MINI celebrates its 50th birthday on 26 August

The MINI brand will turn 50 on 26 August 2009. Fifty years ago to the day, the British Motor Corporation (BMC) unveiled the result of its quest to design a new and revolutionary compact car. The very first sales brochures praised the Morris Mini-Minor's "extraordinary future promise". Fifty years later, we know that few vehicle concepts have survived as long or achieved such popularity.