This month marks three decades since legendary automotive designer Frank Stephenson first put pen to paper for what would become the modern MINI. The designer, who recently shared nostalgic sketches on social media, created a shape so timeless that, as he puts it, “still looks as fresh as a daisy” today.
The designer’s YouTube channel offers fascinating insights into the creative process. One video shows how he used a “wheel-at-each-corner” stance to create the illusion of speed while parked.
Another reveals why he insisted on the blacked-out A-pillars that became a MINI signature – a trick to make the windshield appear to wrap around seamlessly.
What makes the design endure? Stephenson credits three factors: “We kept the genetic code – those key visual elements people emotionally connect with. We gave it honest, simple surfaces without unnecessary lines. And most importantly, we designed it to make people smile.” The sketches show this philosophy in action, with every curve serving both aesthetic and functional purposes.
Three production generations later, MINIs still carry DNA from those original drawings. The latest models have grown in size, but retain Stephenson’s core vision of a “happy, energetic car that looks like it’s moving even when standing still.”
As the designer reflects: “Good design doesn’t age. The original iPhone, the Porsche 911, the MINI – they prove that when you solve problems with honesty rather than trends, you create something permanent.” His social media serves as a masterclass for young designers – proving iconic work begins with a sketch that captures not just form, but feeling.
