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Mini has pulled off the icon revival act of the century by growing a new and vastly superior subcompact sports car from a few well chosen genes of the original. This old/new hybrid took root at the start of the decade, matured with the introduction of a second-generation design in 2007, and gained momentum in the teeth of the recession. After a peak sales year in 2008, the current 100 US Mini dealers expect to move 45,000 cars in calendar 2010 thanks in part to an impressive 18-percent rise in September sales over 2009 volume.