Innocenti, 1966, Mini Minor

Innocenti “Mini Minor”, 1966

In 1957 BMC (British Motor Company) asked engineer Alec Issigonis to build an economy car. Issigonis designed a 3-meter-long 1-meter-wide car that could carry 4 people. The engine is mounted transversally at the front and, to gain more room inside the cabin, front wheel drive was applied. The Mini Minor was launched in the UK on August 26th, 1959.
The success of the Mini came to Italy, but the import fees raised the price to prohibitive money for Italian buyers.
Innocenti, who was already doing business with BMC by produdcing the Austin model in Italy, got the license to produce the Mini Minor in Italy. Production started in 1965 in the Lambrate factory. The Mini by Innocenti has a huge success.
The italian model has some differences compared to the english one: the interior is more refined, the front grille is different and the rear trunk was modified to house the square Italian plates of the period. The italian production of the Mini Minor 850, followed by the Cooper 1000 in March 1966 and in October by the Mini T (Traveller), station wagon with wooden side panels.

Exhibition 60 years of Mini Minor!

2020 Ruoteclassiche shooting