Editing Mini (section)

==Safety record==
[[File:Mini Clubman SRV4 Concept 1974.jpg|right|thumbnail|1974 Mini Clubman [[Experimental Safety Vehicle|Safety Research Vehicle]]—SRV4]]
Issigonis designed the Mini with an emphasis on [[Automobile safety#Active and passive safety|active safety]]. Asked about the [[crashworthiness]] of the Mini, he said: "I make my cars with such good brakes, such good steering, that if people get into a crash it's their own fault"<ref name="faith">{{cite book |title=Crash: The limits of car safety |last=Faith |first=Nicholas |publisher=Boxtree |isbn=0-7522-1192-7 |year=1997}}</ref> and "I don't design my cars to have accidents".<ref>{{cite journal|title=Road Safety&nbsp;– Better Cars, Better Roads or Just Better Drivers? |first=Jack |last=McLean |url=http://www.atse.org.au/uploads/McLean%20J.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326083117/http://www.atse.org.au/uploads/McLean%20J.pdf |archive-date=26 March 2009 }}</ref>

In July 1965 [[British Motor Corporation|BMC]] announced that following "comments by safety experts" about the Mini's external door handles, these would be modified on new cars so that the gap between the handle and the door panel would be effectively closed.<ref name="Autocar196506">{{cite journal |title=News and Views: Safety changes to Minis |journal=Autocar |page=230 |date=30 July 1965}}</ref>

Nicholas Faith states in his book that [[Murray Mackay]], one of the UK's leading motor vehicle crash and safety researchers, was critical of the pre-1967 Mini's [[Automobile safety#Passive safety|passive safety]] features, including the protruding filler cap, the door latch, and the vulnerability of the passenger space to engine intrusion.<ref name="faith"/>

The Mini was withdrawn from the American market because it could not meet the 1968 US safety regulations and [[emission standard]]s,<ref>{{cite web|last=Strickland |first=Jonathan |url=http://auto.howstuffworks.com/mini-cooper.htm |work=HowStuffWorks |title=How the MINI Cooper Works |date=21 March 2007 |access-date=5 December 2010}}</ref> and although often updated, not sufficiently to comply with US regulations.<ref name="bbc_20020621"/> It continued to be sold in Canada until 1980.<ref name="faith"/><ref name="bbc_20020621">{{cite news |title=Mini mania big in US |first=Kevin |last=Anderson |date=21 June 2002 |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2052620.stm |access-date=24 February 2008}}</ref>

The Mini was modified during its production to improve its safety. In 1974 a prototype Mini experimental safety vehicle was built, the Mini Clubman SRV4. It featured a longer [[crumple zone]], a "pedestrian friendly" front-end, run-flat tyres, strengthened door sills, extra internal padding and recessed door handles, the latter having been used earlier on Australian-built Minis owing to local laws.<ref>{{cite web|title=Safety First: the SSV/SRV cars |publisher=AROnline |url=http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/index.htm?researchsrvf.htm |access-date=24 February 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008203617/http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/index.htm?researchsrvf.htm |archive-date=8 October 2007 }}</ref> [[William Daniels (automotive engineer)|Jack Daniels]], one of the original Issigonis team,<ref>{{cite news |title=Leading MG engineer dies at home |date=30 November 2004 |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/oxfordshire/4055447.stm |access-date=24 February 2008}}</ref> is stated to have been working on further safety improvements for the Mini when he retired in 1977.<ref name="faith"/> Several times it was thought that safety regulations would stop Mini production.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of the Mini |publisher=British Motor Heritage Limited |url=http://www.bmh-ltd.com/mini.htm |access-date=8 April 2013 |archive-date=30 July 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070730054750/http://www.bmh-ltd.com/mini.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Safety improved in 1996, with the introduction of [[airbag]]s and side-impact bars.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rover Mini Saloon (88-01) |publisher=Parker's |url=http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/Review.aspx?model=759&page=4 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080119031420/http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/Review.aspx?model=759 |archive-date=19 January 2008}}</ref> The Mini, challenged by increasingly demanding European safety and pollution standards, was planned by [[British Aerospace]] to be taken out of production in 1996, but BMW chose to invest to keep the Mini legal until the launch of a [[Mini Hatch|new model]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Last Classic Mini Closes an Automotive Era |date=5 October 2000 |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B03E0DC1F3DF936A35753C1A9669C8B63&scp=2&sq=mini+issigonis+safety&st=nyt |work=The New York Times}}</ref>

In January 2007 ''[[Which?]]'' magazine listed the Mini City in its "Ten worst cars for safety (since 1983)" list, alongside other economical, lightweight, fuel-efficient cars like the [[Hyundai Pony|Hyundai Pony 1.2L]], [[Fiat Panda|Fiat Panda 900 Super]], [[Suzuki Alto|Suzuki Alto GL]], [[Daihatsu Domino]], [[Citroën AX|Citroën AX 11 RE]], [[Zastava Koral|Yugo 45 and 55]], [[Peugeot 205|Peugeot 205 GL]], and the [[Citroën 2CV]]6.<ref>{{cite web|title=Car safety problems persist |date=4 January 2007 |publisher=Which? |url=http://www.which.co.uk/press/press_topics/product_news/which_magazine/car_safety040107_571_107212.jsp |access-date=24 February 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208163053/http://www.which.co.uk/press/press_topics/product_news/which_magazine/car_safety040107_571_107212.jsp |archive-date=8 February 2007 }}</ref>

A UK Department for Transport statistics publication, presenting estimates of the risk of driver injury in two-car injury collisions, based on reported road accident data, estimated that the 1990–2000 Mini was one of two small cars (the other being the [[Hyundai Atos|Hyundai Atoz]]), which, with an estimated 84% of drivers likely to be injured, presented the greatest risk of driver injury; the average risk for the small car category was 76%.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cars: Make and Model: The Risk of Driver Injury in Great Britain: 2000–2004 |publisher=UK Department for Transport |url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/vehicles/carsmmrisk/carsmakeandmodeltheriskofdri1800 |access-date=24 February 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071116063017/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/vehicles/carsmmrisk/carsmakeandmodeltheriskofdri1800 |archive-date=16 November 2007 }}</ref>