Innocenti

Innocenti, under the ownership of the British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC), developed rebodied versions of the Mini, known as the Innocenti 90 and 120. These Bertone-styled cars were released at the Salone dell'Automobile di Torino in 1974. At one point there were even plans for the Innocenti to replace the original English Mini, but these came to nothing. Within a year of the car's launch, BLMC went bankrupt and in May 1976 Innocenti was sold to De Tomaso. The new owners renamed the company Nuova Innocenti and continued to build the car without any real change. Innocenti's Mini version was generally nicely equipped and had a better finish than their English brethren, leading to higher sales and a better reputation in many continental European markets, such as France. The largest improvement was the addition of a rear hatch, allowing for improved access to the (still tiny) luggage compartment.