The name “Innocenti” seems to refer to something completely different than a re-engineered Mini that has been built in Italy with a Japanese turbocharged three-cylinder power plant. But that it is, and here it is, making these pages just a little bit cooler by its existence. The car looks like it wants to punch you in the face – with style.
The DAIHATSU script on the valve cover seems to fit in nicer than the De Tomaso TURBO detailing on the.. well, coffeemaker on top.
The marketing material looks suitably awesome. Look at those gauges! And those are TRX wheels, by the way.
I would want to see them in action. The speedometer needle somehow fits in there, and it runs clockwise – the rev gauge anti-clockwise.
It’s narrow, it kind of looks like a shrunken Fiat 127 or a front-engined 126, and it packs a punch of 72 horsepower. I want one.
By Antti Kautonen
The resident Finn of Hooniverse. Owns old Peugeots and whatnot, writes long thinkpieces on unloved cars. These two facts might be related.
Ross Ballot 
Jeff Glucker
It’s hard to be too hard on Alejandro…
Square guages in round holes. Brilliant!
Also available in Canada!
I mentioned these, as well as TVRs and a few others, when I did a 4-H presentation on Canadian cars.
Also, I saw one once, at a car show, back before I really knew what it was, and I’m still kicking myself for not asking the owner more questions.
Hard to believe that this
http://www.auto-classiche.it/tama_images/resize/large/6/innocenti-mini-bertone-1.jpg
and this
http://www.auto-classiche.it/tama_images/resize/large/6/innocenti-mini-1.jpg
were basically the same car underneath.
I had one back in 1986, scariest car ever, but the fun……still feel stupid I ever let it go, but I did…..silly kid.