1994 Morris Mini Cooper EFI: Regular Car Reviews

[@Myriadys]

"What's rattling in here? Something British." got me rolling

[@Eric_Hunt194]

The traditional fix for that rattle is a bit of gaffer tape.

[@biglads4tw]

"Something is rattling in here, it wasn't rattling yesterday and it might not be rattling tomorrow." As somebody who owned a few Minis in the past - that's totally normal.

[@JuddKramer]

I lived in Japan when the post-Leyland original Mini's were being imported and sold there like crazy, mostly with crazy Italian Job-esque paintjobs and giant driving light racks on the front.

[@IdiotRace]

They were sold officially in Japan afaik, people have been re-importing them back into the UK for ages now because they won't have been blasted with road salt so they usually don't rust as badly. Also the specs are different to the ones that were actually sold here.

[@whatwhatyep]

If you watch MCM they go to Japan on one of the specials and film yards full of minis.

[@Cyberdeamon]

It was the one where they pick up that nugget of a turbo'ed awd Micra I think @@whatwhatyep edit: It was the Mira,

[@Jonathan_Doe_]

A lot of people import them back to the U.K. now because they’re usually slightly less rusty, and they have air con (rare extra here). Only downside is that they’re pretty much all automatic.

[@Mahoromatic]

I remember an iconic Mini in an anime called You're Under Arrest.

[@cowardette]

Camerawork is shockingly stable this episode

[@RegularCars]

New camera!

[@samholdsworth420]

​@@RegularCars🎉

[@ziginox]

@@RegularCars Finally! I've only been asking for a few years now. 😁 No more endlessly hunting AF! I'm also digging the 360 camera you used here and in the 992 GT3 video.

[@misterthegeoff9767]

I used to own a leyland mini, you are leaving so much power on the table short shifting at 5k rpm instead of 6. Mine didn't have a rev counter, the gear shift indicator was the valve bounce. Those 90s models they had to make the gear ratios extra long to meet emissions/economy standards so it's even more important to rev the nuts off of it.

[@olddookieshoes7164]

Oh dear God yes

[@johnpearson492]

I was thinking the same. I have a 62 AH Sprite, and I take that little 1098 a series gets wound up to 6k every time I drive it. Also yes, if you shift over 5.5k it will valve float for a second after clutching in.

[@TannCo2]

Now THIS... This seems like a peak Mr Regular vehicle. The smiles on your face while you're driving this car are so infectious. What a lil ripper.

[@zuhayerahnafaziz6956]

Receptionist: Name? Mr. Bean: BEAN!

[@RunawayTrain2502]

Bean, Mister Bean *Trumpets Play*

[@em_t_01]

There's a guy a couple streets down from me with an Austin metro, it's such a piece of shit and he spends a fortune keeping that little box running purely out of love and I have so much respect for the guy for that

[@therealchayd]

I'm amazed that it hasn't turned to rust at this point, massive props to the guy!

[@SpitfireFortyFour]

What a Legend. The Metro is the thinking mans Mini. Exact same driving experience (because it's basically the same car) so you get the stupid gearbox that sounds like it's straight cut paired with the rally car handling. But they're much more practical and way cheaper to buy. The Austin Metro is one of the most underrated cars out there imo.

[@Cyberdeamon]

That sounds exactly like my old 72 Austin Mini LE was, those things can turn into money pits if you're not prepared to look after them, and I was bloody lucky to not have to bad rust problems because those things can rot so fucking fast and in places where you will not believe!

[@Aiika__]

my dad had one about 6 years ago and i could feel the ground through the carpet, it was so far gone,. He must have bribed many MOT men to keep that going for the few years he had it.

[@em_t_01]

@Cyberdeamon yeah this guys metro is starting to have rust issues which is a shame, hope he can keep it going

[@StCornerback]

The original Mini Cooper deserves to be remembered for the many names and manufacturers it had before the BMW acquisition.

[@lohenriksson9698]

the pillar trim looks like something I would make in automation when im too lazy to put actual padding in place

[@Grimm-Gaming]

Same ! My excuse is. "Better visibility " not lazyness

[@pogo1140]

My dad owned the station wagon version, and I've driven the normal one, there are no blindspots other than the one created by you not being able to turn your head.

