The Mini began the 1970s at a startling pace. Despite the range being altered to incorporate the Clubman range and the end of the Cooper S, 1971 proved to be its strongest year ever, with a whopping 318,475 cars built globally. The 3 millionth Mini was produced in October 1972, and in some months during the mid-1970s, the Mini was Britain’s best-selling car despite its age and the arrival of more modern supermini rivals.
Remarkably, the Mini prospered with very little change during the ’70s. This was a cash-strapped BL after all, which needed to focus on new models rather than putting sticking plasters on one that still sold brilliantly well. Issigonis continued to work on developments behind the scenes, but alternations to Mini were more of a case of steady, bit-by-bit development, rather than major changes. Hydrolastic and the Cooper S were
