Mini mini's

How good are they! Genius idea! For anyone who thinks I've lost it there being used at the Olympics

London 2012: Mini MINIs will retrieve javelins during London 2012 - Mirror Online

These look good fun

remote control lorries at truckfest 09 - YouTube

I had a mini elastic band powered spitfire briefly at christmas.

0900 Open pressie.
0901 Leap about excitedly and kiss wife.
0902 Begin building spitfire.
0920 Finish building spitfire.
0921 Wind up elastic and send spitfire on test flight.
0922 Spitfire confiscated by wife after knocking over vase of flowers, scaring the cat and turning her carefully coiffured hair into something resembling spaghetti junction.

totally wrong imo..

if i remember right they had one at the opening ceremony too.

it should be the iconic british mini with the union jack on it. not german karp

Originally Posted by REDSAW

totally wrong imo..

if i remember right they had one at the opening ceremony too.

it should be the iconic british mini with the union jack on it. not german karp

A red , a white, and a blue, Leyland Mini Cooper like the Italian job?

Would have represented a 3 way classic in British history: the cars, the film, and Michael Caine.

Originally Posted by petercj

A red , a white, and a blue, Leyland Mini Cooper like the Italian job?

Would have represented a 3 way classic in British history: the cars, the film, and Michael Caine.

and itay?

I think the majority of the world see them as an iconic british symbol and dont know they are now german produced! I

Originally Posted by zeebeedee

I think the majority of the world see them as an iconic british symbol and dont know they are now german produced! I

Maybe.

Although to my way of thinking the German mini is a completely different concept from the old Leyland Mini, which was very much a basic, run-about utilitarian vehicle.

Nearly everything was design with cost in mind, e.g. sliding windows, simplistic door hinges, and tip-forward seats.

Designed by a Greek who had an eye for simplicity and minimalism (clues in the word).

They were fun to drive, brilliant on petrol (for those days), and although they didn’t have much in the way of power, you didn’t have to slow down to go around corners.

The doughnuts and CVs were a pain, but otherwise they were great little cars.

By contrast, the German mini is far more plush and up-market, with a big difference in relative price.

I don’t have anything against the German’s, they are excellent engineers, but whenever I see a German mini I think: “it should be British!” The industrial problems of the 70’s should have been sorted out so that we could have maintained our record of manufacturing in the way that the Germans have.

The Thatcher Government, and the much of the press of that era, branded British car workers as lazy troublemakers, and yet the Japanese and the Germans were able to employ British workers very successfully.

Japanese and German managers knew their stuff and were able to roll their sleeves up and do the job if necessary, which always draws respect from tradesmen - unlike the Lord so and so's who had so much control over British manufacturing. Plus of course, the Germans and the Japanese recognised the need to fund modern production methods.

British manufacturing industry was sold out, and now we’re paying the price for it.

Originally Posted by petercj

Maybe.

Although to my way of thinking the German mini is a completely different concept from the old Leyland Mini, which was very much a basic, run-about utilitarian vehicle.

Nearly everything was design with cost in mind, e.g. sliding windows, simplistic door hinges, and tip-forward seats.

Designed by a Greek who had an eye for simplicity and minimalism (clues in the word).

They were fun to drive, brilliant on petrol (for those days), and although they didn’t have much in the way of power, you didn’t have to slow down to go around corners.

The doughnuts and CVs were a pain, but otherwise they were great little cars.

By contrast, the German mini is far more plush and up-market, with a big difference in relative price.

I don’t have anything against the German’s, they are excellent engineers, but whenever I see a German mini I think: “it should be British!” The industrial problems of the 70’s should have been sorted out so that we could have maintained our record of manufacturing in the way that the Germans have.

The Thatcher Government, and the much of the press of that era, branded British car workers as lazy troublemakers, and yet the Japanese and the Germans were able to employ British workers very successfully.

Japanese and German managers knew their stuff and were able to roll their sleeves up and do the job if necessary, which always draws respect from tradesmen - unlike the Lord so and so's who had so much control over British manufacturing. Plus of course, the Germans and the Japanese recognised the need to fund modern production methods.

British manufacturing industry was sold out, and now we’re paying the price for it.

I agree there wholeheartedly! Thatcher destroyed industry in this country! I for one will party hard for days when she's gone!

Originally Posted by zeebeedee

I agree there wholeheartedly! Thatcher destroyed industry in this country! I for one will party hard for days when she's gone!

oh aye, im so glad labour was in for years, cause Britain was well sorted when they were running the show, why the hatred for thatcher, i hate them all

Like wise there all corrupt although she was a particular bad one! Growing up in the 80's in a working class family watching my parents struggle because of her policy's!

There isn't much to choose between the Tories, Labour, or LD's, ... why is that? ... Because they all follow Thatcherite principles and policies.

The Labour Party allowed MG Rover to slide down the tube, being the last of the mass producing British motor industry.

The Tories de-industrialised Britain, and the Labour Party turned GB into a casino, burger munching, theme park.

The poster who said that most British people probably don't even think of the modern mini as being German is more than likely right, which is all part of the problem, i.e. if people can still see the family silver around them, they don't think of it as having been sold off.