Mini is a British automotive manufacturer created by the British Motor Corporation (later British Leyland). While originally used as the name of model of Austin and Morris cars, Mini became its own make in 1969. In 1980 the cars returned to the Austin brand, before being a product of Rover until 2001. While the corporate and brand history of the Mini may be slightly complicated, the car is not. To any motoring enthusiast, the Mini name brings to mind the Classic Mini, the model that launched the name and became a cultural icon. For decades the classic Mini helped endear the little cars to the world before production finally ended with a few 2001 examples. In 1994, BMW acquired Rover and Mini, and launched new chapter of Mini. This new iteration of Mini was launched with the Modern Mini, a series of compact cars channeling the spirit and fun of the original, while bringing the model into the modern era.