The Mini would not have lasted as long as it has without the Cooper
version because it gave the car a hip image and motor racing pedigree.
It soon became a cult classic - helped no end by the hit Brit
flick, The Italian Job, released in 1969, where it was driven down
Turin's stairways and through its shopping centres.
Celebrities and citizens alike fell in love with
the little cars, which were nicknamed 'Giant Killers'. They often
turned in faster lap times at Brands Hatch and Monte Carlo than
big saloons.
The Mini car complimented the mini skirt, and it's
no surprise that it was Mary Quant's first runaround.
The
Mini 
