What about the Ford Fiesta?

Lots of different models and i had one as a hire car once, must say i didn't actually mind it even though it was a Ford.

Already used the Charade as an example , preferred the 1996 TE (3 cyl , 5 speed , carb , manual choke etc...)myself , it behaved itself perfectly even with a lot of abuse (but very regular servicing) .

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how close to the bottom of the price range for any new car was an 850 when they were new - was it in the $12K range we have now?

minis started off, and always had a model in the lowest price bracket.

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

no way sports! you living in the past, the 92 1.3L EFI was the thing to have (miss that damn car...) light weight cheap japanese import easy to swap motors around (ie. the 1.6 from an applause or the 1L gtti )

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Here am I sitting in my tin can far above the Moon
Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do...



“A turbo: exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster.” - Jeremy Clarkson

True , but the one I had was the equivalent to the 850 , at the time it cost around $13,000 and the other models went up from that to the Charade F2 (or F3 , can't remember now but it had a reworked 1.6 and suspension pack) .

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suby impreza is a good candidate as it somewhat pushes the boundaries..

boxer engine and all wheel drive.. they showed some innovation and originality in their design.. well putting it into a mass produced vehicle anyways

too expensive - it's gotta be a shopping trolley for housewives and nurses, right at the bottom of the market

boxer engine - big deal, they still pay a royalty to VW for every car they make

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Another for the swift here, base model, mid range, sports. Also used in rallying:

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Starlet Conversion:
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15484

My vote would be the Renault Magane (hatch)!

Poverty pack is the base model then right up to the RS Team F1 R26

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"Not Speeding Officer..........Qualifying"

My MPS 3 is the best car I've owned (apart from my Minis of course). Plenty of grunt (190kw FWD) 380Nm of torque, 6 speed manual and best of all it still looks like a regular Mazda 3.

I also looked at the Suzuki Swift sports, Ford Focus XR5, MINI Cooper S but when I drove the MPS I was sold!! Bang for buck performance value you can't beat it.

They haven't been too shabby at Targa Tasmania the last couple of years either.

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Julie.............

I'm gonna put my vote in for either the Fiesta XR4 or VW Polo GTI.

Both can be had as a base model shopping trolley model for around the 15k mark.

Up-spec 'em though, and you've got yourself two hugely capable cars that can embarass some very expensive stuff down a twisty road.

The 2.0 litre Fiesta is fun, but harsh - The 1.8 Turbo GTI fast and effortless. Also, in Europe, available as the GTI Cup.







Or, as a Rally car -



Wins for me

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Cheap, Fast, Reliable. Choose two.

But none of those cars redefines the market like the mini did.

+1
Lots of things people have suggested all seem to be aimed at 'hot hatch' or similar market segments and "dumbed down" to fit the value for money box tickers in the motoring press. ie: race cars 1st and road cars second.

Even my modern city car (yes its French) the C2 is only sold here in the boyracer version. It was developed especially to cash in on the Euro hot hatch market and sub 1600cc junior rally circuit work. It is however avalable in base 1.1L manual through VTR1.6L sensodrive with every bell and whistle... its remarkable small and easy to drive/live its even called a Super-Mini class car, with but its no Mini.

The Morris 850/Austin Se7en were base transport 1st and evolved into Cooper tricked runabouts and track stars later (unlike MG's etc that were developed as sporting cars and not as shopping trolleys).

I dont think we have a Mini type basic transport offering anymore. Hmmm ... Maybe the chery from China, or that US$2500 thing(?) from India. They at least dont make any pretense to be "race" cars.

:2Cents:

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YDO005 1965 stock standard MORRIS MINI DELUXE

A few of those other vehicles mentioned are just to expensive, even in the povo pack models...

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http://www.youtube.com/user/Hanras

the TATA!!!

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Here am I sitting in my tin can far above the Moon
Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do...



“A turbo: exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster.” - Jeremy Clarkson