The Morris 850 was launched in Australia on 24 March 1961, following a well-received announcement the day prior.
Newspapers across the country printed full page birth notices for BMC’s new baby car, encouraging all to visit from the following day.
In March 2026, it will be 65 years since the excitement of the new small car joining the BMC Australia family.
While there are currently no advertised anniversary events planned by Mini clubs to celebrate the occasion (please contact us if there are!), a series of new History pages have been published at eight-fifty.com in acknowledgement of the milestone.
History overview
Reflect on the introduction of the Morris 850 with a brief overview of the design and development, specification, launch and sales of the model in Australia.
Fleet orders
The Morris 850 proved a common choice as a vehicle for government and company fleets across the country. Learn about the major fleet orders that are known to have taken place, including to the Post Master General (PMG) Department, Police forces, and the Snowy Mountains Authority (SMA).
Successors
When production of the Morris 850 ended, a ‘standard’ variant still formed part of the Australian Mini range until the early 1970s, with several models succeeding the Morris 850 including the Morris Mini Minor.
See History to start exploring.
Feedback
Do you have something to add about the history of the Australian Morris 850? All input and suggestions are greatly appreciated.
If you have any feedback or suggestions, please let us know.