[@spirit_in_exile]

Return to innocence was by Enigma, but Enya was also on Pure Moods. Wore that tape out as sleep music in the 90’s

[@dnotive]

@BillInTheBox Same! 😂

[@hungoverbear]

I haven't seen Mr Regular this happy to drive a car in a long long long long time

[@Thanos.m]

Absolutely loved this you can hear how excited and joyous Brain is! Technically in the UK we can call these the Rover minis as BL and moris were long gone by 90s.

[@TheKieranator]

05:06 Technically this example is a Rover. Prior to British Leyland's merger with Rover in 1986, the Mini was sold under various brand names including Morris, Austin, Innocenti (in Italy), Leyland, Riley, and Wolseley. Would love one of theses but prices are getting pretty dumb here in the UK (£5000+, $6,355 in freedom money, for an okay one), I may have to settle for a Morrris Minor instead which prices have kinda settled in the past few years. Also, love that you know about Chap Hop.

[@RegularCars]

Rover! thank you! I was confused. The Floor mats say Rover. The registration says "Morris."

[@Sam-go3mb]

One day Morris Minor's will shoot up in price won't they... atm it's wild that you can get a fully road legal, manual 1950's one for like 5k USD in Commonwealth countries.

[@MetalheadSavior]

I can't explain why but this is the most excited i've been About a giveaway since the Honda S 2000.

[@theothertonydutch]

It's a Mini. That's the explanation.

[@BitcoinTo150K]

Gravity exist

[@johnpearson492]

100%, there have been a lot of give aways where I was like, yeah I should buy a chance to win. This one is the first time where I'm actually going to do it.

[@jonathonwilliams93]

My dad was briefly put of work in 81', he used to buy minis and mk1 & 2 escorts and cut them up as the interiors were worth more than the whole car. These cars could be bought for as little as £20. Now they're like 10k for a rotten one, 60k for a minter. Madness.

[@mattteee2973]

I bought my first car in 2001- a 998cc Mini City. That was still only £50, which was ideal for a 16yr old. I'd love another but not for more than £1k :(

[@Jonathan_Doe_]

They’re not £10k any more. The prices have gone back down. The only ones that would be £60k mint are early coopers.

[@jonathonwilliams93]

​@Jonathan_Doe_ yeah the market has dropped with the cost of living crisis but escort mexicos are still making this figure regularly

[@olympus__]

One of the reasons why MK1 and MK2 escorts (especially 2 doors) are so expensive is down to motorsport and rallying, which is exactly why I would love to own one at some point! Growing up going to rallies and watching MK2s on opposite lock, BDGs screaming away just made me fall in love with them

[@fraserwright9482]

I put the head from a BMW K1100 on to my Mini. Twin cam and the fuel injection. I now have a NoSmoke Moke which is EV

[@Jonathan_Doe_]

The joy on your face while you feel like you’re flying through those corners (while the view outside is pretty pedestrian) is what they’re all about. They’re fun at non licence losing speeds.

[@CostaHayden]

I adore these cars and the fun they unapologetically provide when you daily one. I drove an R53 and it was really one of those cars that made me smirk every time I drove it.

[@owenhibberd8261]

Oh man, my first car! I had a 1998 Rover Mini, it was just like this one, but mine wasn't a Cooper, just a base model Mini 1275i Had it from 2015 to 2020 and went everywhere and did everything with it, loved that car so much, really miss it. What's funny was it wasn't special, it wasn't even twenty years old when I had it, and at the time these 90s minis weren't very desirable - just seen as an old car. I wasn't even into cars, I got this because it was cheap and cute, but it absolutely made me into a car enthusiast :) I now own a Renault 5 TR and a Triumph Dolomite 1850 hehe

[@pogo1140]

By that time it was a cooper in all but name. The company did not want to keep paying John Cooper for the use of his name.

[@AldoVanucci1966]

I love the go cart driving position and the way the shot from the front of the two guys in the car looked like they had been green screened into a miniature. Minis are fantastic.

