgo some function over form, in the same way the Beetle survived.

There are other socio-economic factors, some of them the odd car tax regime in the UK. You could have a Reliant Robin and drive it on a motorcycle licence. You could by a van for less than the cost of a motorcycle, thanks to tax. There were cheaper cars, like Skodas, japanese cars and easter bloc cars, but they were rubbish. The mini was a great car in the sixties, a pretty good car in the seventies and let's face it a pretty rubbish car (compared to other cars) in the 90s. Your money could buy a much bigger and better car, but with almost no style. A Triumph Acclaim? Despite being a better car, people loved the mini for its honesty, and the fact it wasn't a rebadged Honda. It was honest, it was British, and it was a bit sh*t. Which was why it sold.

You really would think so eh? Administratively, BMC and BL were a mess. They have no idea what it actually cost them to make their individual models and therefore no idea what they should be selling them for. They came up with a price that they thought was about right for the particular market they were trying to appeal to.

They actually made their bigest losses in the years that they sold the most mini's

It is claimed that Ford got a hold of a mini early in the piece and stripped it down for costing. It goes that they recon BMC were loosing 30 pounds on every mini made.

It was kinda fortunate that they did actually have more profitable models to carry them through.

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True. Well, I read/heard the same fact somewhere so it probably is (or is one of those enduring myths). I suspect that BL did make a small profit per car (Not sure how Ford would know how much it would cost BL, rather than Ford, to make the mini), but any profit would have been lost in the Austin/Morris/BL in fighting and inefficiencies. In common with a lot of british industry, it's amazing they managed to stay in business for so long. For example, at the height of the union problems, all employees at Triumph earned the same. So the managing director took home the same as the guys working in the loading dock.

I suspect that there is some urban myth in there, however not entirely as there are many factors that would support this (Ryder report for one). I did think for a long time that this was just crap, as why would they make the mini (for example) for so long if it didn't make a profit, or raise the price to reflect it's manufacturing cost. It still would have sold. Once they eventually awoke from their slumber, the management didn't know what to do, so they froze and went broke (they did have help in that though).

Yes, It is amazing they held the doors open for so long. I didn't know that about Triumph (not only in engineering stupidity it would seem!) and it is as laughable as it is sad....they slit their own throats and had no idea that they were doing so.......

Things didn't change much......When BMW bought Rover (for the Mini) the BMW managment understood what the Mini was. There was one of the bigger Mini Meets on at Goodwood (I think) and the BMW managmant dragged the Rover Management along, even though it was on the weekend. The Rover Guys were blown away, they had NO IDEA that the Mini folowing was so huge. While they were there, (by design) they met up with Paddy Hopkirk and were walking and talking. They came across some enthusiast from Japan, 2 of whom bought their Mini's with them. Paddy being Paddy, started chating with them and then autographed the guys bonnet at which time the Jap guy fainted......again the Rover guys just had NO F^*king idea just how big Mini was......but this started to open their eyes (a bit).

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Looking back at 'mini is my ride's query:

I think socio-political circumstances in recent decades have been kind to the Mini.
Despite its popularity in the early 1960s, no one back then would have foreseen the oil crisis' of the 70s and the decades after. Another issue is environmental. Up to the 60s, the car was beginning to be viewed as a right. No one really could foresee the issue of congestion, reliance of foreign oil supplies and pollution.
To add salt to the wound, in the last 20 years Climate Change has reared its ugly head, again making excessive oil use / carbon dioxide production relevant.
How does the Mini fit in with all this? Easy. The Mini is small and appropriate. It is thrifty and cheap. It doesn't pollute as much as newer big cars and takes up less space. No wonder the Mini is seen as the forerunner of the now cliched 1000cc runabout.
Environmental issues have forced us to become more practical. Big cars are out and small cars are in. And what is the penultimate small car? The Mini!
Up yours GMH!

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1966 Morris Mini Deluxe
.... 4 bicycles and 3 screaming kids.

I think you might find that a modern big car probably has cleaner emissions than a mini..

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I would think that marc2131 meant to use the word 'percived' in there

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gees learn something everyday,

how said is that but i guess its like that with every company
they are often chasing profits more than quality or
noticing the smaller aspects.

where did you get all this info from is it just common
knowledge?

Yep perception is key here. But even then, technically, doesnt a modern V8 sports coupe consume much more than an old Mini engine?

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1966 Morris Mini Deluxe
.... 4 bicycles and 3 screaming kids.

I really don't know about actual real life total consuption, however as far as being 'clean' goes, yes I am told that the A series engine can be very clean, despite it's design age. But, as far as new cars go, if you drive a porsche in LA, the gas come out the exhaust is closer to un-polluted air than the air entering the air cleaner for the engine

Even then a Mini would still be percived to be leaner and cleaner

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There are a lot of interesting 'facts' (myths, misconceptions, truths) posted in here, but none of them really answer the original question.

How has the mini changed?



On the note of profits. Most of the reading I have done, does not support the 'myth' that the mini did not turn a profit. This myth is probably due to the fact that for the first year or two of production, the mini wasn't profitable due to all of the recalls and warranty issues. However, there is no solid proof that after these first few years, the mini wasn't making money.

GT mowog is correct though in saying that BMW were the ones to recognise that the mini was true money maker, and in the last few years, they were selling the mini at a loss.

Another reason this Myth was/is so strong is because of the way the mini was made. It could have been made a whole lot cheaper, but the way BMC/leyland was run, they just couldn't see this.

_________________
Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au