Has MINI Lost Its Way? I Compare a Classic MINI Cooper to a New One to Find Out!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2020
- ( www.TFLcar.com )
In this episode of TFLclassics we examine a British icon: The MINI cooper. The original started production way back in 1959 and continued all the way until 2000 when BMW launched an entirely new model. Recently the company has been struggling to sell its basic model, the hardtop, a direct successor to the classic design. But does that mean that the old one is actually better? In this video we examine a 1993 Mini Cooper and a 2010 MINI cooper S to see if the icon still has its magic!
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Mini was so small compared to the new one..I enjoyed seeing the difference between the two... thank you Tommy ☺️
My first car was a 67 Cooper S.
1275cc with a hot cam, high compression head, electronic ignition and free flowing exhust. I am amazed that I survived my youth. Hand brake turns and doubling any speed limit suggestion sign. I miss this car every day. Thank you for the memories.
Mini lost its way along time ago, some of their current models look quite large!
Thats BMW.. they keep making cars bigger. My 3 series is the size of a 5 series.
@@toddrobertson1398 yes this has happened to a lot of cars including Renaults Peugeot here in France, the older underground carparks reflect this, the spaces are so tiny, and getting from floor to floor is at your own risk!
Except it’s still smaller than any car you are next to in traffic. Minis are great.
@@WW-wf8tu lol like my Jaguar it never gets to go to town unless the carpark was recently built, even the exits still are so narrow "what are those strange black marks on the wall"? wish the car had black rims!
@@CathodeRayNipplez yes expressing an opinion is fraught with danger I agree!
The first gen R50’s, R52 & R53’s are a blast to drive too. Love the Eaton supercharger on our R53.
David STEWART - Indeed! That supercharger whine is magical!
R53!
3:30 that made me laugh... i drove my classic mini every single day for over 10 years, even in the cold winter mornings i almost never had trouble and it was actually a carburated one. big holiday trips in the summer no problem. these cars are mighty reliable if you keep up with regular maintenece
The reason the Mini’s light switch (and all the rocker switches) are moved down to “on” is the same reason that all the wall light switches in homes throughout the UK are moved down to turn on - it’s just the way it is. Just as in the US we move switches up to turn things on. By the way, that’s an MGB light switch that has been retrofitted to the Mini. Which is popular to do because the MG switch is a little longer and easier to reach. Originally, your Mini had a rocker switch there for the lights that looked just like the other switches.
When you're feeling around in the dark, it's more natural to move your hand down. Try going into a dark room with your eyes closed and feel for a light switch, then see what your hand is doing.
If you want to appreciate Mini handling, then you need to try them on tiny, winding British country roads, and now you've got used to right hand drive, then you really ought to book a trip.
Incidentally, that A-series engine goes back eight years prior to the Mini and debuted in 1951. There were in production for 50 years and they were very simple to work on with pushrods, cast iron head and none of the complications of timing belts. That original engine displaced 850cc and had 28hp.
There are all sorts of special bits you can get to deliver a lot more power, but that gets incredibly expensive as that three main bearing crank was never designed for the 220 hp that some tuners have got out of it with a turbo.
Nissan licensed the engine back in the 1950s and the went about modifying it with a five bearing crank, moving the camshaft and much of that work was the basis of the 1966 Nissan A engine.
Fun review Tommy! But your wrong; there are at least 7 of us who care about this...
8. I just showed up late.
9.
I care! I had a 2013 Mini and also own an Austin Healey Sprite, which isn't a Mini but very similar fun with the same engine.
10
11! Ive owned a 62 Mini for 25yrs now. It was non functioning for past 10yrs. Just completed it's restoration 😉 Fresh motor 😎
You are forgetting the old mini party trick. Park it perpendicular between parallel parked cars...
Orginal mini is a real car , new mini its just ok
Used to have three mini’s in the sixties/seventies great little car the first mini I had was a 1963 car and was as basic as it comes no winding windows they were sliding.
