K11... The real Mini?

[odd_ball]

This is something I've been mulling over for a while but I mentioned it just a minute ago in another thread and so wanted to put it out there to you guys and see what you thought?

I love my little Micra, I think it's a fantastic little car and packs some punch for such a little machine! When I bought it I had it set in my head that I wanted a Micra, yes because of the reliability and the cheap insurance, tax and running costs... but also a little something else...

I'm a huge Mini fan, the classic Mini that is, not the monster that BMW released, and I always have been and I think the K11 is a nice little progression from were the Mini left off. I'm not saying that the Micra is a blatant copy of the Mini, of course its not, its far more advanced and obviously there was the K10 before that...

What I'm trying to get at is that I think most small cars owe alot to what was at the time the revolutionary design of the Mini, and I just think the K11 lends itself to that a bit more than others. Infact, I'm sure I remember seeing the K11 on Top Gear years ago (would I be right in saying Tiff Needell presented for a while around this time?) and they even commented how it owed alot to the Mini... I'm just surprised every time I get in it how much room there is. My missus drives a Clio, which is quite a bit bigger, and her brother had a Mini One which was bigger again, and I have to say there is more room in a Micra, even despite its smaler size. There's just something magical about the simplicity, yet amazingness, of these cars... Always a pleasure to drive!

Mine was meant to be a cheap substitute for a Mini to knock about in until I bought a Mini and restored it. While I still intend to do that I think once the Mini is on the road, the Micra will be coming off and be given an equally loving restoration. I intend to hold onto this car for a long time!

Anyway, I'm just rambling on now but I wanted to see what other people thought? If BMW hadn't gotten hold of Mini, and if Nissan had gone another way with the Micra, do you think a "real" modern Mini would be something along the lines of the K11?

 

[NeX]

well i think the March Rumba looks a little like the classic mini cooper:

 

[Shaun]

there is a bolero down the road from me.

 

[will930]

there was something not so long ago on retro rides saying that nissan bought rights the A Series engine, yes maybe the k10 had alot of mini related engine, but some still comes through on the k11, i reckon the mini must have been part of the design process

 

[europug]

I soooo thought this , I've owned 2 minis and now think my micra feels alot like them now it's lowered . Definatly the jap mini .

 

[baguete]

Same bore and stroke as the 1275GT...

 

[Low Rider]

Same bore and stroke as the 1275GT...

70.6mm x 81.3mm giving a little over 1273cc......mini people were duped out of 2cc haha!

With some of the highly modified 1380's churning out anything from 165bhp+ with the aid of modified BMW K100RS cylinder heads, they've enjoyed a wealth of R&D work over the last few decades. It's amazing to watch them at Goodwood Revival.....they're surprisingly rapid.

There ones are only 1293cc FIA spec, so a fair bit down on power. However, knowing the Goodwood circuit pretty well, I can confidently say they're not hanging around, thats for sure

 

[1275]

Without doubt the K11 is more of a Mini than the BMW versions. I liked my BMW Mini Cooper very much, but am even fonder of my K11.

Talking of Clio's an elderly relative of a friend was looking for a new car, she test drove a K11 very reluctantly and said it was too small, then she drove a year 99 ish Clio and ended up buying it, saying it was much bigger than the Micra

 

[davey1991]

there was something not so long ago on retro rides saying that nissan bought rights the A Series engine, yes maybe the k10 had alot of mini related engine, but some still comes through on the k11, i reckon the mini must have been part of the design process

That was me!

 

[Warpa]

I have never owned a mini, always fancied a classic one, though they were not classic when i started into cars 20 odd years ago I got side tracked with XR3's and RS's before moving on to 4x4's. The micra has always been a curtousy car for me and my X and my daughter have both ownded the K11. My mum has a Clio and i hate it, i really cant put my finger on what it is about the Micra. I have a big blinged up Navara outside and drive to work in a 12 year ol Micra Sure im saving a fortune in fuel, and i love to jump in the truck evening and weekends, but love my daily commute. James may said recently on top gear (and i agree with him and always thought it was the case) If you have a super car, or even my navara for that matter, you will never get to fully drive it, the nav will top out at 135 downhill on an Mway, anout 127 on GPS...that is one hideous ban! With low powered small engine cars you can actually drive them hard without being reckless or careless, on the 50mph speed limit country lanes you can work all the gears and still be on the speed limit, any other car and you will be doing a ton.

Listening to the engine working is the fun part for me, unless on a track you will never get to rev the t1ts off a super car.

 

[1275]

135 in a Navara, I had no idea something like that was so fast

 

[Warpa]

135 in a Navara, I had no idea something like that was so fast

Remapped, decat and stainlees exhaust, but that only gave a rolling road of 201 BHP up from 174. Some of the Nav guys are getting 300+ with modified turbos and alcohol injections along with a lot of other work compared to a tuned micra that dont seem like much for a 2 tonne truck, but the torque even standard is crazy on these things, plenty of youtube vids on the nav flat out

 

[odd_ball]

Without doubt the K11 is more of a Mini than the BMW versions. I liked my BMW Mini Cooper very much, but am even fonder of my K11.

Talking of Clio's an elderly relative of a friend was looking for a new car, she test drove a K11 very reluctantly and said it was too small, then she drove a year 99 ish Clio and ended up buying it, saying it was much bigger than the Micra

Glad to see this thread generating some interest... I was worried others may think I was mad... or worse still slagging the K11 off...

A Clio certainly is bigger... on the outside. The only place its bigger than a Micra on the inside is the boot and not by much!

I agree... The K11 is more Mini then BMW's! Did anyone see the TopGear article were they took the new BMW 4X4 Mini up into the snowy Alps to race an original rally spec Cooper?... Guess which won!...