Why don't more men drive Minis?

[fossyant]

The other one that amuses me is when they try and market A "Women's car" and get it tragically wrong

The most famous are the Honda "Fita" (Later Jazz) which in some countries interpreted a s the "C word", and the "La Puta" which interpreted in some countries as " The Whore"

However the biggest joke ever was the Nissan "Pajero" which was a big 4*4 and translated in Southern Europe as "W@nker"

Best of all is as many thousands were imported into Europe before this in Scotland so I know at least a dozen vehicles in Portsmouth that brazenly testify to the owners sexual proclivity

So @ScotiaLass maybe quite accurate on occasion

Mitsubishi not Nissan. It was the import Shogun. Shoot me now... Likes cars..

 

[fossyant]

Not keen on the mini as its like looking out of a post box. Nice cars but not for me.

 

[fossyant]

A little Mini story for you. I need to leave some details vague, for reasons which will become apparent.

About eighteen months ago, I was riding to work up a local hill, and as I crested the rise I was passed at a high rate of knots by a Mini Cooper. Though the driver was belting past me, he did give me the courtesy of six feet of passing space.

As he shot down the hill, with me some distance behind at a slightly more sedate pace, I noticed that he seemed to be drifting to the left of the carriageway, and in what seemed like slow motion the car clipped the kerb, somersaulted into the air and went end over end for about four or five seconds, taking down a load of metal fencing while doing so and finishing up on its roof, facing the opposite way to which it had been travelling.

I pulled up, concerned that I was going to find a dead body or two in the car... Instead of which, a foot suddenly appeared from the passenger side window, followed in fairly short order by the rest of the driver, a tall, athletically built lad in his mid-20s. He was a bit shaken, but other than that there wasn't a mark on him.

I said to myself, at that point, if the kids ask me what sort of car they should get, I would suggest a Mini (the BMW type, obviously), because they must be built like tanks to survive that kind of crash and leave the driver unmarked.

I find it increasingly difficult to really see how you roll a modern car. Total stupid driving to do it.

 

[Dec66]

Dec66, I do body repairs on them, they are no different to most other cars in their class.

I tell you what; I've never seen a car go end over end like that outside of a Hollywood film. I'll try and find you a picture.

 

[screenman]

I tell you what; I've never seen a car go end over end like that outside of a Hollywood film. I'll try and find you a picture.

No need to I have been in one and seen plenty, the modern car shell is a clever thing.

Now loose objects flying around in this clever shell is not good, like a bike in a hatchback without the seats up or being secured.

 

[Dec66]

I tell you what; I've never seen a car go end over end like that outside of a Hollywood film. I'll try and find you a picture.

http://m.newsshopper.co.uk/resources/images/2851070.jpg

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Now, if it was a proper Mini

(yes, I know it's a Countryman, in the pictures)


Some people think that SMART is a triumph of packaging, but the original Mini is about 7inches longer than a SMART, & a 4-seater (plus, carries their luggage)

 

[Drago]

But then the original Mini was an abject failure. I mean, a car with the seams on the outside was old hat, even for the 1950s. FWD was already 20 years old on the continent, and the manufacturers made a loss on every single one they sold. The only saving grace was that it was a hoot to throw about.

 

[screenman]

But then the original Mini was an abject failure. I mean, a car with the seams on the outside was old hat, even for the 1950s. FWD was already 20 years old on the continent, and the manufacturers made a loss on every single one they sold. The only saving grace was that it was a hoot to throw about.

They made a few bob on the parts for them I think.

 

[ufkacbln]

Mitsubishi not Nissan. It was the import Shogun. Shoot me now... Likes cars..

Listed as being produced by both......

 

[Dec66]

They made a few bob on the parts for them I think.

The story that they lost money on every one they made is unconfirmed; Ford bought one and took it apart, and concluded that they were losing £30 on every one. But that was only their opinion; it might have been the case, or it might not, but BMC maintained that it turned a profit.

The external seams were there in order to make it easier to build abroad using CKD kits.

 

[screenman]

A couple of mine did not have external seams, lot of work though and I do not need telling I should have kept them.

 

[Drago]

The story that they lost money on every one they made is unconfirmed; Ford bought one and took it apart, and concluded that they were losing £30 on every one. But that was only their opinion; it might have been the case, or it might not, but BMC maintained that it turned a profit.

The external seams were there in order to make it easier to build abroad using CKD kits.

It was confirmed. Ford's costings of every Mini component, right down to bulbs and washers, were eventually made public, and there's no reason to suspect Ford (who were probably better at making a profit worldwide) had engineers any less skilled than those at Austin.

 

[Dec66]

It was confirmed. Ford's costings of every Mini component, right down to bulbs and washers, were eventually made public, and there's no reason to suspect Ford (who were probably better at making a profit worldwide) had engineers any less skilled than those at Austin.

Lookey here...

http://bmcexperience.com.au/issue-19/50-years-of-the-mini.html

They may have been right. Or wrong.

 

[vernon]

You might like this show next week then:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34488480

Mini factory live with James May

Riveting viewing