[@RoofysGarage]

I knew I wasnt delusional when I was thinking I've seen a Mini reviewed on RCR before, despite your outro saying otherwise! The next recommended video to come up was the yellow 1966 that you all reviewed years back. After watching it again, I am pleasantly delighted to see some of the same feelings described. And references to TWEED in both! 🤣 The Mini, along with the DeLorean and original VW beetle are a few of my oddball dream cars that I've always wanted to own. And I'm happy to see this more in-depth review on RCR.

[@M4TT365]

I've owned a Japanese mini from 1997 for about 5 years now after always wanting one, they say don't meet your heros but i couldn't disagree more, whoever wins this is in for a treat!

[@MattTester]

Love the Coventry reference, Cov crew meet up was so long ago now. We love to keep old designs going, the Land Rover was essentially the same body style from 1958 to 2016, modernised like the Mini was. Then there's the Lotus/Caterham Seven and the Morgan +4.

[@HakanKoseoglu]

What happened to Defender is just criminal.

[@Shiruvan]

so cute with all the big modern cars sticking on a line behind the Mini

[@ProfeTa6]

Own a 75' Mini, carbed obviously so it even does the occasional decel pops. Got Toyo R888 semi-slicks and took it to a track once and man, even though it had no usable power (40hp lol), it could corner faster than anything else that day. Fun facts: cornering hard makes the passengers slide from their seat, long corners require an eye on the oil pressure gauge because the sump tends to starve the engine of oil in high G sustained corners, needs a rubber glove over the distributor cap in case of rain. The few times it needed a tow truck: one time it was crooked on the bed and we just straightened it by sliding the car by hand, another the winch failed and dropped the car down the ramp but the window was open I could just put my arm and torso inside and grab the E-brake.

[@AshleyPomeroy]

The sad thing is that Alec Issigonis came up with a clever replacement for the Mini in the late 1960s - the 9X, which looked a bit like a Renault 5, with a hatchback - but the OG Mini was still selling well so BMC said "no". So the eventual small hatchback, the Metro, didn't come out until after VW, Renault, Peugeot etc had put their own hatchbacks own cars on the market. There was also a half-hearted update in the early 1970s, the Clubman, which had a squared-off nose and a tuned-down engine but was otherwise the same car. They've all rusted to bits by now. And Innocenti in Italy made a hatchback Mini that has also rusted away.

[@kbordenave]

I used to have a carbureted one when I was stationed in Germany and I got up to 95mph a few times on the autobahn and it sounded amazing! I had so much fun driving that car and it definitely makes you want to drive like a hooligan!

[@mahj]

The word you're looking for is "teaboo"

[@rdsyafriyar]

Tea was invented by the Chinese but yeah it gradually became associated with the image of Britishness in mind ngl.

[@JacksonKillroy]

​@@rdsyafriyarthanks for the clarification, op's joke comment about internet culture almost gave me the wrong impression about the true origin of tea

[@anthonyioane4438]

​@@rdsyafriyarThat's a stiff lip sounds like an opium war is due haha

[@SterlingWheel]

I have two goals in my weight loss journey. I need to be able to fit in a classic Mini and a Lotus Exige. Thank you for reminding me to stay the course. What an awesome car!

[@bzilla-d4i]

Good luck brother, keep up the good work

[@SterlingWheel]

@bzilla1090 No Sugar and No Grains. Reversed the type 2 in a month so far.

[@louisrobson9945]

3:15 as someone who had a mr. B phase when I was like 15, that line hit like fucking whiplash

[@stoosh95]

This brings back so many memories. My father used to race OG minis back in the late 60s to early 70s and he's always had one in his stable. My mom's daily driver until 1984 was a '76 mini "imported" from Canada. It's since been restored and has a supercharger and has about 180hp.

[@hephaestus1708]

Got one of these as my first car. Drove it as my daily for 4 years and now 10 years on it's the only car I never sold. Still have her to this day. Managed to hit 160 km/h downhill once for about 5 seconds before I started slowing down because I had the feeling it was going to disintegrate around me. Funnest car I ever drove, and I work at Porsche doing track-days weekly, so that says something I guess!

[@Rapscallion2009]

It's true. You jump in one one and it just makes you feel good. And the handling is pretty amazing. DO NOT CRASH IT! - Ask Marc Bolan why I say that..

