By the early 1990s Mini production was starting to wind down and would have finished earlier had BMW not purchased the Rover Group in January 1994. BMW’s marketing department identified the Mini brand as one of Rover’s most important assets so their engineers immediately set about looking at what was needed to keep the Mini in production until an all new replacement could be launched. Market presence was now much more important than profit. The result was a huge package of improvements and modifications, the most radical in the car’s lifetime.
The most important mechanical modification was a move to multipoint injection and a front mounted radiator. This latter change halved the car’s external noise level and was necessary because the mechanical radiator fan no longer met drive-by noise regulations. In addition the interior was fitted with a driver’s airbag, door intrusion beams, seatbelt pre-tensioners, extra sound deadening, a 2-speed fan, moulded carpet and luxurious leather trim. Various retro trim options were collected into an accessories catalogue and offered together with a range of re-introduced retro colours such as Almond Green or the Surf Blue modelled here.
This car also features the ‘Sports Option Pack’ or S.O.P., which included 13inch wheels running low profile 175/50 R13 tyres, Koni dampers to control the greater unsprung weight, ultra-wide body-coloured spats, four auxiliary lamps, oil-pressure and voltage gauges, and a large bore tailpipe finisher. Although the S.O.P. reduced the car’s top speed to 84mph (because of the larger tyres’ aerodynamic penalties) and reduced the 0-60 time by 0.6sec it was chosen by 50% of buyers. The S.O.P. was unique to the last batch of Minis manufactured before the Longbridge Mini production lines ceased on Wednesday 4th October 2000 after 5,387,862 Minis had been produced.
Specification
THIS MODEL IS BOXED IN MINT CONDITION.
AIRCRAFT
BATMAN
