The Fundamental Front-Wheel-Drive

A friend of mine drives a Mini Classic Cooper (the exact model and colour that Mr. Bean has) and I told mother how much I wanted one too. I was fascinated to learn that my mom actually owned 2 Morris Mini before. 1 850cc Cooper and 1 Cooper S.

I am even more eager to get one now!

She told me from 1964 to 1967, the Mini was almost unbeatable, cultural icon and fashion statement of the 60s and the Britons proudly presented the industry with a British car manufacturing representation at long last. She told me how she drove to work each day with it, loved it like a baby and how the steering wheel could get absolutely scorching hot in the summer days. Even more interested to hear how my dad crushed the whole car resulted in total loss, and he could ended up hanging in a tree, uninjured.




As to the new BMW MINI, to me is technically unrelated to the old series. It has a cute fitting though 55cm longer, 30cm wider. The new design retains the classic transverse 4 cylinder, front-wheel-drive configuration and many stylistic elements, but it ain't the old Mini, not the Austin Mini, nor the Morris Mini.

Mother added we cannot live life without the fundamentals, and that is uphold integrity, to be honest with ourselves and to others. Just like the New Mini would not become a success should it not has a triumphal predecessor.


The fundamentals are the fundamentals, we cannot attempt to change it. The new BMW Mini might have lots of wicked computerised gadgets, but the good old mechanics are still the fundamentals that drives it.