The Super Minis
03/21/2024
The Mini had a wheelbase of 203 cm and an overall length of 305 cm. But it could be even shorter. In 1972, a British Leyland creation stood modestly in a special show for environmental protection at the Geneva Motor Show ... "so as not to stand out in the environment".
The Automobil Revue described the tiny car based on a shortened (!) Mini chassis:
"Giovanni Michelotti is responsible for the neat styling. You have to bear in mind how difficult it is to dress such a squat car satisfactorily in order to properly appreciate the work of the Italian designer. You enter the interior through relatively wide doors; however, getting in might cause a few problems for those with long legs, as the flattened steering wheel could get in the way of your knees. The seats have integrated headrests. A functional, simple dashboard is located in front of the driver. The doors have spacious bins, and behind the two seats we find a storage area, which is also accessible from the outside through the opening rear window ."
The Leyland Crompton Mini was an electric car with two 3.9 hp electric motors and 24 lead batteries, which gave it a range of around 65 km. Because of the batteries, the tiny car was also a third heavier than a normal and significantly larger Mini.
This was followed in 1973 by the Minissima, elegantly designed by William Towns and just 230 cm long. We have already reported on this before, but have now found a few more interesting photos together with the designer.
Of course, both Superminis can also be found in the Zwischengas photo archive.
