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This is how I imagine the Mini - from a historical perspective

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Created on October 29, 1969

Reading time 7min

Written by:

Heinz Kranz

Photos:

Archiv

Mini-Entwürfe der Hobby-Leser - VW-Flitzer, Kunststoff-Mini und Rundum-Unfallschutz

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Mini mit Wankel? Mercedes im Mini-Format mit Rotationskolbenmotor? NSU Prinz 4 als Mini mit Frontmotor?

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Mini-Entwürfe der Hobby-Leser - gerne klein, aber in hoher Qualität und mit Wankel

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Mini-Entwurf eines Hobby-Lesers - Austin Mini aufgewertet und mit mehr Sicherheit

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Summary

The Mini had long since been invented when the magazine "hobby" asked its readers how they would imagine the German Mini replacing the ageing VW Beetle. The answers were impressive, and some of the many illustrations sent in were printed.

This article contains the following chapters

Mountains of letters to the editor
Mini as the first vehicle
Old and young get in touch
Status symbol
Foreign countries are leading the way
Is a Mini even sensible and progressive?
A difficult task
Insight from the manufacturers?
Mini-wave without Germany?
Conclusion

Estimated reading time: 7min

Preview (beginning of the article)

There are Minis in all major car manufacturing countries, only in the USA and Germany has the spark not yet ignited. hobby therefore asked when a German Mini would finally come and this question was met with a tremendous response from the readers: That's how we want the German Mini! The spark in the powder keg has ignited. I am delighted that the German car industry has finally been roused from its economic slumber by you. . ." This is a quote from one of many hundreds of letters we received on the subject of 'Who is building the German Mini? It wasn't a simple ignition, it was an explosion - namely the onslaught of drawings and opinions that simply overwhelmed us after our question about the German Mini (hobby 17/1969). Now we are sitting in front of a huge mountain of drawings and letters, and we have the thankless task of selecting a few drawings that are reasonably representative of our readers' desire for a German Mini. There are the drawings that would do credit to any graphic designer, there are the clumsy or childish sketches that are worth just as much to us because they express an opinion that has become a wish, indeed a demand: Finally build a German Mini!

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