Franco Bonadonna
Despite the sadness of this moment, I accept this task with the enthusiasm I have always felt for this genial and affable man whose kindness and warm-heartedness has remained with me ever since we met at Silverstone in 1999. It is not an easy task to write about such a legendary figure, whose achievements represent milestones in automotive history. John Cooper is best known for two Formula One world championships (1959-60) and for the various sports versions of the Mini which dominated the world rally circuits during the '60s. Nonetheless, he remained a kind and affable person who was ready to talk with any Mini Cooper lovers who presented themselves at the factory in Worthing, or later on in East Preston. We will always appreciate the warm hospitality he extended towards the group of Italians present at the Silverstone meeting who gathered at the Cooper garage for what was a truly memorable occasion. The life of John Cooper was characterised by a succession of inspired insights, crowned with the inevitable success that comes with such exceptional ability. His positioning of the engine in the rear, rather than in the front, as in his two world championship car, forced all the other constructors to follow suit in order to remain competitive. The equally formidable insight of successfully transforming the utilitarian Mini Minor into a dominating rally car, by a small but vital increase in engine capacity and power, again demonstrated the genius of John Cooper. Unfortunately, this kind of creativity was frequently blocked by BMC management. If not, we would have had a Mini Cooper 1800 in 1964, a four-wheel drive version and above all a concrete development of the Twini Mini, the twin-engine prototype which only ever took part in a single race, the Targa Florio. John Cooper's creation, equipped with two engines and four-wheel drive is, as all Mini enthusiasts know, the true pioneer of the WRC which dominates modern rallying. Thankfully, before leaving us, John Cooper was able to test drive the new Mini, the Mini of the third Millennium, which, in the 16V and turbo versions, will still carry the magical name "Mini Cooper'. So, farewell to John cooper, wishing him peace wherever he is. May we meet again someday to lose ourselves behind the wheel of one of those incomparable little machines that will always carry his name with such pride.
