THE second generation of the Cowley-built Mini will be launched on the birthday of the founder of the original car, Sir Alec Issigonis.

Bosses at parent firm BMW have decided the first customers for the eagerly-awaited car will be able to pick them up on November 18 which would have been the 100th birthday of Issigonis, the genius behind the first Mini built by the British Motor Corporation in 1959.

A BMW spokesman said: "The market launch of the new Mini in Europe will precisely mark the 100th birthday of Sir Alec Issigonis, whose concept, philosophy, character and flair all live on in the new Mini."

The first cars to be driven by their new owners are still unmistakably Minis, but BMW says every external feature and body panel is different, with new engines built at the company's Hams Hall plant near Birmingham promising better performance and economy.

Inside, every panel and surface has also been changed, but designers have promised the "go-kart" handling is still the same.

The new car is the culmination of a £240m investment by BMW in its production "triangle" featuring the Swindon body pressing plant, the Hams Hall engine factory and the Cowley assembly facility.

About £100m has been invested at Cowley and 200 jobs created with production expected to be ramped up from 200,000 cars last year to 240,000 cars by the end of next year.

Initially only the Cooper and sporty Cooper S models will be available but next year will see the introduction of the base model Mini One followed by a turbo diesel version.

Sir Alec Issigonis, who lived in Oxford, was a development engineer working for Morris when he developed the concept of a small, front-wheel drive car with an engine fitted crosswise.

Launched in 1959, it went on to revolutionise the industry and by the year 2000 almost 5.4 million cars had been sold.

Issigonis died at the age of 81 in 1988.