Picture Of

MINI Cooper Cars

A more powerful MINI Cooper Cars, dubbed the "S", was developed in tandem and released in 1963. Featuring a 1071 cc engine with a 70.61 mm bore and nitrided steel crankshaft and strengthened bottom end to allow further tuning; and larger servo-assisted disc brakes, 4,030 MINI Cooper S cars were produced and sold until the model was updated in August 1964. MINI Cooper Cars also produced two MINI Cooper S cars models specifically for circuit racing in the under 1000cc and under 1300cc classes respectively, rated at 970 cc and a 1275 cc, both with the 70.61mm bore and both of which were also offered to the public. The smaller-engine model was not well received, and only 963 had been built when the model was discontinued in 1965. The 1275 cc MINI Cooper S cars models continued in production until 1971.

Sales of the MINI Cooper Cars were as follows: 64,000 MINI Cooper Cars Mark I with 997 cc or 998 cc engines; 19,000 MINI Cooper S Cars Mark I with 970 cc, 1071 cc or 1275 cc engines; 16,000 MINI Cooper Cars Mark II with 998 cc engines; 6,300 MINI Cooper S Cars Mark II with 1275 cc engines. There were no MINI Cooper Cars Mark III and just 1,570 MINI Cooper S Cars Mark III 's.

The MINI Cooper S cars earned acclaim with Monte Carlo Rally victories in 1964, 1965 and 1967. Minis were initially placed first, second and third in the 1966 rally as well, but were disqualified after a controversial decision by the French judges. The disqualification related to the use of a variable resistance headlamp dimming circuit in place of a dual-filament lamp. It should be noted that the Citron DS that was eventually awarded first place had illegal white headlamps but escaped disqualification. The driver of the Citron, Pauli Toivonen, was reluctant to accept the trophy and vowed that he would never race for Citron again. BMC probably received more publicity from the disqualification than they would have gained from a victory.