Happy Birthday! MINI Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Exactly fifty years ago today, the first Mini rolled off the company's production line at Cowley, now called Plant Oxford. To mark the iconic model's birthday, the British firm displayed the first Mini Minor finished in Old English White and carrying the registration number 621 AOK, at the Oxford plant which built 602,817 Minis from 1959 to 1968, before production was moved to Longbridge.

Overall, more than six million MINIs including 1.4 million units of the new iteration of the car that was presented in 2001 and was developed by the BMW Group, have been sold since the car first went on sale in 1959.

"Little did anyone know just how popular Sir Alec Issigonis's car for the people would be – or that half a century later it would be reborn as the MINI and once again be built in Oxford," said Dr Jürgen Hedrich, Plant Oxford's managing director. "This is a momentous day in the plant and car's history. Everyone at the plant is proud to be part of both the heritage and the future of this car," he added.

MINI plans to officially celebrate the car's 50th birthday along with thousands of visitors / fans from across the world at MINI United, which is being staged at Silverstone from 22-24 May. Those interested can find more info at www.miniunited.com.