RE: Mini 1499 GT announced
Discussion
daydotz said:
The 1.2 isn't a bad lump in the one it's ironically the 1.2 TSI VAG gets prase with 105bhp same with the 1.0 ecoboost love logic here sometimes they all are nippy enough to be fun
Agreed but they seem to have got rid of the 1.2 and replaced it with a detuned 1.5. They did the same with the R56 One, its original 1.4 was quite a sweet engine but got swapped for a detuned 1.6 midway through the model life. J4CKO said:
For what, carting itself plus occupants anywhere they want to go ? or challenging a Chiron ?
I am using our Citroen C1 at the moment, all 68 bhp of it, and most of the time its perfectly fine, sometimes feels a bit sluggish but it does the job, it has plenty of power to fulfil its brief, as does this, its just we are addled by massive power outputs, my CLS has 388 bhp, it is 200 bhp over what it needs really. Most of the time, even in the little noddy car, I am stuck behind something else anyway.
These Minis are actually pretty good, it will feel better than 102 bhp due to the turbo filling in the mid range, it will however run out of puff.
All cars do not need 500 bhp or more to do their job, and you can buy faster Minis if thats what you want.
having had many original minis including a 1275gt this should be a proper little fun car not some underpowered badging exercise.I am using our Citroen C1 at the moment, all 68 bhp of it, and most of the time its perfectly fine, sometimes feels a bit sluggish but it does the job, it has plenty of power to fulfil its brief, as does this, its just we are addled by massive power outputs, my CLS has 388 bhp, it is 200 bhp over what it needs really. Most of the time, even in the little noddy car, I am stuck behind something else anyway.
These Minis are actually pretty good, it will feel better than 102 bhp due to the turbo filling in the mid range, it will however run out of puff.
All cars do not need 500 bhp or more to do their job, and you can buy faster Minis if thats what you want.
should be checkable and have a decent bit of poke
va1o said:
Agreed but they seem to have got rid of the 1.2 and replaced it with a detuned 1.5. They did the same with the R56 One, its original 1.4 was quite a sweet engine but got swapped for a detuned 1.6 midway through the model life.
The R50 also had a detuned 1.6 for its entire lifespan. Been meaning to get mine remapped to Cooper bhp but it will utterly 
my insurance...Pity its so detuned I would be down to the Mini dealer like a shot if it was a half decent power train. As it is it is just too slow for the badging.
Here is a gratuitous shot of my 1275GT. Was my mums, 64,000 miles from new. Its got a lovely 1293cc engine with about 100BHP it revs its nuts off, It will easily pull 7000RPM in top which is about 102MPH. Handling is laugh out loud great fun but the ride is shocking. The passenger door is a different colour after I had a slight altercation with a hedge about 5 years ago and we just could not match the paint (never fixed the door mirror either). Of those cars in the picture its probably the fastest to 30MPH. One day I will do a bare metal respray with all new rubbers etc but at the mo I just love it for what it is.
With regard to size it is small by modern standards but just look at the Lotus its bloody tiny! That and the Renault is enormous.
Here is a gratuitous shot of my 1275GT. Was my mums, 64,000 miles from new. Its got a lovely 1293cc engine with about 100BHP it revs its nuts off, It will easily pull 7000RPM in top which is about 102MPH. Handling is laugh out loud great fun but the ride is shocking. The passenger door is a different colour after I had a slight altercation with a hedge about 5 years ago and we just could not match the paint (never fixed the door mirror either). Of those cars in the picture its probably the fastest to 30MPH. One day I will do a bare metal respray with all new rubbers etc but at the mo I just love it for what it is.
With regard to size it is small by modern standards but just look at the Lotus its bloody tiny! That and the Renault is enormous.
LuS1fer said:
It was a golden age for design. So many iconic designs Mini, Fiat 500, Beetle, 911, Citroen 2CV, DS and SM, Dino, Daytona, the list could go on forever (which isn't to say there were some real howlers). How many of today's designs will be deemed iconic, in twenty years time? I'm struggling to even think of one but maybe the TT and F-Type, Alfa 159 possibly.
The reason they are resurrected is because, damn, they were very good and incredibly popular. Modern design and safety doesn't permit the novelty inherent in those designs so they can only try to catch the afterglow.
I get more annoyed when a name is resurrected based on nothing, like the Viva which has no link to Vivas past and the DS.
Yes and no- the highlights were extraordinary - Miura ,275GTB , Dino, 330GTC , Elan , Duetto , 1750 GTV , Rover 2000, NSU Ro80, Fulvia , Alpine A110 , Gordon Keeble and many others in my own pantheon . But there were some horrible dogs- too many to mention but Viva HA , Rapier, 13/60 Herald. Karmann Ghia VWs , K70s , Zodiac and Corsair for starters . I think we actually have far more good looking cars around now than then - the really good stuff in the 60s was divine but 95% of stuff you actually saw was awful - think of a Victor 101 and weep. We invest far , far more in design now and are much more adventurous in what the family car looks like- back then if you had kids you drove a square rigged 3 box saloon . Unless you had the exquisite good taste to buy a DS anyway.... The reason they are resurrected is because, damn, they were very good and incredibly popular. Modern design and safety doesn't permit the novelty inherent in those designs so they can only try to catch the afterglow.
I get more annoyed when a name is resurrected based on nothing, like the Viva which has no link to Vivas past and the DS.
j90gta said:
Back in the late 70's my sister had a Brazilia metallic 1275GT with gold decals. It had tinted glass; rode on 12" Cosmic alloys; the headlining was brown and the seat fabric even had metallic flecks in it (seriously it wasn't as bad as it sounds!). It was surprisingly quick. She sold it to friend who wrote it off within 2 weeks....
I had a Black 1275GT when I was 18. It seemed fast to me (it wasn't 
).It pulled massively to the left iirc!
300bhp/ton said:
Is it priced less than a Cooper? If so it would be madness to make it as fast with the same engine.
Maybe people just lack common sense??
The 1499GT is £16,990, the Cooper is £16,200, so its slower but slightly more expensive, even if you pay to add black paint to the Cooper. Obviously the 1499GT comes with the JCW body kit and seats that are't available on the Cooper. I suspect you can negotiate a decent discount on the Cooper whereas you'll struggle to get anything off on the 1499GT unless they fail to sell them.Maybe people just lack common sense??
Section 8 said:
So...it's a new Mini based on a slow Mini to look like a fast Mini that was based on an old Mini.
Can anyone hear that banging?? It's just Issigonis turning in his grave.
The 1275GT was the fast mini of its period. Created because they wouldn't pay royalties to keep using the Cooper name. Can anyone hear that banging?? It's just Issigonis turning in his grave.
Mr2Mike said:
talksthetorque said:
So 3 grand for different seats, some stickers, badges and a slightly better steering wheel?
Yay for heritage.
That's pretty much nailed it.Yay for heritage.
cookie1600 said:
Whilst I love a 1275GT Clubman, surely the most classic of sporty Mini's is the Cooper and they already have that brand name?
Anyway, I've run a Clubman 1598GT for years.
Wonder when the BMW Riley Elf / Wolsely Hornet variant will be out, they have pretty much run out of other mini models now.Anyway, I've run a Clubman 1598GT for years.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff