From the rally legend to the MINI Cooper S. Mini - winning the Monte Carlo Rally 40 years ago.

1. Introduction. 2. 1964 Monte Carlo Rally: How the Mini Cooper became a
legend. 3. A small car coming out big: Mini and the Monte Carlo Rally.
4. A wolf in sheep's clothing: The creation of the Mini Cooper. 5. The
three musketeers: Fast men in their Mini Coopers. 6. A big star in a
small car: Rauno Aaltonen all about Mini and MINI. 7. The Mini in
Motorsport: Most important wins and racing success. 8. The new MINI: A
more than worthy successor. 9. The power people: John Cooper Works. 10.
Mike Cooper about the MINI: "Hottest, coolest car in town."
11. A comparison of specifications: Mini Cooper S 1964 - MINI Cooper S
2004. It certainly was the sensation in the 1963/64 winter rally
season: A small red David with a white roof proudly showed its tailpipe
to all those ultra-powerful Goliaths, clinching overall victory in the
Monte Carlo Rally. And in this "big bang", the tiny little
car immediately became a legend: Originally conceived as an inexpensive
and economical means of transport, the Mini had been transformed into
the hot-blooded Mini Cooper now clearly standing out as the "small
man's sports car". Wherever the Mini - either in standard trim, as
the Cooper version, or in highly modified form - appeared at the start
of a race, it was always good for a genuine surprise. Indeed, the Mini
wrote many a headline in the world of rally racing, just like it made
times more than difficult for the usual "strong guys" on race
circuits the world over. The 1960s, therefore, were the decade of the
Mini, far beyond official races and competitive events alone. For even
when the Mini started to feel keen competition on closed circuit
tracks, there was still no other car in the market able to offer the
same kind of sporting performance for so little money, providing
outstanding driving pleasure within such compact dimensions.