Simon Garfield’s rather hefty publication provides insight into the history of the design, production and marketing of both the original Mini and the new. It’s no coincidence that the book has been released in time to coincide with MINIs 50th anniversary celebrations, and while the narrative starts way back when in the late 1950s, we end up as up to date as book of this nature could be, in early 2009.
The book is presented in an unusual style, certainly unlike any other Mini or MINI publication we’ve previously encountered, and there’s quite a number of those on our book shelves! It takes the form of a string of narratives, interviews, usually quite lengthy, interspersed with historical facts and references from the author. It’s an interesting approach and for the most part works well, it is nice to get inside of the heads of those involved so well, but at times it can feel a little disjointed and occasionally tricky to follow as the timeline skips to and fro.
The first part of the book, almost half of the 280 plus pages, focuses primarily on the history of the original Mini, going back even further into the history of the Morris and Austin car companies. This provides a strong historical reference point which does help to paint a fuller picture of how the classic Mini fit into the world of 1959. Or perhaps to put it better, how it didn’t fit in the world of 1959.
Along the way myths are debunked (the famous Issigonis sketch you see to the right was NOT drawn on a napkin as legend tells) and some interesting revelations are made, however the really juicy stuff, what there is of it, only really concerns the original Mini. Perhaps too many people are still in the employ of the BMW Group for the really salacious stuff to come out about the new MINI just yet. Maybe 2051 will be a better year for MINI gossip.
The book is probably the most nerdy, the book most directly aimed at hardcore fans, of all the MINI related titles we’ve seen to date. For us, and quite probably you, that’s no bad thing. But it’s not really for the casual reader or someone with a passing interest in the MINI.
There are many interesting quotes and stories. Flicking through the book when it first arrived one thing hit us immediately, perhaps as it was unexpected, and drew a neat line between the design philosophies of the original Mini and the new.
Sir Alec Issigonis, designer of the Classic Mini:
Stylists are employed to make things obsolescent. Like clothes, women’s clothes. And it now applies to cars. In my cars I made it so they couldn’t become obsolescent, to give the customer good value for money.
Gert Hildebrand, head of MINI design:
We must make sure we make something that is good value for money and not a gimmicky trashy product. It’s important that you can still drive a Mark 1 MINI when the Mark 3 or Mark 4 is on the road.
MINI The True and Secret History of the Making of a Motor Car is available from the usual retailers with a RRP of £16.99, published by Faber and Faber.
Tags: book review, mini, mini book, simon garfield, true and secret history
