MINI 850 and 1000
850: £739
1000: £837
Launched in its original form some 14 years ago, the British Leyland Mini is still one of the world's most compact, economical, and easy-to-park cars. Available in saloon form with the choice of 850 or 1000 c.c. (transverse) engines, the neat rubber-suspended Minis have front-wheel drive, side-mounted radiators, and all-synchromesh gearboxes. In spite of the modest engine capacity and overall dimensions, the Minis are also available with fully-automatic transmission. The luggage boot isn't vast but its rectangular shape holds more than you might think.
MINI CLUBMAN ESTATE
Estate: £959
Saloon: £893
This incredibly useful little vehicle has all the Mini attributes — transverse engine, front wheel drive, and all-independent suspension, but it has the added advantage of an impressive carrying capacity. The body has three doors and when the rear seat is folded forward there is a useful floor length of 3ft. 9in. Even with the seat erect the length is 27 inches. Powered by the 998 c.c. Mini engine, the Clubman Estate is derived from the 5 cwt commercial van, but there are side windows and superior trim and fittings. There is a simulated wood panel on the bodysides.
MINI 1275 GT £1,021
This is the high-performance Mini with transverse 60 b.h.p. engine, 90 m.p.h.-plus performance, and late-type full-width grille. It has disc front and drum rear brakes, and like all Minis the suspension is independent on all four wheels by rubber cones, and there is front wheel drive. For 1974 the 1275 Mini GT is offered with the ingenious Dunlop Denovo 'total mobility' tyres and wheels as optional extras. No spare wheel is fitted with Denovo, the tyres automatically sealing and partly reinflating themselves after sustaining a puncture.
London report