Mini has been named the "best British car ever made" as experts praised the classic small car for becoming a "cult classic" for millions of drivers around the country.
A panel of 10 judges whittled down a list of 75 cars that represent the best of British and came to the decision to crown the Mini as the "undisputed champion".
Judges said the world's original small car represented the pinnacle of British manufacturing with "pioneering innovation".
The Mini began production in 1959 and had a historic 41-year run, with around 5.3 million rolling off production lines until 2000.
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The Mini was crowned as the best British car ever made
BMW GROUP
While it's now known as a classic staple of British automotive design, it was once viewed as being "too radical" for the general population until celebrities started to adopt the Mini.
Auto Express, which crowned the Mini, said John Cooper was one of the key people to realise its potential in motorsport, which later spawned the Mini Cooper.
One of the judges, Edmund King, President of the AA, said the Mini was the "only choice" for top spot.
He described the classic Mini as "one of the most influential cars ever built," as evidenced by the lack of need to make substantial changes during its production.
Mini developed the Cooper 60 Years Edition to commemorate its storied history
BMW GROUP
Phil McNamara, editor at large, Auto Express, added: "While more than 5.3 million original Minis were built at the firm’s Oxford site between 1959 and 2000 (1.6 million sold in the UK), the modern MINI as we know it (launched in 2001) has cemented itself as a cult classic.
"Plans to build the new electric Mini in the UK may have been paused, but in excess of 1,000 cars are currently built in Cowley daily, equivalent to one every 67 seconds.
"There really can be little doubt – the Mini (not forgetting the modern-day Mini) truly is the best car this green and pleasant land has ever built. Long may it continue."
Mini owner BMW recently announced that it would be pausing a £600million upgrade to its Cowley plant and delaying its electric Mini amid "uncertainty" around global markets and EV demand.
The Jaguar E-Type was ranked as the second-best British car ever made
JAGUAR
The legendary Jaguar E-Type fell short of the top spot, but was heralded for defining the best of automotive manufacturing in the 1960s, making it one of the most desirable models in the world.
The E-Type at launch only set drivers back £1,934, but can sell for up to a staggering £100,000. The original starting price set the Jaguar apart from other supercar rivals like Ferrari and Aston Martin.
Land Rover captured third place with the iconic Series/Defender, which remains one of the most popular large cars in the country. The car was in production for almost 70 years and quickly gained traction in the post-war years.
Commenting on the overall list, McNamara said: "All the UK's brands are either foreign-owned or have significant overseas financial backing due to globalisation and the UK’s open economy, but the models listed in the top 50 are united by one key attribute: being made in Britain."
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The Land Rover Defender/Series was ranked in third place
LAND ROVER
The top 50 best British cars of all time
- Mini
- Jaguar E-Type
- Land Rover Series/Defender
- Range Rover
- McLaren F1
- Aston Martin DB5
- Lotus Elise
- Caterham/Lotus Seven
- Ford GT40
- Land Rover Discovery
- MGB
- Jaguar XK120
- Ford Escort
- Rolls-Royce Phantom
- Jaguar Mk2
- Lotus Esprit
- Austin Seven
- Morris Minor
- Nissan Qashqai
- Ford Sierra
- McLaren P1
- Bentley Continental GT
- Lotus Elan Mk1
- Nissan Leaf
- Jaguar XJ220
A 1963 Ford Cortina
PA
- Ford Cortina
- Rover SD1
- Jaguar XJ6
- Bentley Blower
- Jensen FF
- Ariel Atom
- Land Rover Freelander
- Aston Martin DB9
- Honda Civic
- Ford Fiesta
- TVR Chimaera
- Vauxhall Cavalier
- Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
- Jaguar F-Type
- Aston Martin Vantage
- Austin Healey 3000
- AC Ace/Cobra
- Morgan Plus 4
- DeLorean DMC12
- Toyota Corolla/Auris
- Aston Martin Valkyrie
- Vauxhall Viva
- Triumph Stag
- Austin Metro
- McLaren 720S
