Which is your favourite Mini? Poll, plus picture special

1959: Morris Mini-Minor goes on sale with its clone, the Austin Seven. Each is powered by a 34bhp, 848cc A-series engine

1958: Famous hand-annotated sketch by Sir Alec Issigonis outlines the car that would become publicly known as the Mini

1959: XC9003 is revealed, a virtually production-ready Mini prototype which was intended to have a two-cylinder 500cc engine

1960: Mini van has a 100mm wheelbase extension, 240mm increased overall length, blanked-out side windows and twin rear doors

1960: First International works rally Mini. Six enter the Monte Carlo Rally, four finish, the highest in 23rd place

1960: Morris Mini-Minor Traveller and Austin Seven Countryman estates go on sale complete with folding rear seat

1961: Mini Pick-up based on van wheelbase with 2.3 sq metre load and flip down rear gate

1961: Wolseley Hornet. Another BMC brand muscles in on Mini’s success using same wheelbase but features finned rear wings

1961: Riley Elf. A slightly more expensive and luxurious version of the Hornet with shared bodywork but different radiator grill

1961: Mini Cooper introduced with 997cc sporting 55bhp with twin SU carbs. Top speed was 87mph and 0-60mph took 18.5sec

1963: Mini Cooper S. 1071cc engine offering 70bhp, more than double the output of the original Mini engine

1963: Radford launches its own take on the Mini with various luxury upgrades from wind up windows to a full wood dash

1963: Deep Sanderson is the most radical take on the Mini yet, a mid-engined car using Mini mechanicals

1964: Mini Cooper S homologation special with 970cc short-stroke screamer engine giving 65bhp at 6500rpm

1964: Mini Cooper S with 1275cc replaces the 1071cc engine offering only five extra bhp but far superior torque

1964: Mini Cooper S works rally car wins the first of three Monte Carlo rallies

1964: Mini Moke introduced. Intended as a military vehicle to be dropped by parachute but sold to civilians instead

1965: Innocenti-built Mini introduced with myriad detail changes from standard including different dials, grille and handles

1965: Mini Marcos. Distinctive, two seat coupé with GRP bodywork. Holds the distinction of completing the Le Mans 24hrs in 1966

1967: Mini MkII introduced with cosmetic updates including a larger glass house and the provision of the 998cc engine

1969: Mini Clubman. Heavily restyled with a new nose and intended to replace the Hornet and Elf. As of now Mini became a brand

1969: Mini 1275GT. Clubman-based sporting Mini with short gear ratios but standard 59bhp single-carb engine

1969: Mini MkIII introduced with luxuries such as wind up windows and hidden door hinges. Came with revised heater controls too

1973: Six Outspan Oranges produced for commercial purposes: vast orange coloured and shaped vehicles running on Mini mechanicals

1973: SRV4 Safety Mini. A prototype designed to increase survival chances of both occupants and pedestrians in heavy impacts

1974: Innocenti 90: A three door hatchback with completely different looks to the Mini but based on the same mechanicals

1979: Mini City. Pared-to-the-bone Mini introduced with 848cc engine, black bumpers and City stripes

1979: Mini 1100 Special. A 20th anniversary Mini with 1098cc engine, alloy wheels and a production run limited to 5000 units

1984: Mini 25. Another 5000 birthday units, this one with the 12in wheels that would stay with the Mini for the rest of its days

1989: ERA Mini Turbo. Bonkers Mini from Engineering, Research and Application, packed 93bhp and claimed 115mph

1989: Mini 30. 3000 produced, all in red or black, with Minilite wheels, half leather seats and a leather steering wheel rim

1990: John Cooper brings back the Cooper with his own conversion kit with a tuned engine and an accompanying body kit

1991: Mini convertible, an officially sanctioned conversion carried out by a Mini dealer in Germany

1995: Mini Spiritual concept: Rover’s view of a 21st century presented to and rejected by the BMW board as being far too radical

1997: Mini ACV30 concept. Conceived around MGF running gear as a celebration of 30 years since Mini’s last Monte Carlo win

1997: ‘New Mini’ prototype unveiled at Frankfurt Motorshow. Four years from production, its shape was barely to change

1999: Mini 40. The last of the anniversary based special edition with chrome bumpers, leather seats, alloy dash and spot lights

2001: BMW’s Mini goes on sale using Chrysler engines in Mini One and more powerful Cooper guises, gains a rapturous reception

2002: Mini Cooper S goes on sale with 160bhp supercharged engine, good for 135mph and 0-62mph in 7.5sec

2003: Mini One D: The first diesel production Mini, using a 74bhp, 1.4-litre sourced from Toyota

2004: Mini Cabrio: The first of what would turn out to be myriad variations on BMW’s Mini theme

2005: Mini Traveller: a retro concept with long wheelbase and twin hinged rear doors

Mini Cooper S with John Cooper Work GP Kit: Two seats, 215bhp, a big rear wing and a top speed of 149mph

2006: Second generation BMW Mini. An all new car using joint BMW/PSA developed petrol and diesel engines

2007: Mini Clubman introduced on extended wheelbase with twin rear doors and only one side door

2008: Mini Crossover: A concept car for the Paris motor show designed to herald the arrival of the Countryman in 2010

2008: Mini Cooper John Cooper Works. The JCW brand moves in-house with 208bhp, four-seat top-of-the-range Cooper

2010: Mini Countryman introduced much to the chagrin of Mini traditionalist who thought it far too large and ugly

2011: Mini Roadster: two seats, a steeply raked windscreen turn the Mini into a rival for the Mazda MX-5

2011: Mini Coupe: like the Roadster but with a curious looking permanent roof. Intended to be the best driving production Mini

2011: Mini Rocketman. A wacky design study with a carbon-fibre monocoque believed to be production-bound until BMW canned it

2012: Mini Paceman: a Countryman-based coupé with three doors and steeply sloping roof line

2013: Mini GP: Rumbustiously rowdy second generation GP, still with two seats but ultra-trick suspension and track day handling

2013: Mini Clubvan. The first Mini commercial vehicle since the original Mini van made its debut in 1960

2014: All-new third-generation BMW Mini is launched