mk1-forum.net

ha ha, do you think the service department wrote the tag line?

'Britains most challenging cars'

Love it in the ad the use of the advertising worlds use of weasel words - "Speedo calibrated to 100mph".

As if to suggest that is how fast it goes, and cleans dishes superbly too, and leaves your hands all soft!

And don't get me started on the "Remote control gear lever"! That's very advanced for early 1960s. Our garage door is remote control, but that was only fitted in the mid-1990s.

Interesting how the cooper is promoted as "Sports-car versions of the Austin and Morris 'Super' twins" basically saying that the super was the basis for the cooper.

I also find it interesting there is no mention of the engine at all, not even the capacity. In the Oz promotions, this was heavily emphasised (55hp, 997cc, etc etc) - is this just a UK thing or is there another reason?

cheers,

Jacob

Ammeter ? cant recall seeing a production mini with one fitted .

Morris Super grille on ........

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MINI-MORRIS-850-M ... 3f06d36e13

Looking back on the Super with the knowledge of how successful the Cooper was, certainly makes the Super look like it was poorly thought out. However, if you look at the market at the time, BMC didn't know if they could sell 1000 Cooper's. Would a 1000 cars justify a new interior, and all the other associated changes made to both cars from a business perspective? Just a thought, but did BMC double bank with the Super as the top market Mini, that if the Cooper was not a success, they still had a car to utilise all the investment they had made? In 1962, the success of the Cooper was seen, and BMC was not selling the Super (top of the range 850) as well as hoped as a result. They therefore had the option now that the Cooper was obviously selling, to re-position the top end 850 with the Super delux. In this context the Super provided the business support for the Cooper to be the car we know and love.

As I say, I am no expert on the history of the mini, but from a business perspective this makes sense, so rather than the Super being a sales disaster as often thought, it may have played an important role in the Cooper's birth.

Ok, found the autocar, unfortunately March 69 but the details arn't that far off.


Mini 850 max speed 71.8 0-60 28.7
Cooper mk2 max speed 90 0-60 18.8

Price super deluxe Mk2 (850) £622 (998) £649
Cooper £710 an S was £942

So there is a large performance difference between a Super deluxe and a Cooper and quite a large price difference, £88. Then there was the large price difference in insurance. It could be quite hard to get insurance for a Cooper S, you normally needed a good broker or some other sort of leverage.

Not challenging? On 3.5" wheels and 5.20 Gold Seal tyres in 1961?

Ah Cooper Sean...can't remember when our paths last crossed, but I now have 3 Supers in my fleet I got them to Beaulieu in that dreadful weather back in June, but I bet no one looked at them as they were busy taking shelter. However I was pleased as I had achieved what I had set out to do