That would have been the mark 1 with the 850cc engine the mini cooper had a 1071cc engine and twin tanks 👍👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
I have a 2009 Mini JCW and I wouldn’t trade it in for the world.
I feel the same way about my 2019 JCW…
Great video! My young son loves Minis and also really enjoyed the video. Many thanks for making this
Right about it being the best car to drive. My weekend toy is a 95 cooper 1380 with 120 hp, so you get all the mini handling that you have described, but with fantastic torque and acceleration
I'm with you, love them both. Have had 4 and looking for my next one. Thanks.
Few things I noticed in the video, that switch you were flicking is the ordinal on off switch for the heater that cars got some crazy wiring going on. The door handles and window winders were black plastic originally. And you can buy and fit extended seat runners for your seats.
I love both new and old. I had a 1968 mini. Loved it. I've had a 2001 cooper still miss it. Would have another I drive a 2007 cooper with 200k on the clock. Had it 11 yrs now. Still drives fantastic. All cars need regular maintenance. They are a machine after all.
Great review, as owner of a Mini Cooper S Coupe, with no back seats and plenty of trunk space, I find it a great daily driver, and fun as hell to beat on, and of course manual.
You can make the front seats go back further, just add seat brackets that give you about 2" more room and make a world of difference for tall folk. I'm 6' 2" and have no problems. Readily available in thr UK.
I Love the old mini's! Keep these videos coming on that wee lassie, Tommy!
- OMG, I so miss switches, actual clicker, rocker-panel switches! Love that!
I love your MINI videos!!! Salutes from Mx
That's Valmont! Good disc golf course. Cool channel! I'm currently transitioning from a 1990 BMW 325iX daily to a 2012 Cooper S... Well, I'm keeping the Bimmer but changing it's status from daily to project.
Hey Tommy, you should look at a Fiat 500 Abarth. It’s closer to the old Mini than the new Mini. The 500 is actually shorter than a Mini but still has good interior space. Controls aren’t as quirky either.
I've never seen a dash quite like that the classic Mini in this video - I think it may be a Japanese after market fitment. 90s Minis usually had a wooden or aluminium dash with a small glovebox on the passenger side. The switch on the heater controls is for the one speed heater fan as standard. Post 1997 the Mini had a 2 speed fan! It also got an airbag and side impact protection....
Great video tommy I like both but a mini original is the best fun - make sure you check the timing chain tensioner in the R56 otherwise chain stretches and pistons and valves collide in a messy way :)
Awesome video. Love it!!!
1:09 Tommy's body language describing the traditional north-south engine orientation. Clearly, I have a dirty mind.
Great video, I love them both!
my first car was a Mini, bought new in 1971, but was unreliable in wet weather, my second car was a second hand Mini and was more reliable, both were automatics. I live in the UK, a retired bus driver.
Fun video Tommy! Anyone else think the video guy on this one was zooming at weird times and moving a lot more then normal?
The two should never be compared. The new "Mini" is just a mini in name only.
Ever driven one?
@@ricoricardo4850Owned and driven. Two in fact.
@@pmjd42 i think the old Mini so supirior
But the new especially First and second gen com close enough
The R53 is the last great MINI - BMW had the designers at MG do the launch of the first 'new MINI's' that's why the R53 looks so good. With the superchager, lower stock ride height and better styling compared to everything after the R53, it's the clear winner IMO.
Also the R53 has a real key.
Your videos are always refreshing
Thanks Jorge!
my mate uses the classic as daily without issues, also got van / estate mini as his work van and think currently restoring the mini pickup for his company. good cars still handle modern day traffic
Hey Tommy, not sure if you ever addressed this in a future video, but they do sell a seat mount extender kit that will allow the front seats (or at least the driver seat) to move farther back.
Really great comparison
RHD Mini is normal for us in New Zealand/Australia.
There’s no room under the bonnet/hood for that washer bottle and battery so that’s why they are in the boot/trunk.
