Premier Padmini Modified to Look Like a MINI

The original Mini, first produced by British Motor Corporation (BMC) in 1959, is one of the most iconic cars of all time. It was the choice of transport in one of the best heist movies of all time (Italian Job, the 1969 original) and also one of the best TV comedies ever (Mr. Bean). After changing hands a few times, the Mini is now a brand owned by BMW since 2000. The British charm of the original was lost, giving way for German engineering and practicality.

Premier Padmini Modified into MINI COOPER | Retro Classics India

The original Mini was never brought to India, which is quite a disappointment. A small and affordable hatchback would have been the perfect car for India! Nevertheless, the car still has a special place in the hearts of auto enthusiasts in our country. Recently, a custom car garage in Coimbatore, by the name of Sun Enterprises, have turned a Premier Padmini into a Mini. Yes, the car you see in the video here, uploaded by Retro Classics India, is not an actual Mini but has been built to look just like one!

The first difference we notice here is the removal of the boot. The Padmini was a sedan, so the extra inches stretching the tail out have been removed to turn it into a hatchback. The rear doors have been deleted, turning this into a two-door, just like the original. The wheels are custom, and feature five individual spokes with a twin-prong design. The face of the car gets new, round LED headlamp units, along with a giant blacked-out grille and metal bumper.

Premier Padmini modified to look like a Mini

There are a few key design differences that you’ll notice, if you observe carefully, that distinguish this modified Premier Padmini from a Mini. At the front, the face design is quite different. The headlamps are a little small, the grille too squarish, and the bumper is placed a little too high. The side profile is spot-on except for the bonnet, which is too long. That’s because the Padmini had a longitudinally-mounted engine, while the Mini had (and still has) a transversally-mounted motor. At the rear, the taillights extend out quite far from the body of the car, which is the only sore point of the design. Still, the overall design is quite close to the iconic Mini, and looks extremely handsome with the bright red paint scheme.