Intro: John Cooper and his father Charles established the Cooper Car Company in the late 1940s.
Cooper-built racing cars participated in various form of motor racing during the next four decades.
It all started with tiny, 500 cc single seaters with buyers including Stirling Moss. But Cooper participated in Formula 1, 2, 3 as well.
On the other hand it was their Mini conversion which brought them lasting success.
The Mini Cooper, originally inspired by John, continued to dominate in racing and rallying throughout the 1960s, winning many championships and consecutive Monte Carlo Rallies from 1964 to 1967.
Unfortunately BMC demanded Mini Cooper production to stop.
In the 1980s, to satisfy an ever-increasing demand for the Cooper marque, John Cooper Garages focused its efforts on the production of Cooper engine-tuning kits and performance parts for the Mini Cooper. The popularity of these modifications led to the reintroduction of the Mini Cooper
During the mid-to-late 1990s, John Cooper Garages was invited to contribute its expertise to BMW Group's new MINI project, which would ultimately replace the classic car. It was Michael, son of John who led the work and it is he who guides the company after John's death in 2000.
With the advent of the John Cooper Works and JCW Club Sport conversions and The John Cooper Challenge - the first motorsport series for the new MINI - the new Millennium is to see an exciting, new car adventure beginning. |
