In 1961, legendary British race driver John Cooper re-tooled the Classic Mini to create a higher performance, racing version.
He gave it a more powerful engine, higher and closer gear ratios, better brakes, wider tires, a color-contrasting roof to stand out in the crowd, and the Mini Cooper was born.
A few years later, Cooper boosted his version of the Classic Mini even more, creating the purest racing car, the Mini Cooper S, in 1963.
Between 1960 and 1967 about 10,000 Classic Minis were sold in the US.
The stay was brief, however, the Classic Minis left their mark with dozens of Classic Mini Owner's Clubs still thriving in the US to this day.