GBP
€ Euro
$ USD
Tamiya Mini Cooper 1275S Mk.1
Brand: Tamiya
Part No: HC-24039
Backorder: Expected 30th June 2026
Request Stock NotificationThe Tamiya Mini Cooper 1275S Mk.1 (HC-24039) celebrates the pioneering British design of the Morris Mini Cooper 1275S Mk.1. First seen by many at the 1959 London Motor Show, the compact car won admirers with its unconventional styling and surprising interior space. Despite its modest 3.05 m length and 1.41 m width, it was conceived to seat four adults comfortably—an achievement made possible by its innovative engineering.
Design Highlights of the Original Car
- Two-box styling lineage, following the successful Austin A40 penned by Pininfarina.
- Front-wheel drive with a small, powerful engine mounted transversely.
- Small-diameter 10-inch wheels pushed to the corners for maximum cabin room.
- Approximately 80% of overall length devoted to occupants; gearbox integrated into the engine’s oil sump.
- Four-wheel independent suspension: double wishbone at the front and trailing arm at the rear.
- Hydrolastic interconnected suspension using rubber, semi‑pneumatic, liquid-filled elements to balance pressures and enhance ride quality.
- Engineering vision led by Sir Alec Issigonis, a defining figure in British automotive design.
This model pays tribute to the ingenuity that made the 1275S Mk.1 a compact icon—efficient packaging, advanced suspension, and a forward-thinking layout that redefined small-car practicality.
Secured by Stripe
About the Morris Mini Cooper 1275S Mk.1 Many people who visited the London Motor Show in October 1959 met an unfamiliar sight at the stand of Austin and Morris of the British Motor Company. It had a strange styling which was quite different from the current cars at that time; however most thought it was cute. They could not quite believe that this car could seat comfortably, four large British gentlemen or stout women, in a car that had a length of 3.05m and a width of 1.41m. If they had known the amount of time and trouble that the designers had taken to accomplish this feat, they would have better understood why this was not only practical, but feasible as well.
Prior to the release of the Austin seven and the Morris Mini Minor, the Austin A40, designed by Pininfarina of Italy had been successful in using the 2 box styling. This same design styling was adopted for the Mini Cooper. A front wheel drive was selected to keep the floor paneling level flat. A small powerful engine was selected and developed to be mounted sideways, in front, and driving the small diameter 10 wheels, which were laid out at the four corners of the body.
By this design, 80% of the overall length could be utilized for the passengers and driver, and to further increase the space, the gearbox was installed in the oil sump of the engine. The suspension system of the Mini was one of its most excellent features. Four wheel independent suspension using a double wishbone and a rear trailing arm and the springing was a rubber, semipneumatic, liquid filled and the front and rear wheels were joined together with a thin pipe to equalize the pressures during running. This type of dampening, using hydraulic springing is very compact, so that it could all be mounted without interfering with the passenger compartment. It was patented under the name of Hydrolastic . The designer of this vehicle was sir Alec Issigonis, a Greek who became a naturalized British subject, and well known throughout the British automobile industry.
Key Info:
- Brand: Tamiya
- Part No: HC-24039
- Barcode: 4950344083428
- Scale: 1:24
Standard Shipping
£3.95 to most of the UK
Express Shipping
£6.95 to most of the UK
Worldwide Shipping
Available at checkout
Reviews
No specific product reviews yet, why not write one?WRITE A REVIEW
ASK A QUESTION
For more in depth queries, please contact us.