Innocenti Mini 90 / Mini 120 History

Revealed at the 1974 Turin Show, the Mini 90 and 120 replaced the old saloon body with a crisp, modern three-door hatchback penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone. The 90 used a 998 cc A-series engine (43 bhp) while the 120 gained the 1275 cc unit with around 65 bhp. The package was widely praised: the Bertone body was seen as a glimpse of what the next generation of European superminis should look like.

Within a year of launch, BL went bankrupt. In 1976 Innocenti was sold to Alejandro de Tomaso, who continued the 90/120 range while introducing the sportier Mini de Tomaso alongside it. The 90/120 ran until 1982, when Daihatsu-engined successors replaced the A-series cars entirely.