James Dyson, inventor of the bagless Dyson Vacuum, comments on how the original Mini changed his life (via CNN.com):

One of the best, and most fun, inventions of my lifetime is that combination of classic design and inspired engineering, the Mini.

It was the brainchild of Sir Alec Issigonis who came up with his ingenious idea while sipping on a gin in a hotel in Cannes — a very civilized approach to engineering.

…When he eventually brought together a design team he used one simple sketch, which he'd made in Cannes, and made one of the world's most innovative cars.

That early sketch, a perspective view, included all the mechanics. To conserve space Issigonis put the engine transversely driving the front wheels, this was a radical design but allowed a very short bonnet and gave more interior space, enough for four adults.

Other advances included rubber cone independent suspension, designed by Alex Moulton (who incidentally, went on to design the Moulton bicycle — another of my favorite designs), rack and pinion steering and a monocoque body that eliminated the need for a costly separate chassis.

Not only do they have an endearing look but they're cheap to run, they are economical to build and perfect for nipping about town.

You can read the entire article here.