geordiedave66
MYSTERY CAR (2)
The Innocenti company manufactured motor scooters after WW2. In the late fifties they signed an agreement with BMC to import, assemble and sell Austin A35's A40's followed by the Mini and the 1100 range. By the mid 1970's the Innocenti mini was loosing ground to the Fiat 127, which had the useful facility of a hatchback. So, using the mini floorpan, subframes and mechanicals, the Italian designer Bertone penned this pretty little hatchback body.
At this time the company was wholly owned subsiduary of British Leyland. It had been planned to replace the original Mini in the UK, with this hatchback, the body shells having identical holes for both left and right hand drive to facilitate this. However the then current government released the funds to allow the larger Metro to be built. So that was the end of that. The last Leyland model Innocenti manufactured was the Allegro, which for the mainland Europe market was renamed the Regent (I think).
With the break up of the Leyland empire, Innocenti was sold to the designer of its body, Bertone. It continued in production for a few more years, but using Daihatsu mechanicals and its 993 three cylinder petrol or diesel engines.
MYSTERY CAR (2)
The Innocenti company manufactured motor scooters after WW2. In the late fifties they signed an agreement with BMC to import, assemble and sell Austin A35's A40's followed by the Mini and the 1100 range. By the mid 1970's the Innocenti mini was loosing ground to the Fiat 127, which had the useful facility of a hatchback. So, using the mini floorpan, subframes and mechanicals, the Italian designer Bertone penned this pretty little hatchback body.
At this time the company was wholly owned subsiduary of British Leyland. It had been planned to replace the original Mini in the UK, with this hatchback, the body shells having identical holes for both left and right hand drive to facilitate this. However the then current government released the funds to allow the larger Metro to be built. So that was the end of that. The last Leyland model Innocenti manufactured was the Allegro, which for the mainland Europe market was renamed the Regent (I think).
With the break up of the Leyland empire, Innocenti was sold to the designer of its body, Bertone. It continued in production for a few more years, but using Daihatsu mechanicals and its 993 three cylinder petrol or diesel engines.