Supermini projects
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The road that led to the launch of the Metro in 1980 was a long and winding one. These two projects were initially aimed at replacing the venerable Mini, but instead evolved into LC8, BL's rather late entry into the supermini market.

A new mini

By the end of the 1960s, serious thought was finally being given to replacing the Mini with someting more refined and practical. This gallery reflects some of the early thinking that pre-dated project ADO74. Enter...

The Issigonis 9X

In 1968, Alec Issigonis devised a Mini relacement that was true his original car's design principles. While 9X was the same length as the Mini, and only barely wider, it provided much-improved passenger accommodation, plus a larger boot-space. Enter...

ADO74 supermini project

British Leyland first gave serious thought to replacing the Mini in 1972, four years after Issigonis had produced his 9X prototype. Three ideas for a "Mini replacement" concept were forwarded: Ant (mini-sized), Ladybird (supermini-sized) and Dragonfly (three box small car). Ladybird was chosen above the other two, and by the time it was cancelled the following year, several full-size models had been prepared. Enter...

ADO88 supermini project

This was the second serious attempt by the company to replace the Mini with something a little larger. ADO88 was developed in response to the excessive costs of ADO74 and as a result, the project was kept within strict parameters: costs were defined by John Barber, the packaging by Charles Griffin. Enter...

LC8: the miniMetro

Project LC8 evolved from ADO88, eventually producing a new supermini 12 years after BLMC first considered the idea. Enter...

Copyright © 2002 Keith Adams