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Innocenti IM3 S - Italianità for the long Mini

Name: Innocenti I5 1971
Brand: Innocenti

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Created on July 25, 2021

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv Rutishauser

Archiv

Daniel Reinhard

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv Rutishauser

Archiv

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - the combined light units under a diffusing glass panel at the front meant new territory for Innocenti at the time

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - at 12 inches, the wheels are relatively small

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - the car was around 145 km/h fast back then

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - Italian finishing touches for the British car

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - classic Pininfarina trapeze design

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - long wheelbase for a short car

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - plenty of space in a length of only 3.7 meters

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - large windows, special chrome on the IM3 S

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - looks like a single piece

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - as an Innocenti with practical and integrated reversing lights

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - without bumper horns, but with specially designed bumpers

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - the trunk lid only reached as far as the rear window

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) and I5 (1971) - the differences in driving performance are minimal

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) and I5 (1971) - the differences are not huge, but the IM3 S looked much more valuable

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) and I5 (1971) - the differences lie in the details

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) and I5 (1971) - once "blu savoia" and once "blu oltre mare"

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - more slats than the predecessor IM3

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Innocenti I5 (1971) - visually close to the British Morris 1100

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) and I5 (1971) - the differences in the front design are striking

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) and I5 (1971) - the differences are considerable, but the IM3 S also cost considerably more money

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - elegant front light design

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Innocenti I5 (1971) - classic round lights

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - with three-spoke steering wheel, which was not yet available in the IM3

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - large and attractively designed display instruments

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - beautifully designed vinyl seats

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - transversely mounted four-cylinder engine with gearbox underneath

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - with two Dell'Orto carburetors

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - four-cylinder OHV engine

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - part of the electrics came from Italy

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - Lubrication specifications

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - with fuel filler flap

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Innocenti IM3 S (1967) - Type designation

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Innocenti I5 (1971) - most of the Innocenti refinements were omitted from the I5

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Innocenti I5 (1971) - Innocenti kept the original rear lights until the end

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Innocenti I5 (1971) - elegantly shaped steel rims reminiscent of the Mini Cooper Mk2

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Innocenti I5 (1971) - with beautiful steel wheels

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Innocenti I5 (1971) - the Innocenti retained its original rear lights until the end

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Innocenti I5 (1971) - the I5 version no longer looked quite as high-quality as the IM3 cockpit

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Innocenti I5 (1971) - visually almost identical to the British variants

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Innocenti I5 (1971) - with two SU carburetors

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Innocenti I5 (1971) - still four-cylinder, with Leyland lettering

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Innocenti I5 (1971) - electrics from the parent company

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Innocenti I5 (1971) - Innocenti lettering

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Morris Mini 850 (1963) - the Mini formed the basis for the Morris 1100

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Morris 1100 (1962) - Britain's most advanced automobile before Britain's most advanced aircraft

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Morris 1100 (1962) - with the advantages of the Mini, but much more space

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Morris 1100 (1962) - see-through model, shown at the Earls Court Motor Show 1962

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Innocenti I4 (1966) - the Hydrolastic suspension

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Innocenti 950 Sport (1961) - with hardtop, shown at the Turin Motor Show

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Innocenti IM3 (1964) - elegance demonstrated

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Innocenti IM3 (1964) - salt water resistant?

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Innocenti IM3 (1965) - Advertising - as robust as a bulldozer

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Innocenti IM3 (1964) - Advertising - powerful in winter

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Innocenti IM3 S (1966) - without bumper horns

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Innocenti IM3 S (1966) - the faster version

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Innocenti IM3 (1964) - Construction of the saloon by Innocenti

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Innocenti I4 (1966) - hardly any differences to the British versions

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Summary

With the Morris 1100, the British Motor Corporation presented an innovative vehicle for the whole family. Innocenti saw the opportunity to enhance the car's reputation with a little more luxury and a few good ideas. The result was the Innocenti IM3, which was followed by another variant, the IM3 S. No other ADO16 offspring had as much Granturismo feeling. Despite this, the car remained almost unknown in this country. This report tells the story of the Innocenti IM3/IM3 S and shows it in current and historical pictures, in the sales literature and in comparison with the simpler Innocenti I5.

This article contains the following chapters

Logical further development of the Mini
Presentation as the Morris 1100
The Hydrolastic suspension
The Italian car manufacturer Innocenti
Granturismo touch
Refinements
Cheaper variants
Behind the wheel of the elegant space miracle
Rarely seen in our latitudes

Estimated reading time: 10min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The Morris/Austin 1100, known internally as the ADO 16, used the technology platform of the Mini, but offered space for a whole family. It was produced under different brand names and each edition had its own characteristics. These cars were also built in Italy under license by Innocenti. And they were not satisfied with the original product, but improved the British car in many ways. The history of the Morris/Austin 1100 began back in 1952, when Austin and Morris merged to form the British Motor Corporation (BMC). This also brought other brands such as MG, Riley and Wolseley under the same roof. All of these previously independent manufacturers had their own sales channels, but there was naturally a lot of overlap in the combined BMC model range. Leonard Lord, who was in charge at BMC, therefore aimed to develop three basic types - large, medium and compact - which were then to be sold as Morris, Austin or MG with only minor changes.

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