Why don't more men drive Minis?

[slowmotion]

Bless 'em. Thanks

Come on @The Velvet Curtain, you can do it....!
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[earlestownflya]

Today's Mini's are just huge! They look like a small Land Rover Discovery. I went from Heathrow to Oban in 1972 in a Mini. It was cripplingly uncomfortable. I seriously doubted my future mobility when I emerged, doubled up in pain, at the end of the trip.
I quite fancy a Fiat 500 but they simply stop when you reach a hill. Great fun otherwise. Of course, they will rust away sharpish....

that's an epic trip in a mini....respect

 

[slowmotion]

that's an epic trip in a mini....respect

I just suffered. Others drove in that wretched little car!
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[Fab Foodie]

Ok ok we get it!

Just sayin' like :-)

 

[Jody]

My old Mini Turbo

 

[craigwend]

I had two (not at the same time) 'original minis' - both got completely wrote off by other drivers at relatively slow speeds - about 30
Total fun in them both, still smile thinking about them, and driving one was just the most ''

A few years ago I got a second-hand 'bMwINI', a bit of reliving of youth, yes overpriced for what they are, the turning circle is not so tight, still has the factor, handles much better in bad weather (i.e. does not conk out because it rains / damp) , much better on occasional motorway trips,
& most of all - if any thing did happen (crash) I'd feel safe to have my children in it.

I doubt I'll get another one & buy something more value for money next time - though for now, it's fun , makes me smile driving it, I can get 2 bikes in with front wheels off (Clubman) & children love the mini-mini door (did I mention it's Clubman?)
& Clarkson thinks the're (Clubman) one of the most ugly cars made,

What's not to like?

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

When the original Mini wiped the board in the Monte Carlo rally in the 60's, didn't the perfidious French disqualify it for not being a proper car? That's probably a petrol-head myth, but one that English schoolboys embraced at the time.

Almost right: This was the infamous 1966 Monte where the Minis came in first, second and third but were disqualified on a lighting technicality along with the Ford works team and, strangely enough, all the other British competitors.

There had been significant rule changes at very short notice before the event and the French press had been crowing that "The cheats will be exposed" beforehand which gave a sense of what was to come.

It would have been the third consecutive win for the BMC works team. A French car (Citroen DS21 driven by Pauli Toivonen*) was classified first once the British entries were out of the way but BMC came back the following year and Rauno Aaltonen got them the win.

*(Toivonen was unhappy at winning the event in this manner and refused to accept his award at the official prizegiving)

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Mini campers, nice.
View attachment 107345 View attachment 107346

And towing trailer-tents

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...58589247.1073741846.1601508436&type=3&theater

 

[MrGrumpy]

Will be picking up the wifes newish Mini today, a Cooper, I quite like the look of the 3 doors not keen on the bigger 5 doors etc. Test drove a Cooper S last week and boy does that shift!! Fastest thing I`ve driven for a while. They are expensive compared to all the other small cars you can buy but they do hold value better.Newer ones 2010 onwards seem more reliable from what i read.

 

[mybike]

Probably not...Fords of that era were great fun too. Brilliant gearboxes and tight, eager little engines, in vehicles made out of tin can before the elf & safety mob got involved. The Mini only had a 1 litre engine, but it took off from the lights like a scalded cat. When the handles came off the rear doors I replaced them with a couple of brass wardrobe handles from Woolworths. Touch of class, nowotimean? Every drive in the rain was a dice with death mind...

Rear doors, must be the estate, or van. I had one of those, it was great round corners & country lanes, Except you couldn't see over hedges. Couldn't see over much really. Never really had a problem with rain, just a matter of waiting for it to stop.

And I learnt to drive in a RWD Escort. After that the mini gearbox was a pain.

Basically I need to sit in the back seat and need a sun roof for my head

Oh, I forgot. I had to buy extender brackets to tilt the drivers seat & move it back a tad. And I never made it to 6', just 5' 113/4".

Yet another edit: I remember there was a mini at school & the headmaster, a large man at 6+' ,managed to get in it.

 

[Piemaster]

Carslive in the Mini factory, BBC 1. On now and tomorrow

 

[Fab Foodie]

This weeks hire car was a Mercedes A-Class, prices starting from 22k. They must be joking!

 

[TVC]

Carslive in the Mini factory, BBC 1. On now and tomorrow

Interesting, but I don't need to be told what body in white means more than a dozen more times.

 

[gaz]

[QUOTE 3958832, member: 45"]I didn't think they still did the Fabia VRS do they? That would be my choice.

@gaz had a mini. He's a girl.[/QUOTE]
I did indeed use to drive a mini. Great little car. Felt very solid, fantastically built, good in the corners, despite the 1.6 only putting out just over 100bhp it accelerated well.

I was tempted with a JCW mini, nice body kits, lots of speed. But when I changed cars late last year, I went for a Mazda 6 estate. More space for bikes init.

 

[Salar]

Well,

Did anyone watch James May last night in Building Cars Live.
What a total plonker, messed up two car bodies on the production line when trying to fit a tailgate.

And Kate Humble just screechingly blabbering on like a demented cat.
Apart from that it was good in parts, but boring in many.