What is a mini?

[Mike Arman <armanmik@n-jcenter.com>]

What is a mini?

Yeah, I know this isn't Audi content, but most of us Audi drivers are at
least a little interested in other things going on in the automotive
universe . . .

Built by Austin, starting in 1959. Design by Alex Issogonis (sp?), car was 4
seats, transverse 875cc four, itty bitty 10" wheels, and an air/oil
suspension. It was just under ten feet long!

Well, hotrodders being hotrodders everywhere, after a while the lowly mini
came out as the 1275cc Mini-Cooper which was street-legal - but only just.
In 1965, I worked for an importer of race cars (Lola, Brabham, etc.) and we
got a full race 1275cc Cooper delivered to a dock in NYC - and I had to
drive it back to the dealership in Paramus NJ out Route 4. I screwed in the
spark plugs (removed for some unknown reason for the shipping), poured in
some gas, hung a spare plate on the back and lit the fuse. That itty-bitty
green box lit out of there like the warp drive scene in Star Wars - open
exhaust and all! (I used to think fast cars were fast. Now I think flying an
F-4 with the afterburner lit is fast. I can't wait to see what my definition
of fast will be in another 30 years!) After a trip thru the local McDonalds
(1,000,000 sold!) to impress the (other) teenagers, I innocently delivered
the car. It was sold in about an hour, and two days later, the new owner
called us to say he had thoroughly wrecked it and was salvaging what he
could. "How do you unbolt the rear anti-sway bar?" was his question.

BMW (who?) now owns Austin/BMC/MG/whoever, and there are rumors of a new
BMW-designed mini - so far only for the Euro market.

End of non-Audi content!

Best Regards,

Mike Arman