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A good friend of mine was a top trouble-shooter for BL, and very close to one of the directors throughout the 1960s and 1970s. I got to hear all sorts of stories - most of them unprintable - about the Mini. When I was in the garage trade, they were nothing but trouble. When a friend of mine bought one (a well maintained example in perfect condition, I might add), I couldn't stop laughing after driving it 50 yards, and swore I would never get behind the wheel of one again. Although I've been punished by taking up a position in the passenger seat a few times since, I've thankfully kept that promise to myself.
Yes, the concept was interesting, but it was not new (it's a VW or 4CV in reverse), and other makers that "copied" the idea usually did a far better job of it. While I respect the fact it was a good rally car, the vehicles competing were a long way from standard. While I also appreciate it sold in huge numbers, so have (and do) lots of other cars that don't deserve to - it sold primarily because it was cheap. When the Japanese invasion of the UK market started, how many people bought Minis? Had it been cheaper again, it would have probably continued selling, but against any kind of competition in the same price sector, it didn't stand a chance unless the buyer fell in love with those "cute" looks.
There are still people trying to drive these things in Japan, partly because of the looks, partly because of the love of all things British, and partly beacuse some of the roads in old towns are so narrow, hardly anything else will go down them. But no-one can live without air conditioning in modern Japan - the traffic moves too slowly - and that takes up all the front passenger space, and drains what little bit of power there was in the first place. The suspension can't deal with the heat, and even when it is working, even the small Japanese frame bounces around from side to side and top to bottom - the Mini is like a giant food mixer on anything but a billiard table-smooth road. Only the Mini 1000 was sold, so the road tax is a lot higher than a kei, despite it being smaller, a lot less refined (there are some really good kei-cars around nowadays), and having less horses under the bonnet. And you wouldn't believe people are still willing to part with vast sums of money to be seen in this car - it is a British design icon after all, and image is what it's all about in a fashion-led society.
So I'm not just being anti-establishment and knocking the Mini for the sake of it. I guess I will be hung, drawn and quartered by vast numbers wearing rose-tinted spectacles, but my thoughts are my honest views, based on fact and personal experience. If I'm asked for an opinion, I believe the response should be honest....
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