The first-ever MINI rolled off the production line of the legendary Longbridge plant in Birmingham in the UK on 4 April 1959. At that stage, it wasn’t even known as a MINI. It was known as the Austin Seven. By August that year, when it was officially launched, the car was marketed under two names: Austin Seven and the virtually identical Morris Mini Minor. Both names were used until all production was moved to Longbridge 10 years later, when ‘Mini’ became the standard brand name.

MINI’s first design model of the current MINI 3-Door and 5-Door Hatch pays homage to this one-off legend. The limited-edition tribute is called the MINI Seven and has been specially designed to showcase the distinctive qualities of the original Austin Seven, fusing traditional values and progressive product quality.

The design of the Austin Seven and Morris Mini Minor by revolutionary car designer Alec Issigonis changed motoring history. The layout – front-wheel drive and transversely mounted engine – created an unusually generous amount of space for passengers and luggage: the beginnings of what are now premium characteristics for a small car. At the same time, short overhangs and a wide track, combined with the front-wheel drive, resulted in a fun and agile driving experience, still at the heart of MINI’s much-loved go-kart handling.

Honouring the legend, the new MINI Seven features exclusive exterior and interior design, as well as high-end equipment options. The exterior replicates the stylish and striking appearance of the new-generation MINI 3-Door and 5-Door Hatch, with bold and extrovert appeal. Lapisluxury Blue, the MINI Yours colour, is an intense blue tone applied to the body of a MINI, and brings out its surface design and lines like no other shade. The MINI Seven is also available in three other body finishes: Pepper White, Midnight Black and British Racing Green. Exclusive to the design model, the roof and exterior mirror are finished in Melting Silver. A unique set of 17-inch two-tone alloy wheels are standard to complete the exterior.

Adding to the already well-specced MINIs, with 6.5” display and MINI Connected to name a few features, are special trims and colours to bring out MINI’s premium character. This includes the fabric/leather finish Diamond Malt Brown, unique side steps saying “Seven”, and the center clock trim, which has been created exclusively for the design model.

To harness MINI’s hallmark driving fun, the new MINI Seven is available in two engine variants from the latest engine generation featuring MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology. The 1.5-litre three-cylinder puts out 100kW, and the 2.0-litre four-cylinder puts out a feisty 141kW. For all variants of the new MINI Seven there is the optional alternative of a six-speed Steptronic transmission, instead of the standard six-speed manual transmission.

MINI lovers will know that the spirit of the very first Austin Seven has been evoked twice before. Thirty-one years and almost 5.4 million cars after its first incarnation, in the year 2000, the last classic Minis rolled off that same Longbridge production line, before the BMW Group reinvented MINI for a new era. Shortly prior to that, the brand had launched a special model. Its name: Mini Seven. Then, half a decade later, in 2005, the first new-generation MINI resurrected the Seven. It featured newly designed light alloy wheels, white direction indicators, high-end comfort fittings and exclusive design features. It was the first model variant of its generation to feature a roof in the contrasting colour of silver. And now the new limited-edition MINI Seven design model once again echoes the original Austin. The legend lives on.

MINI COOPER WORKS COUNTRYMAN Top Speed:235 km/h  Max Torque:280 Nm  Gears:6  Peak output:141kW