Collectors & Aficionados
Did Ferrari have a Mini? No, two
This article tells the story of Enzo Ferrari's fascination with the Mini Cooper when it was first introduced in 1959 and his eventual acquisition of a specially customized Mini Cooper 1300S.
It’s hard to imagine the effect the Mini Minor had on the world back in 1959 when it was introduced. Tiny, 10-inch wheels, transverse-mounted front engine with built-in gearbox, front-wheel drive, fully independent suspension and a rationality to its design that enabled it to accommodate four people in complete comfort.
The concept of the car was so revolutionary that anyone who loved cars couldn’t help but be captivated by it. Enzo Ferrari was among them: always intrigued by what the car could offer and attentive to what his new formula 1 rivals were doing, when the Cooper 1100 S model came out he immediately bought one. And he fell in love with it to the point that the brilliant inventor of the Mini, Alec Issigonis along with the management of Austin Morris, thought they would reciprocate the passion of the famous manufacturer from Maranello, with a Mini Cooper 1300S made especially for him.
