Interesting read there watto , Just as a side note , what (without going into too many specifics) was required for BMW by you to start "the mini experience" , was it a formal request to use the name or did it require a more complex agreement ?

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very interesting watto! quite a bit to chew on.

have you been hassled by BMW? what about other magazines?

edit: see time of posts. definately a bit to chew on! but i was on the phone too...

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78 Leyland Mini - Prince

So who is Robert Leonard??

http://pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au/atmo ... rec_all=11

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

like I said in my earlier post, In Australia the Mini Clubman was a Mini Clubman and not a Leyland Mini Clubman.
They only ever decided to use the Leyland name on cars after the name change from British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC) to Leyland Motor Corporation Australia in 1972. (just before the P76 was due out). So suddenly the Mini Clubman became the Leyland Mini S and the Morris Marina became the Leyland Marina. The Leyland name had not been used on cars since the Leyland Eight of the 1920's. So for two whole years the Mini was a separate brand.

Leyland Australia survived for a while after the UK nationalisation in 1975. It was after Leyland was privatised that JRA came about. JRA started of as a rename of Leyland Australia but it turned into a management buyout in 1986. 60% was Australian owned and the other 40% was owned by Austin/Rover and Jaguar. I don't know what happened with the shareholdings or who owns what now.

Can of worms!!!

In order to be less draconian they would first have to be less.................where is it they come from again!!

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That European place that lost both world wars...

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

BMW has always been a nasty company. The way that BMW put Borgward out of business shows how badly they can act.

Belgium

Close but no cigar- it's the other place- that doesn't have Hercule Poirot...

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Luxemburg

Technically BMW isn't German.
Seeing it stands for Bavarian Motor Works... and Germans don't see it as part of Germany... a lot like Tasmania in our case

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Miniworx Centre 0883741299
Sooperdooperminicooperexpertengineering
Online BMW Mini Shop

Yes, the early Clubman had a Mini Clubman badge on the boot, and Mini badge on the grille, but also had Leyland badges on the A-pillars. While the model was still called a Mini, the brand was still Leyland and Mini was never a separate brand in Australia (until 2001 and MINI).

The Clubman GT had a "Clubman GT" badge on the boot lid. That doesn't mean Clubman was a separate brand.

The first Mini S was badged Mini Clubman, so it was a Mini Clubman S, which came out in April 1973, not to replace the Clubman GT, but to fill the gap left when the Clubman GT was discontinued and it was felt that something was needed above the Clubman. The base model at this time was the Mini 1100 - a poverty-pack version, for fleet buyers (like NSW Police for station cars and various local councils, as well as a few private companies). When the Mini reverted to 998cc engines, instead of 1098cc, in May (?) 1973 the entire range was renamed Leyland Mini, with the base model being the Leyland Mini and the up-market model being the Leyland Mini S - until the SS and other subsequent models.

It waqs very different in the UK, with the Mini being promoted as a seperate brand with a range of models, but always showing it as part of the Leyland Group - "Mini, from Leyland Cars". The range in 1971 included Mini 850, Mini 1000 (both round-nose), Mini Clubman and 1275GT.

Now, getting back to the BMW thing:

No, we have not been hassled by BMW, and I don't think any of the magazines in the UK or USA have been either. While MINI does not actively support any of the magazines with (much) advertising, I think they realise it is in their interest to allow the magazines to continue without impediment. After all, we provide a valuable service to them in promoting their vehicles, to various degrees.

I have always got on well with the Media department at MINI Australia, and I expect this to continue, even though I have been a little critical of some aspects of the cars. I prefer to remain independant in my editorial opinion and will always write things as I see them.

Cheers,
Watto.

Hi Watto
Sorry for the delayed reply, I have been in hospital with a broken arm etc etc ... more metal in my arm now, then my last Lotus had in its chassis.

Anyway, just a question on the quote above
My information on the brand "MINI" is that it was not a brand until BMW made it a brand in late 1996. At the paris Motor show if I am not wrong. All the BMW hype at that point was that "MINI" was never a brand before that time, only a "Model" designation.
This was the launch of the MINI logo as we know it today as well ...
Interesting the hype at the time also said the "Old" mini was now complianced until 2003 with the airbags etc now added ... and would run along side the "New" car when launched in 2000/2001. Sad the divorce of Rover BMW ended that.

I must get a copy of the book you mention as well as I love reading about the era of Austin, BMC ... and that dreadful fall from grace company Leyland ... how they stuffed the british motor industry is worthy of a movie ...

talk soon
Gavin K

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Fatality Free Friday 22nd May
see http://www.fatalityfreefriday.com/

Firstly, there is a difference between "Brand" and "company" or "business name". There is also a difference between "Brand" and "Model".

From 1969 the Mini was always sold, in the UK, under its own brand name, even though the company that owned the brand was Leyland, and later Rover, then BMW.

Mini was not a specific model. The models under the Mini brand (in the UK in 1969) were 850, 1000, Cooper S, Clubman and 1275GT.

The original Mini brand badges were a blue and white shield with the word Mini across the top (sorry, I haven’t got a pic of that one at the moment – can anyone else put one up here?).

By the time the company had been through a few changes and owners, emerging as the Rover Group, the Mini brand badge was a circle with the word Mini in the centre, with wings either side.



When the Cooper was re-launched, this badge was replaced with one which said Mini Cooper inside a wreath, but only on the Cooper – non-Coopers retained the winged Mini badge.



When BMW launched the new MINI (and they have always insisted it be written in capital letters) the badge was a re-worked and stylised version of the previous Rover version, with Mini in a central circle and wings either side.



Any statement by BMW that Mini had never been a brand in its own right is simply not accurate, but PR people in companies are often mistaken in some of the things they say, especially if they haven’t done their home work.

Certainly, it was under BMW that MINI was made a separate company, but remained as part of the BMW Group of companies – though it seems there is very little autonomy within MINI. That is, BMW still definitely pulls the strings.

So, I have to disagree with you on this one.

Cheers,
Watto.