Link to the full story:
http://www.austinmemories.com/styled-29/index.html
Some time ago Pete Bourne, one of the technicians who worked on both the Minki's, posted in my original 2009 thread on the TMF forum and today he has emailed me to say he has been very ill but is now ready and willing to answer any questions people may have about the Minki projects....and his time working for British Leyland/Austin Rover/ Rover and MG-Rover for 27 years in the Chassis Development department.
Here are his original forum messages below.....seems like a good opportunity for us to get some interesting stories and details from the 'inside'. I will try to get Pete to join the Mk1 forum so he can post directly in this thread as well as the TMF thread.
Perhaps Pete can also be persuaded to be interviewed or write an article for Miniworld or Mini Magazine?
Pete Bourne (TMF 14 May 2014)
Hi People,
"I was one of the technicians who worked on both Minki's. Minki 1 was crushed by the bean counters. It was only when BMW took over that there was a sudden rush to show them Minki and so Minki 2 was born. I remember the day before John Towers was going to drive it. I was in one of the Gaydon workshops frantically getting the suspension rebuilt. I was still there at two O'clock in the morning. For info.. both Minki's were developed and built at Longbridge with the body in white being done at Canley. If anyone wants to ask questions feel free while I still have a few brain cells remaining."
Cheers
Pete
Pete Bourne (TMF 02 Dec 2015)
"Oh dear,,,, Sorry guys, I have only just re-found my old message. Been a busy year and to top it off I have very ill with a brain hemorrhage. If anyone does have any questions about Minki or any of the other stuff we were involved in just fire away (or just wants to say hello), my email is bournepete@yahoo.co.uk. I worked for British Leyland/Austin Rover/ Rover and MGRover for 27 glorious years and was fortunate to work in the best department.... Chassis Development. Magic, fun and very interesting times."
Minki-I
"The thinking behind the replacement for the Mini started back in about 1992, while under the ownership of British Aerospace and called at that time The Rover Group.
So how was the name MINKI arrived at, simple, put a ‘K’ series engine into a Mini and you have MINKI.
At the time the general feeling was that because the design was then thirty three years old, technology had moved on so much, and with new legislation on emissions and crash testing etc., that it was best to start with a clean sheet."
The first part of the concept stage was to do an appraisal of the current Mini and see how improvements could be made.
1) Improve the powerunit, by installing the ‘K’ series engine with a 5-speed gearbox
2) Improve the suspension, by installing hydragas suspension.
3) Improve the driving position, by installing better seats, altering the rake of the steering column, and along with the fascia / controls
4) Improve its overall luggage capacity, by making it into a hatchback and altering the rear end package.
Minki-II
"1995 arrived, and so did BMW! They were surprised that we had such a strong brand of Mini, but no plans to do anything with it. Plans for a new Mini were required, and a ‘competition’ was set up, for later on in 1995, to decide on the route forward.
It was decided that a part of that event should be a vehicle that represented what current Mini could have become if investment and development had been put into the Mini over many years. This vehicle would then act as a better benchmark than a standard current Mini for judging what the new Mini needed to beat.
Fortunately, all of the old Minki-I stuff had just been scrapped off, so a Minki-II was hastily required! I say fortunately, because in comparison, the Minki-II project was a very grand affair! By this time, our senior management had seen BMW in operation, and were impressed by the way that they did everything properly, with very high quality prototype vehicles, excellent engineering, etc. Minki-II had to live up to this standard. Great! It was a proper project, with designers and even a few bought-out parts!"
(Minki-II can usually be seen on show at the Gaydon Motor Museum)
