BOOK REVIEW - MINI COOPER 1961-2000 - PETER BARKER
A new book landed on my desk a few weeks ago, together with the suggestion that I might enjoy reading it. Given the title – ‘Mini Cooper 1961-2000’ – I thought that was a distinct possibility, so I dedicated a few evenings to reading and digesting it.
From many years of research into the trials and tribulations of Alex Moulton and Alec Issigonis, it could be said that I know the Mini story quite well. There are many books on the subject and no end of essays and other discussions, and I did wonder what new insights and material the writer could bring to the table.
It seems that there is rather a lot. It turns out that the author, Peter Barker, is somewhat uniquely placed to detail the history of the Mini Cooper. A Cooper was his first car, and he has spent the last forty years driving them, rallying them, breaking them and fixing them. He has spent many years interviewing some of the main characters in the story and, closer to home, worked for Alex Moulton in the 1980s and is now a Trustee of the Alex Moulton Charitable Trust. These experiences, together with his design background, mean that Peter is not just well-placed to tell the story, he is part of the story himself.
This gives a level of authenticity and realism that puts the reader in the driving seat. The infectiously lively performance of the car comes through the text; and when hearing that the brakes on the early cars were less than effective one can feel that sharp corner approaching a little too quickly. Above all, the irrepressible dynamism of the Cooper is exposed; this is particularly apparent in the chapter on the Mini Cooper in Competition, where the Monte Carlo Rally sees the cars and their drivers become national heroes overnight.
The unique combination of circumstances – and individuals - that led to the creation of the Cooper is also recorded, as are some of the technical details of how the car developed over the years. From its introduction in 1961, deletion by British Leyland in 1971 and the startling return in 1991 (thirty years since its launch), this book covers the important points objectively; there is clear enthusiasm and also some criticism.
As noted earlier, there are many other books about the Mini, some much more comprehensive and detailed. However, as a concise history of the ‘ten-foot Tornado’, this is a great read. This book is also profusely illustrated, and many of the colour photographs reproduced between its covers are previously unpublished.
Dan Farrell
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Mini Cooper 1961-2000, by Peter Barker
96 pages, 234 x 165mm, printed in colour
Published in 2021 by Amberley Publishing, Stroud www.amberley-books.com
