Just got the latest Grassroots Motorsports in the mail today. They do a list of their favorite sports cars from the last 20 years.

MINI is on the list

They write "Don't think of the MINI as the spiritual successor the the classic BMC Mini............ It's better considered as an indirect descendant of the Rabbit/Golf/GTI, an economical practical car that can be driven every day and then flogged on the track on the weekends"

 

That the MINI is on the list is cool. That they not only compared it to a VW Rabbit, but went so far as to say that the MINI was derived, even indirectly, from the Naziwagen Rodent really bothers me.

Though I am just going on your quote, as I've yet to pick up the new issue; but if the MINI isn't at least the "spiritual" successor of the Mini then what is it? It's built in the old Morris plant and was designed by BMW with the cooperation of Rover designers before Rover was sold off (read that somewhere) and the council of both John Cooper and his son. Heck when BMW took over Rover, and Mini, Bernd Pischetsrieder was at the company's helm. For those of you who don't know, Bernd is the nephew of Sir Alec Issigonis, the Morris Mini's designer.

That statement, by a car writer who ought to know better is quite a bit insulting.

 

Here, here Avitor I agree!!! Saying that the Mini was not derived from the Classic Mini is like saying the 2004 Chevy Monte Carlo is not derived from the 1972 model. I know they are totally different dog, as far as technology, but it is a progression nun-the-less!!

With that said don't get me started on the 2005 GTO!!!! Those boys missed the boat on that design.

 

I was happy to see it on the GRM list, too (I like that magazine a lot), but a bit puzzled by the "spiritual successor" comment. And I had a VW Rabbit long ago, too. It was actually a fun car, especially compared to what else was available at that time, though the many trips to the VW dealer to get things fixed weren't particularly fun.

I thought it was a good list. Another car we currently have, the Mazda Miata, is also on the list, and I used to own another one, the Porsche 944 Turbo S. Seeing the MINI on the list made me happy, even with the strange comment!

Mark

 

Here is the list in order of production dates


1. 79-93 Mustang
2. 83-84 VW Rabbit GTI
3. 84-87 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo/ Shelby GLHS
4. 84-96 Corvette
5. 85-87 Honda CRX Si
6. 86-91 Porsche 944 Turbo/Turbo s
7. 88-92 Chevy Camaro 1LE
8. 89-94 Nissan 240 SX
9. 90-94 Diamond Star Triplets
10. 90-present Mazda Miata
11. 91-95 Toyota MR2 Turbo
12. 92-95 HOnda Civic Hatchback
13. 93-96 Mazda RX-7
14. 95-98 Dodge/Plymouth Neon ACR
15. 95-98 BMW M3
16. 97-98, 00-01 Acura Integra Type R
17. 97-present Porsche Boxster/Boxter S
18. 01-04 Chevy Corvette Z06
19. 01 - Present Subaru Impreza WRX
20. 02-Present MINI Cooper/Cooper S

There you have it.

 

i think what they may have meant was that the MINI is different from the mini in practicality...as the mini was a cheap, economical small-*** car...while the MINI is more expensive (still a BARGAIN tho), can have high BMW repair bills after warranty, and isn't as small...they think of the mini as impractical because of its size, but the MINI as a practical car that also is a SPORTS CAR...

 

9. 90-94 Diamond Star Triplets

What is a Diamond Star?

Art

 

Mitsubishi

 

Yep. Mitsu is right.

I think they are referring to the Talon/Eclipse/Laser.

 

yah! but there is another half to the pie.

Diamond-Star is/was the name of the Chrysler and Mitsu joint-venture in IL where those three cars were built.

hey,

 

Yes the rabbit is a joke car to everyone know but look at your local autox's Rabbit's tear up the track. I think we should be honored considering the Rabbit made #2 on the list.

(I own 2 Rabbits )

-Tom