These are exciting times in the Ruppert garage, with all sorts of exciting projects juggling for position.
Over the years I’ve bought sold, exchanged and given away more cars during the autumn period than any other time of the year. It’s the best time to get fresh metal into your life as prices start to dip a bit and all sorts of opportunities present themselves.
Project one is my very own version of the T25, based on the very best small car ever made (and there really isn’t any argument against this), the Mini. Please note proudly the lower case name, as I’m not talking about the new MINI.
Nothing has been smaller yet so spacious and - despite the rust - an oily A series can still do a job in 2009 and beyond. Everything else is a glorified golf cart compared to this, especially the stupid new breed of electric cars. A friend recently drove every electric car on offer and found himself stranded by the roadside with a flat battery on too many occasions, as they failed to live up to their modest mileage predictions.
Join the debate
Korean_cars_are...
re: Small is beautiful
My daughter has a Matiz. it's slow and noisy but sits outside with a stupid grin on its face and I can't help liking it.
My son and I have a Mini Scamp kit car. Tubular steel frame with aluminium panels rivetted on. No rear subframe. No rust.
make your own mind up about the looks:
http://www.steele3.freeserve.co.uk/scamp.html
sportwagon
re: Small is beautiful
Ironic that we are thinking along these 3-wheeler lines at the same time that we are celebrating the 100th birthday of the Morgan 3-wheeler. James, can you not persuade Morgan to dig out the plans, add a crumple zone and a bit better weather protection and go back into production? Just think of all the development time and cost that would be saved!
voyager12
re: Small is beautiful
Yeah, I understand. But why does 'small' have to mean 'boxy' and short? There's so much more to gain from making a car sleeker, rather than shorter?
1. sleek = low drag > low drag = energy efficiency
2. better safety attributes possible
3. long wheelbase = better comfort
4. better handling
5. more design perspectives
What the hell am I thinking? Well... this. http://www.michelinchallengedesign.com/MCD_2008/Site/mcd_gallery_2008/mc...
madmax83
re: Small is beautiful
The guy who bought the domino mini (the officially sanctioned fibreglass version) tried to get a hybrid project off of the ground, but I believe cited lack of support and high costs as stopping the project in its tracks.
So maybe your idea of the best small car ever built isn't dead in the water!
trocadero
re: Small is beautiful
1970's Honda 600Z anyone. If there are any still around...........
Dickieboy
re: Small is beautiful
Daihatsu Cuore, good choice, her indoors had one as her first car,
good little motor and picked it up for less than half price at a year old, good spec with electric everything and lots of MPG and more charactor than most think!
Zeddy
re: Small is beautiful
A Suzuki SC100 (Whizzkid)?
Not many left now but a fun little car.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/212/484816864_bedf428750.jpg?v=0
Or, fully Max'd out:
http://i3.tinypic.com/23jgarp.jpg
If I want an autonomous car, I'll take a taxi.
Samiur Rahman SHAH
re: Small is beautiful
230SL
Wasn't it because the KA was designed to have a two-stroke engine and the engine bay wasn't deep enough to accommodate anything other than an old Kent?
230SL
re: Small is beautiful
Slim San, my first car was a 1982 Panda Comfort (the irony!), sometimes all the indicators use to light up when you just wanted to go left or right, water leaked into the horn so it would sound when cornering briskish, was always taking the distributor cap off and cleaning it, but the opening front quaterlights, the interior layout, nippiness and 49mpg saved the day.
Have an Aygo MMT now, (107, C1 etc) which carries on the Daihatsu triple character and is fun to drive only thing which stops it from being a 21st century Mini is that it is not made in the UK.
Noticed phenergn mentioned the Ka Mk1 which I agree was a great drive but they always fitted it with thirst motors, guess it needed the 1.4tdci but guess they did n't do that because it would have stolen Fiesta sales.
BriMarsh
re: Small is beautiful
I've got a big soft spot for the Suzuki Alto (03-06); not from personal experience just from seeing on the road. That said, on holiday in France recently the original Twingo over there has a popular and understated shabby-chic (which the French do so well). However topping both of those are my memories of a holiday in southern Italy a few years back, but I obviously can't mention that here...
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