[@schubie02]

I thought you were going to compare the MINI's longevity with the VW Beetle. I did not see that small block reference coming.

[@MosoStuff]

"What's rattling in here? It's something British-" This part almost had me in tears 😆😆

[@xMadDonaldx]

I bought myself a classic mini as my first car last year and it's fantastic fun

[@theboyisnotright6312]

When I was stationed in the UK, 88-91, I rode in these a few times. Scary little, but fun. Like the world's fastest go kart.

[@clarksonoceallachain8536]

If only if you could see a deep sanderson 301 blast down a track at 150mph

[@mrcosine]

Ahh love a mini! My 2nd car was an beige 87 Mini City E, one of the more common 998cc models. It screamed it's head off if you went past 70mph, which I did every monday morning cause I was late for college. People on the inside lane cruising at 70 on the motorway, and then there's 19 year old me tanking down the outside lane doing 90ish (if the speedo was to be believed). It succumbed to rust eventually, the amount of work it needed far outstripped my bank balance. Even after all these years, it's still my favourite car.

[@ElChus]

I passed a classic Mini Cooper yesterday on the highway here in Spain and it was cruising at 130 Km/h (80 Mph), 10 Km/h above the speed limit and it didn't look like it was struggling. Beautiful engine note when I respectfully overtook it.

[@nathanlong8295]

As someone who has someone who owns a 2005 mini. This car is a thing of beauty and made me change my mind on what minis really are.

[@tonyrichards254]

The Jeep Grand Wagoneer was the last FSJ in 1991, those were introduced in the early 60s. It and the Mini couldn't be any more different, but the Wagoneer was the same vehicle it always was, just with different interiors, engines, and very superficial styling changes (if you take the grille and headlights off a 91 Grand Wagoneer, those from the very first ones will bolt right up).

[@BokBarber]

I agree. The Jeep is the US equivalent to the Mini. Even though they're very different cars they have oddly similar timelines and ultimate fates.

[@georgegordonmeade5663]

I love this! You got to hoon around Pennnsylvania all day, earned the respect of WingaDingas and BeamerBros, spent $8.79 in gas, and were never in danger of a speeding ticket. Great car!

[@seththomas9105]

Little shitbox cars are so much fun to drive. Reminds me of the first time I drove a VW Bug. My uncle owned one in the 80's and it was kind of set up as a everyday mud/snow/highway assult vehicle, LOL. Like driving a kool go-kart and wanting to show all your buddies. Good times.

[@mattw8332]

Greetings from England! I have owned 2 Minis. The first one was my very first car: a British Leyland era 1979 "Austin Morris" Mini 1000 (mark 4). I bought it the day before my 17th birthday in 1994. Learned to drive in it. Was a basket case. Much better was the 1990 "Rover" Mini 1000. I think it was a mark 5 at this point. My 4th car and 2nd Mini. I bought it in 2001 because I had crashed my previous car and because my insurance premium would be increasing I needed something dirt cheap to run and insure. This was a "Racing Green" spec which meant it was identical to British Racing Green Cooper version with a white roof but without the more powerful 1275cc engine. Despite the lack of power it was a hoot to drive and I could keep the accelerator pedal depressed when going around corners! 😃 😆 One thing to bear in mind with classic Mnis is the cramped driving position. When I picked up my Mini Racing Green and drove it home I had to turn my right foot to a 45 degree angle to use the accelerator pedal! A 1962-74 Austin or Morris 1100 or 1300 (code ADO16) is a larger version of the Mini with similar charactistics but with a more comfortable driving position. It is also the predecessor of the Austin Allegro mentioned in the video.

[@ASlimeDrawsNear]

Never expected references to Mr. B and Prof. Elemental, blindsided me like getting hit by a falling tortoise.

[@GuntanksInSpace]

The joy you have driving this little thing was strong, man.

[@nielsmichiels1939]

And people don't get why i like kei cars. I'TS NOTHING BUT THIS. Imagine every turn being fun. Every speed seems "fast". It's just fun personified.

[@nielsmichiels1939]

@@markkoetsier6475 If you crash you arrive in heaven in style.