I was shocked how fun the R56 is when I first drove it. Easily one of the most fun to drive cars since the Integra type R. Long term reliability is the only concern. I'd love to K swap one.
I have a 73 Innocenti and a 03 S. Love um!!
I owned 2 of the original mini's my first was a 1961 Mini 850 with sliding windows & had a top speed wind assisted of 62mph it was the car I learnt to drive in. My next was a 1969 Mini Deluxe it had a 998cc engine and was good for about 85mph It came with windup windows and slightly more padding in the seats. They were the most fun anyone could have driving in the city or on a twisted highway as they were go-karts for the road. Unlike the one you were showing the gauges were in the centre of the dash and they were fitted with 10" wheels and tires. But the best Mini ever was the 1966 Mini Cooper S which had a 1275cc motor twin SU Carbs twin fuel tanks and a top speed of 125mph. They were so good they won the annual 500 mile production car race at Bathurst NSW Australia against both 6 cylinder & V8's taking the top 9 outright positions the 10th place car was a Chrysler Valiant 6 laps behind.
I had a 1972 mini cooper s, it had been bought to race and not registered, it was later registered and not raced it was so much fun lightened flywheel,Piper cam, maniflow exhaust manifold and RC 40 exhaust,electronic ignition and tuned by a firm in Brierly hill it really flew. You could disillusion E type jags upto about 70 mph then it ran out of gears....So much fun was had in that little car. I sold it to buy a house then found I did had not needed to , too late the new owner had written it off.... if only ...
Great video. Do you guys still have the Mini GP?
Yes
20:53 there actually exist something made for this problem, i believe they are called front seat extenders. i bet you can buy them online somewhere.
My first car was an old Morris Mini an ex racing car with a roll cage and bare metal interior ,I paid $500 for it about 30 years ago man I miss that car then my second car after that was a Mini clubman. Driving a classic Mini is so much fun I guess that's why out of all the cars I've had I can still say the Minis were the most fun to drive, I'd love get another one in the future but they are like gold to buy these days.
Do a video with my MINI? It's got a shrick cam, 550cc injectors, ECU tune by Revolution MINI works, KSport coilovers, 15% boost, M7 air box, excel ignition, Megan Racing Headers, Ireland Engineering cat back exhaust, ecb brakes and other stuff I forgot probably.. Northern california
Such a huge difference between the two.
I drove the classic one in the UK (did not belong to me). I enjoyed driving it so much that I bought the 2007 mini S (R56) when it came on sale. Its a blast to drive.
Old Mini: my dream car. New Mini: I'll pass.
Folks, If you want a small but RELIABLE car, find yourself a second hand Yaris or Fit with a manual.
Yes if you want a car that is exciting and good looking as it's name sounds. Yaaaaarrrriiss. Something that comes out like praying to a porcelain god
This dude just said to buy a yaris over a classic mini, please see yourself out
@@HOBBL3 When you get a driver's license as well as a job and have to start paying for repairs with your hard earned money, you may well change your mind. :-)
You want more leg room in the old mini they have a bolt on adapter that moves the seat back 3". Also one to drop the steering wheel down which makes it more vertical. Maybe £20 and 30 mins work...
The on/off switch next to the "screen, car" bit is for the fan in the original set up. I presume they disconnect it for a/c cars.
I think they just added a switch to make it multispeed.
The early Minis had a starter button on the floor and slide windows .
I wondered if anyone remembered the start button being on the floor lol. People think push button start is new, my old land rover is a push button start. Still needs a key for the ignition
Proud owner of two first generation modern MINIs (R53s). I am fond of the first gen modern MINIs. Hopefully, the new generation that follows from the F56 will return to the smaller size with shorter overhangs.
Tommy, if you have radiator air coming out of the left wheel, your fans on backwards.
No that’s what it does. It sucks the air in and pushes it through the side mounted radiator and blows it out the left wheel well. The fan does operate in “reverse” to do this.
