Mini: An Intimate Biography

by Christy Campbell

From its birth in 1959, the Mini grew to become a national treasure and huge success: Princess Margaret owned one, as did Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, the Beatles, Peter Sellers, and Marianne Faithfull. Its popularity with women in particular marked it out from the crowd, and sales soared as the car was taken up by the new urban elite and took a starring role in The Italian Job. But there was trouble—the basic Mini sold for less than it cost to produce, and by the early eighties the miracle machine had become a symbol of manufacturing incompetence. The end came in 2000, but a new generation of Mini was just around the corner, and today this motoring pin-up is as iconic as ever. Mini features contributions from those who have known and loved this troubled star, as well as its scornful critics. Full of fascinating facts and vivid stories, this is a fabulous celebration that reads more like the life story of a wayward royal than a machine.

304 pages, Hardcover

First published April 30, 2009