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This old Motor report is interesting and few now remember the advent of the new 'Quiet' Minis.

BL Austin-Morris launched the 'Quiet Mini' in the Summer of 1980. It incorporated extensive sound-deadening in the floorpan, front bulkhead, dashboard, roof and boot, plus a new headlining material. The effect was to produce what could more accurately be called a 'quieter Mini'. Over the years it was slowly reduced again under cost reductions and in the front floorpan area it seemed to promote rust by trapping the water leaks.......

Motor Magazine - July 5th 1980

Thanks nice little article

Did they also give it a higher diff ratio?

J

From Somerfords website:
The higher diff ratio came in for the next and ultimately more successful, anti-noise campaign that took place during the development of the 1997 on Minis. One of the forthcoming European regulations that had to be passed if the Mini was to stay in production after 1997 was the drive-by noise limit - i.e. the aural impact the car would have on its immediate environment. Once again, sound deadening material was beefed up, but it still required exhaust modifications, the repositioning of the radiator to the front of the car and the raising of the final drive ratio (so the engine wasn't running so fast) plus a host of other changes to get the Mini quiet enough to pass the tests. It did pass, obviously, and the 1997 on Minis are genuinely noticeably quieter both from the outside and inside. Only one other Rover Group product had to turn similar engineering cartwheels to pass the drive-by noise test: the Land Rover Defender. Says it all, really...

KA2S4 wrote:Did they also give it a higher diff ratio?

J

I think the mini city E was the first one to gain a high ratio diff it had a 2.9 on 10" wheels

Anyone for tennis?
So with Wimbledon just gone, here is an image of one of the top tennis players of the 1970s, Ilie Nastase, known for his on court verbal antics, posing with the new 'Quiet' Mini City:-
https://www.aronline.co.uk/opinion/anyone-for-tennis/

Me once purchased a new Mini City .. Total Rust Bucket from Brand New .. sold on asap.