Yes, the fan pushes Air from the engine compartment into the left front wheel well. And when the car is driving at speed that’s a low pressure area so the air is naturally drawn through the engine compartment into that area - the fan isn’t even needed.
Crazy timed video, screw the views and this is amazing‼️
I can't believe these people thumbing this video DOWN ...... WHAT is there to dislike ??? These are some of the best videos for older cars that Tommy does an excellent job with.
My friend made drop links for out mini wheels so they sat upright and we had 10" wheels fitted
You can open the classic mini boot and load suitcases etc on it. But not too good from a security point of view.
Gosh I love both!!
I loved my 2013 Mini S with all the hot JCW and GP parts. Was brilliant fun but the fear of reliability after the warranty ran out drove me to sell it and buy a 1999 BMW M3.
Though I don't have a classic Mini, I do have a similar 1962 Austin Healey Sprite. I've daily driven it all summer, with the only issue being an incorrectly set voltage regulator. Brilliant car, that I'm more than happy to trust every day.
No hate but the irony of you selling a 14 year new BMW for a older BWM because you're worried about the reliability.
@@Huels Thought the Mini was generally a good car, during the warranty period I went through no less than 5 wheel bearings and an engine. The engine was due to a coolant leak which was undetected due to there not being a coolant level sensor or temp gauge. The Mini's parts were also rather pricey and I didn't like working on it as everything was cramped and challenging to get to. I always took the Mini to the dealer which was 75 miles away. With the BMW E36, parts are much cheaper, it's easy to work on so I do most work myself, and if I do want to take it to the dealer, it's only a 3 mile drive for me. My experience with my M3 has been excellent. Not problem free but certainly not bad for a high mileage old car that I put lots of miles on and beat up in autocross and as a winter beater.
I did like the Mini, I miss it for Autocross, and it was just fun in the way that it didn't take itself seriously.
While I appreciate the purity of Sir Alec Issigonis design in the original Mini, I can’t help loving my Cute little Turbocharged R56 Mini Cooper S of 2012 vintage because of its wonderful handling, super juicy power delivery, excellent safety kit and sheer joyousness of being...the R56 is indeed a Modern Classic.
Great video but in my opinion, the only real similarities are the name. I had one of the originals from the 1960s and absolutely loved it.
I think it is hard for you to understand the value of the old mini on such big roads. Come over to the UK and try it on the small country lanes or the narrow city streets and you will have a whole new view and video to do. Probably the best way to look at it is by looking at the film the Italian job (the original uncut version).
In credible stunts and no cgi. 👍👍 True edge of the seat driving experience - but on TV. 👍👍
The "glovebox" at the bottom there is actually just a cover for the AC blower fan, Rover had a different, plain, moulding for 1994 onwards Minis.
The separate AC/Heater control is because the AC system were retrofitted by Rover Japan, and even when they fitted AC in the UK for JDM cars, they never unify the controls because it's too costly and complicated.
Your heater fan control is an add-on mod, probably because the original switch was broken. The original switch is the ON-OFF Switch next to the CAR-SCREEN-OFF lever on the heater box.
The winder, door lever, and door pull is not original to the car. It was an aftermarket (sometimes Rover branded) accessories.
The steering wheel is an aftermarket accessory as well.
Great to know, thanks! -Tommy
@@TFLclassics You're very welcome. I also owned a JDM Classic Mini so the confusion is understandable as the Japanese really liked modding their cars!
I think some of the Cooper branded trim was available as optional extras on brand new Minis, but there is a huge Mini customising scene in Japan too.
Is there a Jcw badge on that non jcw mini?
It has something called a JCW power kit, a tuning kit installed by MINI and developed by JCW that incorporates the full vehicle warranty.
how did the camera operator not laugh when Tommy had to eject himself from the back seat
I'm sure you know by now that the Nardi is not the original steering wheel. It looks like an after market one to me. The Cooper had it's own factory design wheel.
