The Cooper S is widely recognised as the variant that did the most to launch the Mini as a cult vehicle, but it might never have happened. While Issigonis was a brilliant and far-sighted engineer, he was reportedly rather set in his ideas – and one of those ideas was that the Mini should be a utilitarian budget machine for the masses, with few concessions to performance or luxury.
In the end, it was left to others to realise and unlock the Mini’s sporty potential. Soon after its debut, companies began offering upgrades for the car, but it was John Cooper, friend of Issigonis and founder of the successful Cooper Car Company race car
