Celebrating the iconic Mini Cooper

If any car sums up the sheer joy, excitement and pure fun associated with owning a classic vehicle, then surely the Mini Cooper is right at the top of the list. The iconic ‘60’s racer immortalised in the 1969 Michael Caine caper, The Italian Job, has delighted fans and owners alike on the open roads and on the racetrack for more than 60 years.

So, as enthusiasts everywhere celebrate the 60th anniversary of John Cooper’s classic, it’s our great pleasure to announce the Mini Cooper Register as our Club of the Month.

The club, formed in 1986, is one of the most diverse and entertaining in the country, offering members every possible kind of information a Cooper trouper could need.

Not surprisingly, the Register’s members come from all over the globe such is the popularity of the Mini Cooper, with new members joining every month.

“We are sponsored by Mini Sport and have 2100 members right now”, says club PR Malcolm Voss. “And you don’t have to own a Mini to join. We also embrace non-Cooper models and more recently, the new MINI.”

The Mini Cooper Register is the go-to club for all things Mini Cooper, keeping alive the sporting spirit of developer, John Cooper whose brainchild made motoring history. Every year, thousands of Cooper owners, and fans pilgrimage to the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu to celebrate their own love of the iconic classic. Despite restrictions due to the pandemic, 2021 was no different.

“The event was organised at short notice because we had to follow the Government Road Map out of lockdown, so we were restricted to 4,000 people and tickets were sold out way before the event itself. Thankfully the sun shined, and we had a fantastic day, catching up and meeting with old friends.”

The club produces an incredibly impressive 68-page magazine called Cooper World, providing a treasure trove of information for register members.

“It’s produced by us with regular articles from the registrars as well as regional reports and members’ own stories. The club holds a massive archive of Mini material and information which provides fascinating insights into days gone by.”

Malcolm, like so many other enthusiasts is looking forward to the further easing of lockdown with numerous events planned both at home and abroad.

“We always have Sunday runs and picnics and the ‘Minis to’ events are always sold out, which are currently alternating between Ireland and the Alps.”

And what about Michael Caine’s famous catchphrase from The Italian Job. How often does he hear it?

“About twice a day in my experience”, he laughs. “On the recent Off-Peak two-day event, I was parking in Castleton for one of the coffee breaks when a passing van with a loud hailer system called out “nice Mini” as it passed which caused other people to come over and chat about our Cooper.”

The Mini Cooper. It brings people together. It’s just that kind of car.