Thank you Tommy (very handsome). Why the old vs new Mini reminds me of the detachment of the old and new VW Bug. Understood original Mini 1/3 smaller than reintroduced Mini, although new Mini's have BMW's underpinnings - good and bad would be better.
The original BMW MINI was roughly as large as the 1100/1300 (to the point they could have named it the BMW Midi) and have grown even larger since then (justifiably called the BMW Maxi), BMW could have argubly had similar success had they sold it as an BMW Isetta with styling derived from the BMW 700 model credited with saving the company from being owned by rivals Mercedes-Benz. The most frustrating thing about the classic Mini would have to be the fact it was never properly developed during its 41 year production life with a road-going full-production spec 1380 engine and end-on gearbox, hydragas suspension, hatchback or split tailgate and more.
That mini has had some mods. The heater on/off should turn blower fan on/off. The remotely mounted fan switch is not stock...must have bee na fix for a broken blower switch. Steering wheel not original. Some later models did have steering wheel airbag.
The start of 2000* but great video
Cool 😀
We get old vs new videos every time you and your dad do one together! Hahaha.
Which do you think is better?
Wow ... How many classics do u have right now?
Here’s an interesting fact. We spent less money on this car (in fact all of our classic cars) than Doug spent on just the registration and insurance fee s of his Ford GT.
@@TFLclassics I would like to know how much cost his "reviewer" insurance
Anyway, my question was for Tommy. We know the Mercedes 300D W123 is his but I didn't know this Mini was aslo his.
This is like comparing apples with banana s though. Both cars are fantastical in their own way. I own a 98 mpi classic mini and a 05 jcs r53. Both are great wouldn't say ones better than the other to be honest.
A Geo Metro is more like the older Mini than the newer ones.
That's scary. I had a storm and it was a blast!
The draw in to consumers is different n funky styles. They r now gettn to high maintence n elegentish. Plus they keep gettn bigger.
The Mini Countryman Are nice
🙌🏻
So in the new mini u can actually put ur key in and start it then wait a sec, turn it off, take ur key out and then u can start it again without a key.
I would say old
Better sound even though I prefer loud cars
Better? Apples and oranges comparison. Drive the one you like for a lot of fun… and make sure your mechanic is along for the ride.
What I always found ridiculous about the original version, when they rotated the engine to make it transverse; they move the radiator also, so it's at one side of the car, instead of in front behind the grill
Radiator needed a fan & an electric motor would have added a fair amount of cost compared to stamping out a steel blade & bolting it to the water pump. They'd also have had to contend with the distributor sticking out the front that needed access for servicing. There's another tale in why they added an extra gear to the transmission rather than have the distributor to the back. It's actually not so bad as the whole engine compartment is in effect a giant air dam vented to the wheel arch via the radiator.
Mini has NOT lost it's way ... BMW has no business owning Mini ... and the same goes for Bugatti too!
We had two Mini when i was a child. None of them where Cooper, one of them was a Mini Pick-up. Really love them. The new Mini... meh!... it´s too big. Should be called "medium" instead of "mini". Greetings from Ecuador!
Tommy forgot to mention which Mini he would prefer when taking the girlfriend out. Always important in a car.
IIRC the entire old Mini fits between the wheels of the new Mini
I have a R56 Cooper
Always thought the classic MINI’s had central speedometers.
I believe in the much older models they did but I think through the 80s maybe through to the back end of the 90s they had the steering column dials, could be wrong but that’s what I assume
Look for interior pictures of a 1960s Mini, it will have the more traditional interior with the central gauges.
Fun to drive then, fun to drive now. So nope they just keep gettin better
The BMW era had to get a little bigger.. you can’t make a world car without the safety features these days and you couldn’t do what needed to be done in the old mini.
