Tuesday 13th October 2009

Video: Mini At Monte Carlo

'Not bad for an old man!' Hopkirk and Aaltonen revisit Monte Carlo in a JCW Cabrio

---

As part of its 50th anniversary celebrations for the Mini brand, a new video has been released showing Paddy Hopkirk and Rauno Aaltonen revisiting the Col De Turini, part of the famous Rally Monte Carlo.

Mini at the Monte in '64

With new material interspersed with classic footage, the video is four minutes of pure fun. Hopkirk and Aaltonen won the Monte Carlo with Mini in 1964 and 1967 respectively, and they seem to have relished the chance to return and reminisce in the more comfortable surroundings of the latest JCW Cabrio - sideways, of course!

[GingerWizard]

very nostalgic. I enjoyed muchly thankyou.

[Oddball RS]

The very fact its in a Cabrio shows just how little BMW grasp Mini motorsport heritage, they don't have a clue - the current mini has no heritage, please accept this, the orignal was ground breaking, the current one is an overweight pose machine, they share no DNA.

[Blayney]

The BINI is only a Mini in name

[cptsideways]

It's nice that BMW at the least "keep" the old boys on a retainer, give them their dues many other manfufacturers would'nt respect the heritage of the boys that done good back then.

Looked like they were having fun, which is nice.

[northap]

I might be wrong, I thought Paddy Hopkirk was the driver back in '64 with Henry Liddon as navigator...

[stockhatcher]

northap said:

I might be wrong, I thought Paddy Hopkirk was the driver back in '64 with Henry Liddon as navigator...

i think you are reading it wrong. It means that Hopkirk won the rally in '64 and Aaltonen in '67.
I think BMW just give them cars, no money these days.

[Leicesterdave]

Here we go again- the MINI isn't a real mini brigade is back!

[Shoot Blair]

As much as I detest BMW MINIs for being fat and heavy, you have to admire the advert. Very appropriate indeed.

Nothing like old Petrolheads......It's a shame they don't dig John Rhodes out for track minis.

[Oddball RS]

Leicesterdave,

I'm part of no brigade i've owned both, just saying what i see and commenting on a missed opportunity, simples.

Sorry you feel 'factionalised'?

[Mini1275]

fk BMW..........

[CooperD]

Great video. I'd love to take my MINI down the Col Du Turini. I must admit to being a BMW MINI fan, I've had 3 now and I really like them. I don't want to get caught up in the slanging matches between classic mini owners and BMW one's. Let's just appreciate both types and enjoy driving them.

[molineux1980]

Alot of the bad blood is due to BMW's treatment of the original cars heritage when the new one was launched. Basically, they bought the name, then tried to shaft every specialist that used the Mini name in its company title - Effectively biting the hand that fed the legacy. Lately they seem to have realised the heritage and following the car has, and I was reasonably impressed with support of BMW at the 50th celebrations at the Cofton Park IMM. I still couldn't bring myself to buy a new one though.

[blearyeyedboy]

CooperD said:

I've had 3 now and I really like them.

Which begs the question- did you stuff the first two into a wall/hedge/other inanimate object?

[ScoobieWRX]

When i was a lad i worked for Paddy Hopkirk making petrol cans, car ramps and axle stands. He had dark wavy hair back then and a was bit slimmer too. In those days you got proper winter snow and i remember him handbraking his Escort RS1600i round the factory car park when there were several inches of snow on the ground, on more than one occasion.

Great to see he still loves a blatt. Nice one Paddy!!

[CooperD]

blearyeyedboy said:

CooperD said:

I've had 3 now and I really like them.

Which begs the question- did you stuff the first two into a wall/hedge/other inanimate object?

No. Part exed them for the subsequent car.

[spydersingh]

I don't think it would make great video in the hatchback version so possible the use of the cabrio. My 2p worth.

[Shropshiremike]

GingerWizard said:

very nostalgic. I enjoyed muchly thankyou.

+1

Watched the Rallymaster video with Altonen over and over in the mid 80s.
Am lucky enough to have been up and down the Col twice in my old Ford and the VTS...but not the Mini

Maybe another year

[PJR]

What a brilliant video!

Thanks for putting it up

P,

[Oddball RS]

The back of two heads would look the same roof on or off.

[BlackSteel]

MINI is a great car. Times move on for the doughtiers.

The fact that the name is still around after all these years & the fact that it is STILL built in Oxford (UK!) & regardless off how the parent company is, a certain respect should be given.

BMW is a great parent company. At least they understand what a sporting drive as well as build quality is all about.

Overall running costs are tiny compared to other manufacturers small cars. (Which all seem to share the same base these days (!) but with different badges on! 500 included

One of the company directors in my company drives to work one day in an XFR & the following day rocks up in his black JCW convertible.

Finance director - XK one day & a silver Cooper S convertible the next!

A recent list of the 10 most aspirational products you wanted to buy, printed in a national newspaper recently had only ONE car on it.

MINI.

Say's it all really!

Great video & the induction noise........