The man stepped out from behind the bus, waving his wallet. Others in his group of 'sixtysomethings' nudged each other and pointed. Their expressions said it all.
It was my cute little black number. A dream of a design with just the right accessories. Drop dead gorgeous. Mini One.
I knew what the talk would be about when they settled back into their bus! Happy memories. Courting days in the car, maybe. Or the day they took their own one home for the first time.
But it wouldn't have been Mini One. This latest variation on the Mini theme is bigger and faster, with a whole range of new high tech gadgets. It's a car for a driver who knows how to have fun. And huge round headlamp 'eyes' give it a unique friendly face. You want to hug it.
Everybody, including overtaking motorists, wants to linger and look.
Mini One proved a right little cracker to drive. Though you need to exercise the gearshift quite a lot, because it needs - and likes - to be revved!
I found the suspension very nicely controlled, and much more pleasant than in the Mini Cooper sportier version which I'd driven briefly on another occasion.
'Good' is not the word for the interior. 'Superb' is better. There's a lot of aluminium-coloured plastic used on the dash and instruments, which sounds tacky but has actually a stunning effect. The main feature is the huge raised speedometer dead centre in the deep dash, with circular air vents on either side, straight out of the sixties in style. The optional big rev counter mounted in a pod on the steering column also contributed to the 'wow' factor!
Each of the original-style 'toggle' switches set in a row under the climate controls has its own dividing barrier, to make them safe in any impact situation. It also makes them look cool.
The two-spoked steering wheel has the essential Mini badge in the centre and the black horn buttons stand out, set in chrome on the spokes.
The gear knob is a tidy handful and shifts very easily and precisely.
Original Minis had a shelf across in the front instead of a glove compartment, and this has been retained in the new car.
All mirrors are oval shaped, part of a theme carried through to the shape of the aluminium-coloured trim/handle on the doors.
On the downside, you won't find much legroom in the back of the new Mini, even though it is a significantly bigger car than the original. And there still remains the old problem of trying to get in and out of the rear seats, especially if you're tall! Also, don't expect the tiny boot to hold a set of golf clubs. If you have passengers in the back, you'll have to evict at least one of them in order to fold down the split back seat to make room for the golf tools.
And yes! The boot still needs a fair bang to close! For original Mini owners, isn't that kind of reassuring?
There'll be a lot of people out waving their wallets to get one of these. I would.
August 2001
by Trish Whelan