It's not the size that matters, Austin Powers tells his son as they look over the MINI, but how you use it. And the diminutive MINI has made it big -- from the beginning. This book tells the full story of the iconic car from its initial launch in the late 1950s through its current super-hip BMW-built incarnation -- right up to the revised version set for release in 2006. Packaged in a clever under the hood flap with magnetic clasp (the front flap opens to show the engine), MINI 50 Years captures both the sense of fun and style that have made Mini one of the most popular compacts in the history of the automotive industry. The threads that tie together the original MINI and today's are numerous and fascinating, and as interesting as the differences that set the two cars apart. MINI 50 Years follows them all. From the swingin star of moviesimmortalized in the original film The Italian Job in 1961 and again in the 2003 remake, as well as in The Bourne Identityto the racing champ and now the 21st-century hipster vehicle of choice, Minis are small, fun, memorable, and cool. Author and mini expert Rob Golding treats readers to every thrill that marks the MINI.