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Mini Clubman And Mini 1275GT

The Mini Clubman and 1275GT were responsible for two motoring "firsts": they were the first vehicles to use a flexi printed-circuit board behind the dash instruments (universal nowadays, but technically advanced for 1969). Secondly, the 1275GT was the first vehicle to be offered with run-flat tyres; from 1974 this model could be ordered with optional Dunlop Denovo tyres on 12-inch (300 mm) diameter rims. In the event of a puncture, the Dunlop Denovo tyre would not burst and quickly deflate, but could continue to be used safely at speeds of up to 50 mph (80 km/h). This was a useful safety feature, although the increased road noise and relatively poor grip of this tyre meant that many 1275GT buyers ignored this option.

Throughout the 1970s, British Leyland continued to produce the classic 1959 "round-front" design, alongside the newer Mini Clubman and Mini 1275GT models. The long-nose Clubman and 1275GT offered better crash safety, were better equipped, and had vastly better under-bonnet access, but they were more expensive and aerodynamically inferior to the original 1959 design. The Clubman and 1275GT were replaced in 1980 by the new hatchback Austin Metro, while production of the original "round-front" Mini design continued for another 20 years. At the end of Mini Clubman and Mini 1275GT production, 275,583 Clubman saloons, 197,606 Mini Clubman Estates and 110,673 Mini 1275GTs had been made.

related : Mini Mark II ~ Mini Classic Cars (1967–1973)
related : Mini Clubman And Mini 1275GT ~ MINI Cooper Parts 1 And Parts 2