Like Henry Ford and Adolph Hitler, William Morris conceived the idea of a small car which would have luxury features but would be priced so that millions of working class people who traveled by public transit could afford to purchase a car and drive. The car should be small, durable and economical. As did Henry Ford, Morris brought affordable motoring to the general public.
He assigned the designing of this task to Alex Issigonis. Issigonis was born in Turkey however his parents were Greek and German. He was noted to be eccentric but also had a reputation for genius in design. Alex and his team set to work. The result was the Morris Minor.
William did not like the result at all and even referred to it as a "poached egg." Oddly enough however, he did not squash production. But he did mandate a change of engine. So after much debate over the engine, prior to Morris being involved, the Minor was equipped with a 918 cc side valve that was William's favorite.
The Morris Minor made its public debut at Earl's Court Motor Show in September of 1948. A rear wheel drive, it was noted for its outstanding corner handling and comfortable ride.
The car, as predicted, was an instant hit. By December 1960, one million cars had been sold. This set a record as no British car company had ever before sold a million cars.
A gala celebration was planned which included the production of a 2 door Model 1000 saloon. This was painted lilac with white seats and was decorated with 1,000,000 badges. Morris manufactured 349 of these models however they were not popular at the time. Today they are sought after by car collectors.
The Morris Minor was advertised to appeal to families and people looking for an economical means of transportation. The introductory brochure read, "The New Morris Minor, The World's Supreme Small Car." In 1954-56, the ads stated, "Morris Minor, It's One of the Family Now."
The ad for The Morris Minor 1000 Traveler Station Wagon featured a young man swinging his girlfriend off her feet, and about to kiss her. The copy read, "Together you'll choose The Morris Minor 1000 Traveler Station Wagon."
Some cars worm their way into people's hearts. Others with similar characteristics go unappreciated. The Morris Minor was and still is loved. In the United Kingdom, they called it a 'Moggie.' The Australians and New Zealanders nicknamed it 'Morrie.'
In 1973, a couple drove a Morris 1000 van on a 12,000-mile trip from England to Australia. They traveled and camped for fourteen weeks through seventeen countries.
Then in 2004, Kerry Whitefield drove an un-restored 1951 Morris Minor on a journey around Australia.
And a Scottish couple was married in theirs. It truly became a member of many families.
Although the company ceased production in 1971, Morris clubs still abound throughout the world and the car has a large number of loyal followers. In all, 1.6 million cars were produced. Yet, at the time the last one was manufactured, sales had dropped due to competition from other small cars, most particularly the Ford Cortina.
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