# Q: Did Mini Coopers exist in 1970s? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 11, 2005, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-did-mini-coopers-exist-in-1970s/289528 "2005-02-11T03:28:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2005, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-did-mini-coopers-exist-in-1970s/289528/21 "2005-02-13T12:53:58Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > So apparently I have erroneously been calling it a Mercury Capri all this time; though it was sold through Mercury dealers. Well, if you look closely at the rear-end picture of the 80s Capri you linked to, it clearly has a Mercury badge on the back of the hatchback. My neighbor used to have one just like it. It was a twin of the early 80s Mustang and you could get 'em with a 4-cylinder engine. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-did-mini-coopers-exist-in-1970s/289528/22 "2005-02-13T13:12:58Z")
Strange, Ford’s US policy seemed to be to take European cars, change the innards and then beat them with an ugly stick before selling them in the US and Asia 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2005, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-did-mini-coopers-exist-in-1970s/289528/23 "2005-02-13T15:24:13Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > The 1980 Capri you linked is an American built successor to the original [German imported version](http://www.wxdu.org/~jason/cars/capri1.jpg). _That’s_ the version I immediately thought of when I read **Pushkin** ’s post. I knew there were earlier ones than the one I found, but I didn’t feel like searching too long. ---
**Author:** ![mike1dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@mike1dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mike1dog)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2005, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-did-mini-coopers-exist-in-1970s/289528/24 "2005-02-13T15:34:06Z")
Don’t forget the[Merkur](http://www.fordscorpio.ee/gallery/album50/extpic15) , Fords last attempt to import European Fords. Not a terrible car, but they tried to position it as an alternative to a BMW. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2005, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-did-mini-coopers-exist-in-1970s/289528/25 "2005-02-13T15:47:12Z")
IIRC, the 1978-80 Fiesta was brought in to battle Toyota and Datsun since the pathetic Pinto couldn’t do it. Unfortunately, it costs more than the Pinto even though it was about the same size. The Escort was the replacement for the Pinto. The 90’s Capri convertible came from Australia. US carmakers are bad about reusing names. The current Chevy Impala has nothing in common with it’s 60s & 70s predecessors other than the name. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2005, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-did-mini-coopers-exist-in-1970s/289528/26 "2005-02-13T15:57:38Z")
I know that there are '60s and '70s Austin/BMC Minis available in the U.S, but I haven’t seen any newer than about 1975. What would it take to get a 2000 Rover Mini? Are there import restrictions that affect cars newer than 25 or 30 years old? ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2005, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-did-mini-coopers-exist-in-1970s/289528/27 "2005-02-13T17:00:12Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > _That’s_ the version I immediately thought of when I read **Pushkin** ’s post. I knew there were earlier ones than the one I found, but I didn’t feel like searching too long. Yeah, the one I was thinking of. Minus the Federal bumpers (fenders?) and the lights on the radiator grill its the European model I recognise. The Merkur/Granada wasn’t a bad car unless put up against a Beemer, seems a bit of a stretch alright. The Fords I would really fancy are those available in South Africa, European models with American engines. A Ford Sierra with a whopping V8 under the bonnet is a nice idea 😃 As an aside, what are those orange lights on the radiator grill? Are they indicators, parking lights or parklights that also work as indicators? ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2005, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-did-mini-coopers-exist-in-1970s/289528/28 "2005-02-13T17:04:26Z")
My (tinfoil hat) theory on Ford is that Ford in North America is just lazy. They can bang together any old POS, put a Mustang badge on it, and sell loads of them. They may be good in a straight line, but a [Cossie](http://www.turbocharger.co.uk/rs-cosworth-escort.html) would leave it for dead on a track. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2005, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-did-mini-coopers-exist-in-1970s/289528/29 "2005-02-13T17:07:23Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > Yeah, the one I was thinking of. Minus the Federal bumpers (fenders?) Bumpers. Fenders are what you would call ‘wings’, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2005, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-did-mini-coopers-exist-in-1970s/289528/30 "2005-02-13T17:11:27Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > As an aside, what are those orange lights on the radiator grill? Are they indicators, parking lights or parklights that also work as indicators? The amber lights are directional indicators (or ‘turn signals’). They are ‘parking lights’ whose primary purpose is as indicators. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-did-mini-coopers-exist-in-1970s/289528.md?page=1)