[@indigomizumi]

The Mini may have a bigger engine but it fits right in with the spirit of Japanese kei cars. It's a tiny car with massive personality. In later years these were also hugely popular in Japan and its easy to see why.

[@marvellousm]

My dad had a couple of Minis when I was a kid so I have a big soft spot for the old pre-shittified cuties. This thing looks wonderful.

[@bigkaiserze]

Thats why I loved my celica. It wasn't fast but damn was it fun to drive and made me smile. As long as the car makes u happy thats enough

[@blitzwing1985]

It's funny living in the UK we've been importing them back to the UK as our domestic ones are mostly rot boxes now. It's very much a case of the grass is always greener on the other side. And coming with AC is a blessing these days.

[@gideon7212]

Ah man, my mom had a mini (2010, not a classic) and it was brilliant, then when I got my license I totally abused it. Ended with a blown engine and it being sold. While my new setup is probably more fitting, I do really miss how the Mini handled. I completely understood when you were powering through corners, it's a blast.

[@Eric_Hunt194]

If you get one for yourself, consider searching the Spanish/Portuguese and/or Greek/Italian markets. It'll cost more and be harder to find (and possibly older) but will be LHD.

[@peema10]

Yeah, when I was a kid we had late 70s BL Mini 850 and it bounced around the place for a significant chunk of the 80s. It definitely had that earlier no-frills thing going on. As to the appeal, that Mini, the 90s Nissan Micra and the teens Ford Fiesta all slot into a space of little runabouts, ideal for the learning to drive years, particularly in countries where the manual is the norm. They're agile little go-carts that are always happy to romp up to around 100kmh/60mph and can manage motorway speeds, but you won't enjoy that as much. Part of the appeal compared to larger, more insulated cars is you are that much closer to the road, everything feels more immediate. You are part of the experience. You find joy in movement.

[@Mercgribern]

I am very happy to included engine shots. I kept thinking 'how can I best describe the weirdness if not for the alternator and major electrical components all being directly against the front grill? Not like water comes in there...'

[@joebauers9952]

My mother had a 1959 Morris Mini, with parts from various years cobbled in. Had a modded 1,293cc motor that made all of 75-ish HP. Not much, but the car only weighed 1,000 pounds, so it could scoot faster than slow modern cars! Everything was 100% analog, immediate, and direct. By far the most fun car I've ever driven, and a completely different experience from driving any 'connected' performance car from current year.

[@russetwolf13]

Those who say "don't meet your heroes" are people who need to choose better heroes.

[@tbrasc0]

Owned 2 of these in my time, 1979 "Austin City 1000" it was my first car, bought in the 90's for £100 and a 1997 "Rover Mini Cooper 1.3i" with the sportpack, sold it 7 years ago... i miss it every day.

[@SpitfireFortyFour]

Amazing review as always, these were the best Minis overall. The 1275 A-Series engine is amazing, the added extra reliability to an already string engine. They were also so close to building a revised Mini with a wider track and the K-Series in the front to carry it over until the R50 was ready. Unfortunately BMW culled when they took over. :( Though this definitely wouldn't have the Morris name tied to it. Morris wasn't used much on the Mini in general. The majority were Austins, this one is would be AustinRover era. Registration is a gamble so it could be an Austin or a Rover.

[@hunterahmann2872]

This is almost exactly my childhood dream car. I dont have one yet because i didnt want to compromise, if im gonna buy one its gonna be perfect. My current cars all kind of point to this destination, a 2012 wrx hatch, a 2002 focus svt, and a 1966 triumph spitfire. This little guy would be the perfect jewel in my crown.

[@VMPhilosophy]

I had a 73' Austin Mini. I loved it. Sold it to a guy who had the time and resources to strip it down and repaint it.

