▁note , ▁sold ▁in ▁varying ▁mark ets ▁around ▁the ▁world , ▁are ▁the ▁M ini ▁Seven , ▁M ini ▁Park ▁Lane , ▁M ini ▁Check ▁Mate , ▁and ▁M ini ▁Monte ▁Carlo . ▁ ▁Development ▁The ▁M ini ▁H atch ▁( US : ▁Hard top ) ▁was ▁designed ▁by ▁Frank ▁Steph enson , ▁and ▁drew ▁insp iration ▁from ▁the ▁original ▁two - door ▁M ini . ▁Development ▁of ▁the ▁car ▁was ▁conducted ▁between ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁by ▁R over ▁Group ▁in ▁Gay don , ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁and ▁B MW ▁in ▁Mun ich , ▁Germany . ▁During ▁this ▁development ▁phase , ▁there ▁was ▁contin ual ▁cont ention ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁design ▁groups , ▁especially ▁concerning ▁the ▁position ing ▁of ▁the ▁car ; ▁R over ▁wanted ▁a ▁straight ▁economy ▁car ▁( which ▁would ▁also ▁replace ▁the ▁R over ▁ 1 0 0 ▁Series , ▁which ▁had ▁evol ved ▁from ▁the ▁Metro ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁rest yle ), ▁whilst ▁B MW ▁supported ▁a ▁small , ▁sport ing ▁car . ▁Pl ans ▁for ▁an ▁all - new ▁super min i ▁to ▁replace ▁the ▁Metro ▁in ▁the ▁mid ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁were ▁sh el ved ▁when ▁R over ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁B MW ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁with ▁the ▁existing ▁Metro ▁model ▁gain ing ▁a ▁rest yle ▁and ▁a ▁new ▁design ation . ▁ ▁The ▁concept ▁was ▁originally ▁un ve iled ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁Frankfurt