Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/764316
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 18 DECEMBER 2016 Motoring III DEVELOPED in 1959 as a result of the gas crisis that was wreak- ing havoc on the automobile industry, the Mini Cooper has been a staple of efficiency in a small package ever since. The car and the Mini Cooper logo have become a symbol of efficient design and reduced consumption, one beloved by car enthusiasts all over the world. Mini Cooper logo design elements Of course, the three main de- sign elements of the Mini Cooper logo are the wings, the circle, and the word "Mini" written inside the circle. Regardless of which Mini Cooper car logo we're talking about, the wings were pretty much always there. Prior to 2001, when the Mini Cooper became old news and was replaced by the Mini marque, the logo kept chang- ing shapes along with its owners. Changes and evolution The creation of the Mini Cooper in 1959 by Alec Issigonis was preceded by the fuel shortage caused by the Suez Crisis. In an attempt to fight off the rise in popularity of the German Bubble cars, Leonard Lord, then Chairman of the British Motor Corporation, decided he needed an extremely fuel-effective small four-seater. So, in 1959, the Mini Cooper first came to be under two differ- ent brands – the Austin Se7en and the Morris Mini-Minor. Ever since, the car models and the Mini Cooper logos have varied quite frequently, from one brand to another and from one model to another. It wasn't until the success of the Mini Cooper S and the Mini Cooper S logo that the company decided to unite both brands and have them go as Mini and Mini Cooper. Eventually, the brand became the property of the British Rover Group, and then of BMW. This is when the last Mini was of- ficially built and sent to the British Motor Heritage Trust. At the same time, the new MINI came to life in 2001. Shape From 2001 until 2016, the new Mini has maintained a single logo – the black circle encompassed by the silver wings. Starting this year, the logo suffered a very drastic redesign, getting rid of the actual silver wings and becoming as minimalistic as it would ever be. But let's talk about the new logo and see how it compared to the Mini Cooper logo. First of all, the Mini Cooper logo wings are part of one of the most recognizable logos in the world. They are meant to represent and symbolize a number of qualities by which the automotive company is defined – speed, freedom, power, and agility. And it works perfectly to represent all four attributes. Meanwhile, the circle is meant to represent endurance, strength, reliability, and eternal customer satisfaction. Colour The company has had a knack for finding the best representation of their most important qualities ever since its inception. Even though it only has two colours, the brilliant marketing specialists and logo designers for the Mini Cooper logo have done a great job to get across exactly what is important. First of all, the silver of the Mini Cooper logo wings is meant to represent elegance, grandeur, and sophistication. With the silver from the logo now gone, the brand has abandoned the pretense of using its logo's colour to transmit the MINI's defining qualities. While it is meant to further accentuate the simplicity and minimalism of the brand, it only seems like a big part of what the brand meant to some is now gone. Fuel Consumption, combined: 61.5/mpg. CO2 emissions – 108 g/km. MINI 3-DOOR HATCH. ORIGINAL THRILLS. FROM €19,050. Muscats Motors Ltd Rue D'Argens, Gżira Phone: 2326 4582/1 Email: info@mml.mizzi.com.mt mini.com.mt The history and evolution of the Mini logo design One of the most instantly recognizable logos in the world, the MINI logo was inspired by not just one Mini Cooper logo, but by a number of them. Having become a symbol of efficient design and reduced consumption, the Cooper and the Mini are some of the most appreciated and beloved car brands in the world. The silver of the Mini Cooper logo wings is meant to represent elegance, grandeur, and sophistication