I haven’t been back to the US or to Europe in over 12 years, so I’m not sure if it’s the same there, but here on the streets of Tokyo, I see an original Mini at least once a day – often more than one.
This one caught my eye as it was parked with a group of Japanese “kei class” minicars; the smallest vehicle segment here in Japan. And as you can see, the Mini looks absolutely tiny compared to the already small Mazda AZ Wagon next to it. I’m always taken aback by just how small these original Minis are.
Fun Fact – the Mazda AZ Wagon is actually manufactured by Suzuki and is a badge engineered version of their Wagon R. I’ll have more on the confusing world of Japanese kei car manufacturers in an upcoming post.
The Mazda is typical kei car size – 3.4 meters in length and 1.4 meters wide. The Mini is 3.0 meters long and also 1.4 meters wide. The Mazda has a DOHC 660 cc triple putting out about 55 hp – 64 hp if it’s a turbo. I’ll assume the Mini has the 1275 cc version of the A Series engine that had between 58 to 75 hp, depending on year.
They’re thick on the ground here, for probably a couple reasons. As I mentioned in a previous post, the Japanese have an affinity with cars from the UK, as both are island nations that drive on the left. Japanese also have a fondness for “boutique” cars; those that are trendy or fashionable. There is at least one shop here, probably more, that remanufactures Mini’s – strips them down to bare metal, and puts them back together with new parts – out with the Lucas, in with the Denso…
I’m still waiting though to run across Mr Bean…
I hope the re-manufacturing gives the Minis all their famous attributes —
Magic wand shifter, sliding side windows, string-pull interior door openers, floor mounted starter button, bus-size steering wheel, and best of all — Cyclops center garage.
And — the Mk. I 850 cc engine. (actually 848) returned 35 HP.
Here in one of the larger cities of the sunny midwest I see an original Mini about once every . . . 5 years?
I was not aware of the Mini rebuilder in Japan. Aside from Jeep Wagoneers, I wonder how many other cars have generated the kind of long-term interest that could sustain a business like that.
And as someone in a semi-bucolic area of the midwest, I’ve seen exactly one in the wild in 46 years. That was only within the last two and it was parked beside someone’s barn near the Army’s Ft. Leonard Wood. It was obviously inert.
Driving a Mini in Japan makes a a lot of sense. Hopefully the market remains vibrant for many years to come.
Aside from Jeep Wagoneers, I wonder how many other cars have generated the kind of long-term interest that could sustain a business like that.
Nissan USA did the same thing with its original 240Z in 1998 and sold them for $24,000 (about $37,000 adjusted). Nissan replaced or improved the components with modern equivalent for better drivability or reliability. Unfortunately, nobody was interested in the remanufactured 240Z so about 50 were sold.
Mazda has started recently the same scheme with its original MX-5 Miata for Japanese market.
Mercedes-Benz Classic and Brabus Classic do the ground-up restoration works on vehicles, and they command eye-watering six to seven figure price. A 1971 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet at Mercedes-Benz Niederlassung München is for sale at €570,000.
https://www.mercedes-benz.com/de/mercedes-benz/classic/all-time-stars/
http://www.brabus-classic.com/
Similar to the schemes Oliver mentioned, Bristol used to offer 1960s cars remanufactured with a brand new Blenheim drivetrain, new interior – effectively a new car.
In the 80s and 90s there was a UK outfit which remanufactured and updated Morris Minors and marketed them as superior and more environmentally friendly than the tinny, plasticky boxes of the era. They had a facility making repair panels in Sri Lanka.
Similarly there was a company remanufacturing MGBs in Scotland. With the MGB it’s easy as brand new shells are available – same story with the Mini. There’s nothing to stop you building a brand new one and registering it as a 2019 car.
There’s a company doing the same with Porsche 911s over there in the UK. Mostly 964s converted to a pre-G-series look. IIRC they are not allowed to sell them with Porsche badges. Someone’s also doing it with Jag Mk2s.
The 240Z program Oliver mentions above was a marketing exercise conducted towards the end of the Z32. By then that 300ZX had been in production for about ten years, with another 2 to go before the next model, so Nissan refurbished the 240Z as a stopgap distraction.
And I remember reading about a 300SL gullwing and W100 600 built from scratch over W140+ 600 V12 by AMG for a very, very wealthy customer.
Probably the Ford Mustang and the Chevy Corvette. Perhaps in the future pre 1997 Ford F Series trucks.
A coworker autocrosses a Honda-powered Mini and has a decal in the rear window that reads, “Actual Size.”
Now if you’d have compared the Mini with kei cars from the 60s and 70s, it would look a bit different. These keis are high-boy wagons, essentially micro-vans. Right up my alley too.
Good point Paul – I wish this Mini had been parked next to the late ’60s Mazda Porter I wrote up a few years ago. Jim.
Moog from Mighty Car Mods bought an ex-JDM Mini and exported it to Australia. In the big picture it was a better option than buying any ADM Mini, because the Japanese keep their cars so nice. After supercharging the original A-series engine with a unit from a modern MINI, he wound up ripping that out and replacing with a Honda B-series engine. The series is available on the Mighty Car Mods channel on YouTube.
Yeah you see ex Japan Minis for sale in the UK, the big reason being lack of rust.
Be careful where you shop for cars in Japan, they salt the roads where it snows ex JDM rust buckets do exist, oddly enough Minis got exported from NZ to Japan still a very common car here and Mini revival businesses keep them alive, the posted car is a very late model example.
While the original Mini may appear ridiculously small, the profile picture in front of the Mazdas again confirms what a work of genius it was in terms of packaging.
Absolutely true – the room inside is amazing. Jim.
I have seen a grand total of one in the last 2 years and I actually see it regularly as I pass by it as it is parked next to a house on the corner of Brock bridge Road and Whiskey Bottom road in Laurel MD. It seems to be for sale. That household has interesting tastes as there is also a 1980’s F Series pickup and 1980’s Grand Prix coupe (G-Body) and oddly enough there is now(as of 3/9/19) a 79-83 Nissan Gloria 430.
The Japanese adore the Mini for the philosophy of the Mini, the Mini is clearly a car with an idea and a soul.
Thanks to the fanatical Japanese Mini community Austin Rover were able to let the Mini soldier on, even improving the car by fitting fuel injection and a catalytic converter.
Many Japanese owners who purchased these Mini’s often had them taken apart to give them the sixties Cooper S look.
Here comes actually the weakness of Japanese design, for decades the Japanese tried to invent and manufacture a car with soul like a Mini but for some reason all their efforts miss their goal, perhaps the best attempt -and perhaps real design success was the first 1980’s Honda Jazz, the Mazda 121 bowler hat was inspired on the 2CV, the Mazda designer was a dedicated 2CV fan.
Perhaps the most painfull proof of creating a car with soul, an idea I found in 1992 when I was onboard a hughe car carrier that literally sailed the seven seas.
Onboard, stuck away in a corner were 10 new Twingo’s , the Twingo was not even available outside France (French manufacturers used to keep new models only at their home market for the first six months) but here they were sitting onboard, all colors and models.
The Twingo became a benchmark similar to the Mini, such a good benchmark and fore runner that each self respecting manufacturer makes one today.
Even Toyota – with a little help from PSA.
Food for thought: Most iconic small Europen cars are basically the idea and design of one man..