LEYLAND MINI £2,090
Now in its 19th year of production, the Mini is still one of the world's most compact cars. The tiny two-door saloon is offered with either an 848 or 998 cc engine, the smaller unit being available with manual gearbox only. The '1000' is fitted with a manual as standard but the fully-automatic AP transmission is an optional extra. In spite of its small size the Mini will accommodate four adults, luggage, and any amount of oddments in its many internal storage areas. Very easy to park, the Mini has independent suspension all-round, and is a front-wheel drive car. The 5.5-gallon fuel tank will give you about 250 miles!
London report

LEYLAND MINI 1275GT £2,718
Sporting edition of the Alec Issigonis Mini has a beefy motor of almost 1.3 litres, and plenty of get-up-and-go. With neat grille and wheeltrims it is a smart little rushabout which incorporates all the Mini's excellent features like doorbins, parcel shelf, and storage space under the rear seat. The front-wheel drive 1275GT can be ordered with Dunlop's Denovo fail-safe tyres which means no wheel-changing is (immediately) required after a puncture, and that the boot space is increased owing to the absence of a spare wheel. Each Mini carries a 12 month unlimited mileage warranty, and main servicing needed every 6,000 miles.
London report