Innocenti Mini de Tomaso History

Unveiled at the 1976 Turin Show and entering series production in early 1977, the Mini de Tomaso was the performance flagship of the Bertone-bodied Mini range. Early cars used the 1275 cc A-series engine tuned to around 71–74 bhp, with bodykit additions including wheelarch extensions, moulded plastic bumpers, and integral fog lamps that set it apart from the standard 90/120.

When the switch to Daihatsu powertrains came in the early 1980s, the de Tomaso eventually gained a turbocharged Daihatsu-sourced engine, keeping it lively in an era when turbocharged small cars were fashionable. The model ran until 1987, outlasting the standard 90/120 by several years.