The Smart Car says otherwise 🤷♂️
@@TFLclassics Smart Car had a completely different mission. USA has a law known as CAFE in effect since 1980, in response to 1973 oil and gas crisis. This requires car makers domestic and foreign to maintain a minimum average corporate fuel economy across all models. Selling more efficient vehicles raises their average. Selling more gas guzzlers lowers it. Below the legally mandated average and car companies have to pay a penalty to USA government. It started out at 27.5 miles per gallon but now I think it's 36. So technically a car company actually sell small cars at a loss to offset the penalties. It's the main point car companies offer these tiny cars like the Yaris and Smart Car.
The Smart Car is actually remarkably safe for its tiny size. They're not indestructible and I wouldn't want to be in one during a high speed crash, but they're engineered to be as safe as a subcompact in low to moderate speed crashes. Even microcars have to meet standards.
The old Mini has NOTHING in common with the new fake mini, bar the name, which BMW bought from British Leyland when it went broke. The original Mini has racing heritage. The fake mini has none. The original Mini will most probably still blow the doors off the fake, racing up a steep twisty mountain pass. The original Mini was designed as utilitarian transport, but turned out to be a fantastic race/rally performer. The new mini was designed with the most popular gadgets and gimmicks, and turned out to be an impractical hairdressers car. The fake is at best a two seater, the Mini can still seat 4 adults. The front seats you have in your original mini have high backs and a headrest. The earlier Mimi's had no such luxury and the front seat flipped well forward allowing adults easy access to the rear seat. The new fake is not mini at all, it's a lardarse! I'm sure if you cut the fakes roof off at the base of the A, B and C pillars, removed the seats, steering column, handbrake and gear leaver, the true Mini would fit inside the fake, like a foot in a shoe! The Mini was built before there were speed/tunning shops where you could buy performance parts off the shelf. Unlike the new fake, the Mini could be modified in your driveway at home, for minimal money, and be a fire breathing monster with more than double the factory horsepower.
A. Ditch the cast iron exhaust manifold and fit a tubular 3 into 2 manifold and a twin exhaust to the back.
B. Ditch the single SU and manifold and fit twin SU's and manifold.
C. Fit a high lift long duration can.
D. Port and polish head & manifold.
E. Fit double valve springs
F. Remove mechanical petrol pump, blank off hole in engine block, and fit electric fuel pump.
G. Remove cooling fan on the front of the water pump, fit electric thermostatically controlled fan to the radiator.
And there you go, double the horsepower, goes like snot, corners like a go-kart!
Please avoid using the word "fake." Like it or not, BMW wholly owns MINI. Not just the factories but the names, likenesses, intellectual property. You may not like the newer MINIs and you're entitled to your preferences. Given the choice, it was either keep the brand alive or let it fold and become another extinct brand like Pontiac, Packard, Holden. Personally I am glad to see BMW keeping the brand viable. You don't have to like the new cars to appreciate BMW keeping the brand a viable one worldwide.
Calling something a fake conjures up images of illegally produced counterfeit products, known as piracy. Lumping the new MINIs in the same category as fake Gucci handbags and fake Rolexes damages MINI as a whole and also harms the MINI community overall, by implying those who buy the newer products are subsidizing illegally produced products. You would likely not appreciate someone calling you or a member of your family illegitimate if it wasn't true. Reciprocate the respect.
Before even watching . Hands down the better car is the classic. More reliable, holds value better, funner to driver, better looking etc etc etc
The first mini was designed by one person .the BMW mini was designed by committee. The early mini was still built by hand even in the 1990's
My classic mini has to be slammed shut to be properly shut
But Mr Cooper did not race the new type mini
The new one has too much cheap plastic inside. It is over complicated. Yet it has no temperature gauge? The original was simple and utilitarian. I think BMW missed the point. But on the other hand the new one is great to drive, and the body design is great. My wife has one and we love it.
I would love an old mini but no way I would fit.
yes you would, small car out side big on inside. designed well to maximize space inside
F56s passes， salute！
Driving on the correct side in the original Mini