This image popped up in my Instagram feed and made me wonder if bigger is better?
I have good knowledge of two of the three cars shown here...the cheaper ones!
Growing up as a kid one of our family cars was a Mini Cooper, not that our family runaround was rally material, but it certainly did make you smile when this little car was beating the world.
Mini's history in international rallying dates back to the 1960s, when the Mini Cooper S won the legendary Monte Carlo Rally on three occasions, in 1964, 1965 and 1967, as well as wins on the Acropolis Rally, RAC Rally and 1000 Lakes Rally, and the European Rally Championship in 1965.
Since the 60's the Mini has never won another Monte Carlo Rally
The Mini was made for local driving in England where a lot of the back roads can be very small in the countryside. This road is on the way to a friends house, its a two way road by the way, this is Mini territory!
The Fiat 500 -
Launched in July, 1957. The Fiat 500, known initially as 'The Cinquecento' was introduced by Fiat Company in July 1957, and produced under this guise until 1975. Designed by Dante Giacosa, the Cinquecento was marketed as a cheap, functional and economical town car for post-war Italy.
When I was looking for a first car, the Fiat 500 was on my radar, because it was cheap, really cheap. I very nearly bought one in the early 80's. For sale for £60/ $74, I offered £55/ $68 because it was literally all the money I had in the world, I was denied and the seller drove away.
Decades later in Italy, in the small town of Gallipoli they were everywhere, for one very good reason, the streets are tiny and it literally was one of the only car that could fit down them if you did walk or ride a bicycle or scooter
Obviously as the world develops and things improve, bigger is classed as better in so many societies, but is the cool factor lost?
What do you have now that is noticeably bigger than its former designs and is it better or would you prefer the older smaller version?