It is interesting to compare the modern day Mini with what is now undoubtedly a classic Mini of the 1960s.
A 1960s Mini
The old Mini seems to be as popular today as it was back then and not just with classic car owners. You even see young motorists driving them.
The new Mini is undoubtedly slightly larger in size than the small Mini of many years ago with the later keeping things simple in terms of styling and interior finish. The wheels are certainly bigger on the new version.
The old Mini had a basic interior finish with not much by the way of luxury. You didn’t even get a radio and a heater was an optional extra. You even had sliding windows. The passenger space was a bit tight although it was capable of squashing 4 adults in.
Today, the new Mini looks so stylish inside with its chrome finishes. It certainly has a retro feel when you are sat in the comfy seats and, yes, it is no surprise to read that it not only comes with a heater but air-conditioning as well plus a radio. It has more space for the passengers.
The Mini Paceman
The classic Mini may only have had an 848cc engine producing 34bhp but it was so much lighter than the new version so was still a nippy little thing to drive especially about town and on country lanes. Even the new Mini One with its 1,200 cc engine has 102bhp getting from 0 to 62mph in a mere 9.9 seconds. There is obviously much more choice today with a huge range of models available but that can be said of most car manufacturers these days.
It is great to observe that the modern Mini has retained some of the features and looks of the older version. In 50 years time it will be interesting to see if we will be doing a similar comparison with the Mini of today.