[@drewswanson2701]

I’d say the grand wagoneer 1963-1991 was similar to the mini. It really didn’t change over the years, you can bolt up the 1960s grill to 1990s one and it will look the same. Honda swapped mini is on my bucket list of cars to own. I don’t think I’ll own a British car that’s not engine swapped along with a full wiring harness swap

[@DirkDIggler-wd8ol]

"I don't even have a destination today" sums mini ownership perfectly you truley get it. so many reveiws out classic mini just go on about it being "so small comapred to modern car" or "cute" and "handles like a go Kart" this is the first reveiw ive ever seen by someone who doesn't own one but who truly truly gets it. I can't see the future but i can see a mini in yours! Im lucky enough to own a 93 spi cooper very similar to this one and you absoulty nail it about the feel and joy of owning one these. Its the most uncomfotable most unreliable and most unsafe car i've have ever owned and i cant even use it in winter as here in england we use to much road salt and it will rust away by spring BUT if anyone tried to take it away from me i'd kill them. Why they lasted so long is always an intresting question. For me i think in England at least it was the only car ever to be genuinely classless from princess diana and mick jagger to leaner drivers and nuns anyone and every could have them. But truly i belive it out lived its replacements simply because it looks great while driving mine today i get men and women wave at it, and even children who where born 20 years after its demise and are to young to know anything about it still smile and wave, its friendly faced car. The reason they still rule though is simply because they are FUN and they make you smile and that's always worth the price of ownership in my eyes.

[@tompraisan7642]

The rattling is part of the charms...

[@JonVonBraun]

Ahhh Dr.B and Professor Elemental, a blast from the past.

[@garyr4818]

I'd say it's the opposite of old fuddy duddies, every young person from 1960-2010 has some experience in a mini. A crash, love, racing, pushing it around a roundabout because the HT leads got soaked when you went through a puddle. Most fun car on a B road

[@justinkey4895]

Probably the most comparable car is the VW Beetle. It just existed forever, almost unchanged. I've driven backroads in Scotland and England. I had a Fiesta ST for my last trip there. It was wonderful for those roads, but I bet that Mini is better.

[@suterb]

Hopefully you'll be able to meet up with Mighty Car Mods when you go to Australia. Moog has a Mini that he swapped a B16B out of a Civic Type R into.

[@GunnarMiller]

I leaned to drive in one of these in mid-'70s Berks County Pennsylvania. An aunt of mine's husband imported it in the early '60s, and my father said he knew a guy who could repaint it; the bad result of that was the start of a family rift that persists to this day ... but we had it for about six months. You still see a lot of them in continental Europe. The new BMW Minis are actually great cars (my daughter drives one) with a lot of the same look-and-feel. By the way, the Land Rover's basic design ran from 1948-2016, shipping just over two million units; the New Defender is a great truck, but I felt compelled to buy one of the last 2016 models.

[@therealchayd]

Around the same time as the Maestro was released, the Mini Metro (a more boxy version of the mini with an A+ engine) was also released, I think these hung around for a bit. Notably, there was also a ridiculously overpowered, mid-engined, 4WD rally car version of the Metro called the 6R4.

[@AshleyPomeroy]

That was during the Group B madness era, back when there was mid-engined Renault 5. There was also a MG Metro, which was apparently not bad - but it felt a bit sad because it was still just a Metro.

[@CamdenBloke]

RE: minis being produced for so long - They were still making original vw beetles in Mexico until 2004. On my visit in 2015 I was surprised at how many original beetles there were around.

[@nicozimmermann8672]

Dear Mr. Regular, i absolutely understand the fun factor of little nuggets like the Morris Mini. I highly recommend you try to find a "Suzuki Swift GTI" from 1989-1996 (The MK2 version with the legendary G13B engine). Of all cars i had the pleasure to drive, this was by far the most fun. I´m sure you will love it.

[@Vetrius]

So I have one of these. It's very similar. It's a 96 (95?), but it leaks oil like crazy, and the o2 sensor is shot, so it uses 12L/100km. It also floods itself on cold starts. They're lovely to drive and everyone waves/comments, but a pain to work on. Parts are "available", but at a premium.

[@AggroNoobs]

Your entire in car experience, just messing around, smile plastered, no where to go without a care really is why Minis are just... gdi they're just great. I had a Gen 1 r50 then a Gen 2 r53 and even if it was a little bigger with modern everything & blah blah blah, it STILL managed to do that same exact thing to me each and every time I got in it. A simple errand would turn into a back roads drive when I noticed I had an hour to kill. The large gap between fuel pumps was a short cut. Every sharp corner was a quiet challenge from the road. Tiny public/park dirt and gravel roads turned into small adventures and every single day long mountain trip with the gang, I'd grab the keys and say "I'll drive". It just *did* and would always be forcing a smile on your face.

