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History books are awash with what the British press held as ‘the infamous Monte Carlo Rally of 1966’. Infamous because a certain car – British Motor Company’s Mini Cooper – had finished first, second and third against much larger and more powerful cars but was disqualified on a technical infringement that would leave a bad taste in the mouth of Englanders for years to come. It meant that Citroen driver Pauli Toivonen was elevated to the top step of the podium, but embarrassed by the turn of events, he never raced with Citroen again.
To say that the Mini has had a relatively forgettable history would probably be akin to erasing the bombing of London from the chapters of World War II. Not only has Mini been through a series of owners, turbulent times on the sales charts and of course rally wins, the biggest achievement from the ‘self-explanatory name for a car’ has been its front-transverse, front-wheel driven layout that has been the base for many a hatchback ever since. What began as an inexpensive hatch with just 34 bhp to begin with (yes, as much as a Tata Nano!), the Mini today produces anywhere between 110 and 210 bhp, is larger, more powerful and far more premium than ever before. And yes, it’s coming to India sooner than you can say ‘Hallelujah’. Mini has just announced the pricing of its cars that ranges between Rs 24.9 lakh for the standard Cooper and goes on to Rs 31.99 lakh for the Countryman. (Full prices available here: bsmotoring.com/autoexpo11/storypage.php ) Dampener? It sounds like. Is it?
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