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Gallery: Mini-Cooper's Monte Carlo 50th anniversary

It's the 50th anniversary of one of the most spectacular victories in the history of international motor sport. On 21 January 1964, the Mini Cooper S won the Monte Carlo Rally for the first time, and proved that the 10ft (and a quarter inch) Mini was more than capable of steamrollering some mighty opposition in the mountains. Few would have predicted it was going to lead to another pair of Monte wins...

It was the pairing of Paddy Hopkirk and his co-driver Henry Liddon that pulled off the big surprise. Its faultless run through the mountain passes, and ice and sno of the Alps laid the foundations for the underdog-turned-giant-slayer to become a motor sport legend. The Mini’s dominance of the Monte Carlo Rally continued over the years that followed, Hopkirk’s Finnish team-mates Timo Mäkinen and Rauno Aaltonen adding two further overall victories – in 1965 and 1967 – with the '66 event only being lost on a lighting technicality.

The rallying world would never be the same again. And to celebrate, here's a gallery of the Mini Cooper S's best moments on the 1964 event. For the full story of the Mini-Cooper, visit our sister site, AROnline. Enjoy the gallery!