[@Hobotraveler82]

You describing this car in that voice reminds me of Dan Aykryord describing that hearse in Ghostbusters. Sweet. Also cool mini, want one.

[@rx6180]

I think it’s great you love these things. I liked your earlier videos of the yellow Mini. It always makes me smile when you drive them. BTW throughout the various names the maker of the Mini went under over the years, I think the later ones were Austin-Rover, Rover Group and MG-Rover right at the end. The Morris name was dropped forever in 1984 when the Morris Ital car was put out to pasture, except for a few panel vans based on the Austin Metro car that were badged ‘Morris’ until 1985. The unfortunate Allegro was actually a replacement for the Austin-Morris 1100 and 1300 range, which was sold for a time in the States badged as the Austin America. Because in Britain the 1100 and 1300 were sold under practically every badge BMC owned, it tends to get referred to in British classic car mags under its ‘drawing office’ code name ADO16. And they are essentially a bigger, slightly softer, Italian styled Mini.

[@darcyoneill9377]

(Ten days later...) So cool and nimble. And lovely to the eyes (to avoid writing 'cute'.. oh). To that point, nice shots, editing, providing a real good look at it.

[@petewitt2867]

I haven’t watched one of your videos for ages. I’d forgotten about the low angle steady cam shots of your own shadow 😂 Your scripting is on point - those shots look like an 8th grade video project.

[@hempev]

When are RCR going to giveaway a 2CV? Or maybe a Trabant, or a Honda 600?

[@squirrel8296]

The Jeep Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer was in production almost as long as the original mini. The mini was 59-00, the Wagoneer was 1962-1991.

[@dallesamllhals9161]

and?

[@BokBarber]

@@dallesamllhals9161 ...and Mr. Regular stated that no US car matched the production run of the original Mini Cooper. That's plainly wrong, the Jeep just about matched it. Though they're very different vehicles, the Jeep is arguably the US equivalent to the Mini.

[@dallesamllhals9161]

@@BokBarber Nååh! Ok! Jeg er fra Danmark/Oh! Okay, i'm from Denmark! ..and you are...? 😛

[@Do_Not_Comply_V]

As an English Gentleman I can say I had a proper Mini. This Mini. Not a BMW Maxi but an English Mini ❤

[@bzilla-d4i]

The Mini is Britain's greatest motor vehicle ever in my opinion, it's so special, its racing history, and for what it originally was, a shopping car for housewives, it really took the competition to the Fiat 500, its a simple yet incredible vehicle.

[@ajames8237]

Mini Metro was successful, finishing with Rover Metro with rather good 1.4 K Series engine. You never really needed a car as small as a mini to drive on country roads, it’s more of a town car. I find the Austin Allegro estate slightly sexy.

[@Neuros]

Only took you 3 MINI’s to find true British happiness.

[@ErickC]

Argh the sheer joy you're having in this car is the same joy I felt in my first-gen Tercel, which was also so narrow that every road felt a mile wide. Now it's sitting in the driveway because my brother decided that oil was optional and I'm debating if I want to put the effort into replacing the engine again (first engine threw a rod). I have a spare 3AC but that's a lot of work...

[@chevymontmarlo]

Guys, no one partake in the giveaway, so Sir Regular can keep the mini! /s

[@1SaG]

Back in the early/mid 90s, a German rental car company offered these Coopers for super cheap and with no mileage limits as weekend-rentals. Since it was about as much as buying a train-ticket, I simply rented one of them when I had to drive from Munich to Cologne to visit my family (~600km drive). Even back then, it was kinda scary driving this thing on the Autobahn - especially at night and in the sort of endless downpour that started right when I got on the Autobahn. You literally sit at the height of a 30 or 40 ton truck's axles in the OG Mini - which made me feel quite vulnerable and exposed. A feeling that was new to me back then, since I was in my early 20s and thus thought I was immortal. On the plus side: Even those fattened up, last-hurrah Minis still felt incredibly responsive and direct and were a joy to drive if the weather cooperated. Seating position was kinda weird and almost felt like in a small delivery van (thanks to the steering wheel's rather flat position). I do believe these last OG Minis were probably the worst of the bunch since they'd usually be fitted with tires that were way too fat, their engines were struggling thanks to a slapped-on catalytic converter that reduced power to around 64 HP IIRC and I always preferred the old-school interior with the large, centrally mounted speedo. Always bummed me out that I never got to drive an OG Cooper which would've been lighter and probably a little more powerful.

