BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW
The first Mini was invented by Sir Alex Issigonis and was born on the 26th August 1959. This cheeky little car revolutionised the automotive industry because of the way the engine was mounted – on its side rather than forward facing, as was the conventional method.
This radical new design allowed huge space saving advantages. Over 80% of the car’s floor plan could be used for passenger and luggage storage; tailor this with excellent handling and fuel economy, and it is not surprising why the Mini became an instant hit.
Everyone from Twiggy to the Beatles had a Mini, and as a result the car has become a British design icon of the 1960s. Out of the 1.5 million that were sold, only a fraction still remain and they are now classed as collectors' items. It wasn’t until the 26th August 2009, exactly 50 years since the first ever Mini rolled off the production line, that the swinging little car lit up the streets of London once again at the launch party of smallcarBIGCITY.
MORE ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE
There is nothing worse than going to a new city and paying tourist prices for average experiences just because you are not a local. We have all been there, having to resort to a Pizza Express or an Angus Steak House because it is 10pm, you are famished and you recognise the brand!
Three ambitious young men who felt the same way set up smallcarBIGCITY in 2009. They were passionate about London and fascinated by its history, but had no desire to be herded onto the tour buses in order to hear about it. They dreamt of a tour company run by Londoners, for Londoners, that would celebrate the best bits of their city without making them feel like they were in a zoo. Since then, they have taken over 3,500 happy customers around London, and have been voted as one of the best things to do in London by the Independent Review website TripAdvisor, and listed as the greatest thing to do by Time Out London, an acolaid the company is imensly proud of.
What better way to spend the afternoon than with a private guide who can make restaurant recommendations, advise you on local cultural activities, and bring the history of London to life? So whether you are discovering London for the first or thousandth time, you are sure to discover something new and really make this great city your own.
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