By Meghna Sharma Mini is a British automotive brand which is under the ownership of the German automotive giant BMW, since the year 2000. It is a distinct sub-brand of BMW, known for compact and stylish vehicles featuring British heritage and German engineering. Mini Cooper, the flagship model of Mini, comes in 2-door, 4-door and convertible variants. Other models marketed and sold under Mini brand name include SUVs like Mini Countryman, Electric Crossovers like Mini Aceman and performance models like John Cooper Works.
| Details | Info |
| Founded | 1959 |
| Founder | Sir Alec Issigonis |
| Headquarters | Munich, Germany |
| CEO | Jean-Phillippe Parain |
| Sector | Automotive |
Mini Cooper Company Profile
Mini was founded in the year 1959 by Sir Alec Issigonis as a small car model for the British Motor Corporation. It was launched as Morris Mini-Minor and Austin Seven. In the year 1961, BMC launched the iconic Mini Cooper model, in collaboration with the ace racer John Cooper. This was followed by the launch of Mini Cooper S in 1963, which gained legendary status due to victories in Monte Carlo rallies in 1964, 1965 and 1967.
BMC, the owner of Mini, merged with Leyland Motors in 1968 to form British Leyland. British Leyland broke up in the 1980s. In the year 1988, Mini was acquired by British Aerospace. BMW acquired Mini in the year 1994. The original Mini remained in production till 2000. In the year 2001, BMW relaunched Mini by introducing Mini Cooper Hatch.
Mini is currently a premium brand under BMW Group. It has introduced eleven new models under Cooper and Countryman series since 2024. Most of the Mini models are produced at BMW’s Plant Oxford facility in England.
Origin Country
Mini has its origins in the United Kingdom. However, it is currently under the ownership of a German automotive company. The brand operates in over 140 countries worldwide across Europe, Asia-Pacific and Americas.
Market Cap
Mini does not have its own market capitalisation because it is not a standalone publicly traded entity. The brand’s value is embedded in the market capitalisation of its parent company, BMW Group. Market capitalisation of BMW Group, as of October 2025, is 49.34 billion Euros.