Robert
Stein says: I thought this may be interesting (and if someone knows
more about it We'd like to know :))
Found in "Classic & Sports Car" August 2001, VOL.20,
No 5, on sale July 5, page 9, bottom left corner (1/4 of the page),
titled: "PLUS CA CHANGE, PLUS C'EST LA MINI", letters.classicandsportscar@haynet.com
Editied by Mr JAMES ELLIOT
"BMW
may believe that, with the new MINI, its design retains the spirit of
the original. But a trawl through BMC archives reveals an even stronger
link - an uncanny resemblance to one of the projects that inspired the
ground-breaking '60s baby.
Alec Issigonis is often said to have wanted to make the
Minor front-wheel drive, but that at the time he hadn't known how to
do it.
With the Minor in production, Issigonis' team experimented
further and, in 1952, had built a front-wheel-drive car with transverse
engine and gearbox.
After a spell away from BMC, he returned at the behest
of Leonard Lord to set up a 'think tank' for future designs. Issigonis'
engineers immediately began work on the "XC" range.
Its first car, XC9000, emerged in 1956 - looking strikingly
similar to NEW (BMW) MINI.
Whoops....
wrong car... sorry!
It was a bigger car, intended to replace the Austin A60,
and had an aluminium 1.5-litre engine driving the rear wheels, later
versions being FWD. With Lord's instruction to build a miniature car,
Issigonis turned to Austin Drawing Office (ADO) 16: The Mini. And you
can easily see where its styling cues come from.
XC9000?
Shurely shome mistake?
"BMW
may believe that, with the new MINI, its design retains the spirit of
the original. But a trawl through BMC archives reveals an even stronger
link - an uncanny resemblance to one of the projects that inspired the
ground-breaking '60s baby. 
Whoops....
wrong car... sorry!