The original Mini is the best British car ever built, according to a survey of Autocar readers.
It comes as little surprise that the original Mini has topped the list of all-time British greats. It’s such an iconic vehicle and represents so much more than the British car industry. The Mini is associated with Great Britain around the world and, in many ways, it was ahead of its time.
But just what constitutes a British car? Cars from Brit-owned firms – Austin, Bristol, Morgan – were shoe-ins. As were models from firms that, like Bentley and Rolls-Royce, have always been based within these shores, but now have foreign owners.
That was the easy bit; for the rest we had to dig deeper. The UK has built its share of duffers, but from them our rich motorsport tradition has alchemised gems such as the Lotus Sunbeam, Chevette HSR and Avenger Tiger.
We included a few curve balls. The Renault Mégane RS 225 raised eyebrows. It was the first complete car by British engineering firm Ricardo, which developed the chassis, brakes, steering, styling and engine upgrades.
And it is perhaps the Renault Mégane that sums up the British car industry best: the world’s most talented engineers making cars the very best they can be.
Meanwhile, the results revealed that Lotus is Britain’s most popular manufacturer of all time, with seven models in the top 100 – more than any other. Hot on the Norfolk-based manufacturer's heels are Jaguar and Ford, both with six models on the list. Aston Martin is up next with five.
Overall, the closest rivals to Sir Alec Issigonis’s original Mini are McLaren’s iconic F1 road car, which placed second on the list, and the Jaguar E-type in third.
Click through our gallery above to find out what comes where, or look through the list below for the results.
Britain's best-ever cars
100. Range Rover Evoque
99. Ginetta G40R
98. Vauxhall Astra
97. Marcos TSO
96. Honda Civic
95. MG A
94. Vauxhall Chevette HSR
93. Triumph Dolomite Sprint
92. Allard J2
91. Honda Jazz
90. Sunbeam Tiger
89. Nissan Juke
88. Invicta Black Prince
87. Noble M12
86. Lotus Carlton
84. Caparo T1
83. Rolls-Royce 10 HP
82. Triumph TR5 PI
81. Radical RXC
80. Triumph 1300
79. Daimler SP250 'Dart'
78. Morgan 4/4
77. Renault Megane RS 225
76. Noble M600
75. Lotus Sunbeam
74. Morgan Plus 8
73. BAC Mono
72. Gordon-Keeble
71. Austin-Healey Sprite
70. MGB GT
69. Bristol Fighter
68. Ford Cortina 1600E
67. Bowler EXR
66. AC Ace
65. Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow
64. Austin FX4
63. Napier-Railton
61. Triumph 2000
60. Jaguar F-type
59. Morgan 3 wheeler
58. Reliant Scimitar
57. TVR Sagaris
56. Ford Escort RS2000
54. Ford Capri RS3100
53. Delorean DMC-12
52. Aston Martin V8
51. Ascari KZ1
50. Aston Martin V12 Vantage S
48. Hillman Avenger Tiger
47. Triumph Stag
46. Hillman Imp
45. Lister Storm
44. Rover P5B
43. Lotus Evora
42. Rover P6 3500S
41. Nissan Qashqai
40. Ariel Atom
39. Vauxhall Prince Henry
37. Rover 75
36. Jaguar XJ
35. Austin Seven
34. Bristol Blenheim
33. Lotus Cortina
32. Austin-Healey 3000
30. Lotus Seven
29. Land Rover
28. Jensen-Healey
27. Lotus Esprit
26. MG Midget
25. McLaren 12C
24. Morris Minor
23. Lotus Elan
22. TVR Speed 12
21. Rover SD1
20. TVR Chimaera
19. BMW Mini
18. Bentley Blower
17. Jaguar XF
16. Ford GT40
14. Lotus Elise
13. Jaguar D-type
11. Jensen FF
9. TVR Griffith
7. Jaguar XJ220
6. McLaren P1
4. Range Rover
2. McLaren F1
"The most British car ever is definitely the original Mini," says Autocar's James Ruppert. "That’s because it was the people’s car. Affordable, innovative and part of the automotive furniture of our great island.
"That’s why the Mini is Britain’s favourite car. And mine."
Read more Autocar reviews here.
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