How Mini Used Psychology to Conquer America

How did the Mini go from being a post-war budget saver to one of the most beloved cars on Earth?

It’s not as fast as a Lamborghini or as sexy as a Ferrari.

It’s not as tough as a Jeep or as fancy as a Mercedes.

But, unsurprisingly, Mini (and their owners, BMW) are masters of marketing psychology.

The Little British Car That Could

Created in 1957, the Mini was built to be a tiny car that could go a long way on just a little bit of gas (or petrol, as the Brits say).

Post-World War II British car makers were designing bigger cars, but were forced to reconsider the size of their cars when the Suez Crisis unfolded in the Middle East and Europe.

Just like the recent war in Ukraine pushed the price of fuel to a breaking point, the Suez Crisis made it impossible for the still-recovering British economy to grow…

Because no one could afford gas to go anywhere.

Seeing the writing on the wall, Sir Leonard Lord of the Morris Car Company tasked his top engineer to build a small car that could carry four adults, with a low price and even better fuel economy.

The Mini was born.