It's a maxi Mini

That sixties icon the Mini has returned with a 21st-century update - bigger, more powerful, but as much fun as ever. The little British car captured the hearts of the motoring public when it was introduced in 1959. The latest version - produced by BMW and on sale in New Zealand from today - looks ready to do the same.

Motoring editor Alastair Sloane created a stir when he took the sporty Mini Cooper version out for a spin around Auckland yesterday. It has all the bells and whistles, he says, unlike the basic charm of the original - Mini owners used to fit rubber kitchen gloves over the spark-plug leads to stop moisture shorting electrical circuits.

To satisfy modern international safety standards, the BMW model is higher, wider and heavier than the BMC car of 40 years ago. And it is powered by a 1.6-litre engine, compared with the 850cc and 998cc motors of yesteryear.

* Motoring features the new Mini on Saturday.