Mini named America's car of the year

The Mini’s British workforce was celebrating today after the Cooper version of the famous marque was named North American Car of the Year at Detroit’s International Auto Show.

The Mini Cooper, produced at BMW’s Cowley plant in Oxford, withstood the challenge of two new Nissan cars to take the Detroit accolade.

“We’re absolutely thrilled. America loves the Mini,” said Mini spokesman Mark Harrison.

BMW began Mini production at Cowley in April 2001 and the first of the cars went on sale the following summer.

Mini Cooper sales in America began in March 2002, with 20,000 of the new vehicles being snapped up straight away.

Mr Harrison added: “We’re very pleased with this award. We were wondering how a small car like this would go down in the States.

“It’s so different to anything the Americans are used to, but the good thing is that it’s proved very popular.”

The Mini, which first appeared in the UK in 1959, was available in America for around two years in the late 1960s, but was then withdrawn.