[@Petrospect]

Return to Innocence, great song. Good shout. Had a good cry over that song just now, it's probably what I feel climbing in to the E36 I grew up in and all the memories I have in it. My sanctuary This is one of your best vids though, you looked like you were having so much fun! Cannot wait for the Rover Mini era. They're so cheap in Europe I've considered getting one and running it until I'm out of money but this is making me revisit it. I've checked out Pacific Coast Auto for Minis from Japan and I was surprised there were so damn many of them, explains them being a key importer

[@IVR02]

This past summer, I crossed paths with a British dude at a car show in my town who had a mid-90s Mini (I wanna say it was either a '94 or a '95) and was kind enough to let me sit in it. What stuck with me the most was that I'm 6'3" but I was fairly comfortable sitting behind the wheel. Like, I've got a friend who dailies an NC Miata, and I was more comfortable sitting in the Mini than his Miata. So that's something.

[@R1ddic]

The best thing that came out of the Metro was the turbo version that ended up being engine donors as stock upgrades for the Mini ;)

[@canuckfixit7722]

19:00 Hmmm....did you know that you are totally riding the clutch? Release it at stops unless ya wanna replace stuff like thrust bearings, release bearings et al...

[@sambarker7930]

I feel it’s worth saying both the Maestro (pronounced My-strow) and the Allegro weren’t meant to replace the Mini. The Maestro replaced the Allegro, and the Allegro replaced the 1100/1300, which was a size up from a Mini. Also the Maestro sorta made it into the 2000s (there was some very limited production in 2000 (built by two separate tiny companies, neither of which were Rover group), and the tooling ended up in China, where production ended in something like 2007)

[@robertharris7027]

I owned a '92 1000 (carb), a '91 1275 (carb) Cooper and at last a '95 1275 (SPI). Fastest was the '91 and I had no problems to get it on the Autobahn to give it the beans - 160km/h on the speedo was possible. The SPI with 53hp was the "most" reliable one in sense of easy starting but you had to be aware that the ECU would die some day on these fuel injected Minis (the German Mini scene was very busy back in the days and you could get an ECU which was much more reliable). Anyway, it was a nice time but also a very demanding one since there was always something to fix on these little fun machines (mostly rust-wise).

[@kamikazemelon787]

that getting car facts shouted at me over engine/road/trans noise was way too real bro i don't think ill ever be as happy again

[@quuxummephitida1219]

3:40 You forgot "bugger", "bollocks", "pillock", "plonker", "ballbag", and "aluminium".

[@Coolalabright]

Can’t forget about “rubbish” and “lads”

[@rallymodeller]

A British company called Jack Knight Developments created a 16v head and 5-speed gearbox for these in the 90s. They were so popular in Japan that the heads and transmissions were basically impossible to find back in the UK. Also, re people loving these: I have found this is true of any old British car. My daily is a 1986 Jag XJ-S, and I have never had a car that gets more thumbs up and doubletakes. It's like people just appreciate seeing them on the road amidst the sea of bland sameness.

[@ohpotatoesandmolasses]

"What's rattling in here? Something British..." lmao

[@MarckVK]

I really "know that feeling Bro", I had one. One the greatest feelings. Thank you, lovely car.

[@jessebrook1688]

My mom went to New Zealand on an agricultural exchange in the 1970s. She had a Mini to drive over there, and has been enamored of them ever since. She got excited by the new Minis, but I had to tell her they were nothing like the old ones, which was sad. But, man, if she ever buys a car just for herself, it'll be one of these. Hers had the 975cc engine, and was, apparently, terrible at starting.

[@scottnormand9131]

These were my first two cars as a kid. Both imported from Japan. So fun

[@TravisStewart42]

You don't know how happy I was to hear a James Burke reference.