When the square nosed Mini Clubman made it to the scene in the 1970s, several companies started offering fibreglass nose sections to update your classic 'round nose' Mini in Clubman style. The Status Mo. Co. of Brian Luff was just one of them. But when the Austin Metro arrived Luff had an even bolder idea. Why not make a kit to 'Metrofy' an old Mini? I found an undated sketch in the files with that idea from his hand. It was named the Status Minnow or Mk3 Mini Minus.
Luff's handwriting on the piece of paper tells us: "Based on standard Mini with Metro style front, arches & rear, initially using Mini boot lid. Later, also with fully opening rear. Front screen styled to Metro shape with Roadrunner fudge panel. A Metrofied Mini to recycle & update old Minis."
Great idea. Pity it never happened.
Read below that had the Metro not been approved for production, one of the proposals BL in desperation were said to have briefly contemplated was that ADO88 should be replaced by a hatchback, updated version of the 18-year-old Mini.
ReplyDeleteHowever it is not clear if the above in practice was referring to either a revival of the Clubman hatchback prototype, bringing over the Innocenti Mini that was already in production or essentially developing a Metrofied Mini (or more precisely a ADO88-fied Mini) along similar lines as the stillborn Status Minnow.
https://www.aronline.co.uk/history/british-leyland-the-grand-illusion/history-british-leyland-grand-illusion-part-four/
That's interesting! I didn't know about the AD88 prototype.
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