Toyota Mini Land Cruiser? a modern micro car of sports utility vehicles?

 It indicates it is a mini. Another site indicates it is a compact sport utility vehicle? I am checking it out. Perhaps not exactly a modern micro car but it is modern. It is definitely not a micro car when cars of the past that started the micro car trend. 

This is an article on it by Drive of Australia. It shows what is coming out by Toyota; a mini Land Cruiser? Perhaps not a true micro car but perhaps a small one when compared to the full size Toyota Land Cruiser? 

Perhaps the trend is more compact sport utility vehicles since gas prices are going up and a smaller sport utility vehicle just makes more sense than a full size one while still being bigger than sedans? I wonder if people like sport utility vehicles since they are roomier and easier to get into and out of than sedans? Perhaps the trend for big sport utility vehicles is something pushed by car companies since it makes them more money? I think higher gas prices might hamper the desire for a bigger vehicle? 

I am not sure this is it but the other site indicated this is the compact (mini?) Toyota Land Cruiser.

There are other articles on it; 

Auto Blog. 

Top Gear Car News. 

There seems to be other sites on it. Perhaps too many to list here. A simple search will find them. 

I wonder if it will be about the same size of a Jeep Renegade? One site indicated it will be a Jimney killer? Perhaps similar size to the Jimney? 

The size seems very similar. I guess the only way to truly know if they were parked next to each other. Since the Toyota has not come out yet, it might be difficult to do till then. 

the Suzuki Jimney

Since the article is in the Australia site, I wonder if it will come to the USA? There are a lot of cool cars that don't seem to make it to the USA. Perhaps this will be one of them. One can hope. I hope I will see it on the roads here in the future. Then again it might not appeal to Americans since so many prefer the full size sport utility vehicles instead of the smaller ones. I prefer the smaller vehicles but I seem to be in the minority. 

TomLeeM

2023 / 10 / 02

Fiat Topolino EV?

 

the Fiat Topolino EV

It seems that Fiat is coming out with an electric version of the Topolino (little mouse) car? I think it resembles the Citroen Ami (Wikipedia). Perhaps a rebadged version? There doesn't seem to be a lot of difference between the two. 

I was hoping for something more than a rebadged Ami. I was hoping it would be more like the updated Fiat 500; which - IMO - has some retro styling in it. I think this 'new' Topolino EV lacks - IMO - any retro styling of the original. 

Another example is like when BMW came out with a newer Mini Cooper. It was bigger than the original since it needed to have emission controls and safety features added but still retained - IMO - the styling of the original Mini Cooper. 

the Citroen Ami EV

Motor1 - It seems the Ami is cheaper than the Topolino? (per the article).

Auto Blog - It is full of retro styling cues? (per the article). I didn't realize that something that resembles a Citroen Ami was a retro style? I think the older Topolino was totally different in style (IMO). 

Fiat Topolino (little mouse) - Wikipedia. I just don't see the 'retro styling' of the EV version as compared to the 500 Topolino below. 

The Fiat 500 Topolino.

If they are gong to do a rebadged version of another car instead of something on their own, perhaps it would be better - IMO - if they did a rebadged version of the Mia 2.0? They could make it for them since they are looking for a manufacturer and it would be a lot better - IMO - than a rebadge Ami. 

Fox eMobility.   Auto Evolution (article). 

TomLeeM

2023 / 09 / 27

Return of the Mia? by Fox eMobility?

 I found a company that is making a newer version of the Mia electric car. It is going to be made by Fox eMobility (assuming they are able to get someone to make it for them?). It seems to have similar features as the first Mia but with much improvements. I think those improvements are really cool. 

I have a feeling it won't come to the USA but would be nice if it did. I think it is a cool little car. The original didn't arrive here either. There are so many cool cars that will never make it to the USA. It is a pity but it is nice being able to read about it on the internet / world wide web. 

Auto Evolution article on the Mia 2.0 There are some nice photos of the Mia 2.0 at this site.

Electrive has an article on it. 

Wikipedia - Mia Electric 

There was a previous Mia electric car that was pretty nice but I don't think it went far. I think it had some nice features. 

It had sliding doors similar to the back doors of a minivan. I think this would make it easier to get into or out of the vehicle. the passengers sit on either side of the driver and one doesn't cross over to get into or out of the little car. I think this would make it easier to park since there is no need to worry about hitting another vehicle with your doors. 

The driver sits in the middle. It would negate having a right hand or left hand drive vehicle. Instead of having to make a left hand driver for most countries and a right hand drive for island countries, one would just make one for all countries. The person who determines which side to drive on (road wise) would be the driver. 

This is not an in-depth article on it but I did find it interesting enough to post a little about it.  

photos copied from other sites. I found them online. 

Duck Duck Go search results. 

TomLeeM

2023 / 09 / 13

Maximum Mini? e-book and blog site

 I came across this site about vehicles that were made using the platform of the Mini Cooper; the original one and not the newer one. It is a blog called Maximum Mini. The owner of the blog posts regularly. It makes for interesting read. 

I was looking for companies or people who were had or were making cars based on the Mini Cooper. I have read of kit cars and plans for cars that are based on existing vehicles (for example, there are kit cars to change the Pontiac Fiero to look like other vehicles). 

maximummini.blogsport.com

I first came across the book - Maximum Mini - Amazon. It was listed as an e-book and as printed books. The Amazon site had the price that seems rather exorbitant for a book (at the time that I searched for it, the price was a couple hundred dollars - IIRC - but not it is out of print). I was able to download it from Google Play and read it using their book app. The e-book version was way more affordable. 

It is not a big book but it has a lot information on the companies that made automobiles that are based on the original Mini Cooper platform. There are brief descriptions and photos of the vehicles. It was enough information to want to learn more about the companies. 

After reading the book, I wondered if they - the companies mentioned - would be able to do something similar with the newer Mini Cooper. The original Mini Cooper and the newer Mini Cooper have some things in common; a front wheel drive system (front engine driving the front wheels), similar layout. The vehicles would have more power and have better bigger parts. I will look to see if anyone has or had done it. 

Thomas Lee Mullins

TomLeeM at Cafe Press

MG Midget To Return? Made In China? - article is 2014

 I read an article about the MG Midget is to return. The MG brand was bought by a Chinese firm. The article indicates they are planning on bringing back the MG Midget. I hope this is true. I think the design - per the article - is way cool looking. 

I hope they make the new MG Midget in Great Britain. It would give a positive boost to the United Kingdom economy and boost their 'made in UK' plan. I think it would be great to have it made close to where the previous ones were created. I think having it made or just assembled in UK, it could avoid any import tax or tariff that made be made to non-UK made items. 

MG Midget To Return, Made In China - Car News China. 

photo above is from the article site - link to the article is just above this photo.

I really hope they make it and I really hope they sell them in the USA. I think this design - assuming that is what it might or could look like - is really cool looking and I would not mind driving it. 

I think it would bring back the MG as an affordable sports car. If they have other cars with the MG badge on it, it would add some flair to their line of cars or SUV's.

Thomas Lee Mullins 

TomLeeM at Cafe Press 

Bricklin 3EV by Visionary Vehicles

There is a electric three wheel car that looks really nice. It is called the Bricklin 3EV. It is by Visionary Vehicles. I have a feeling it may never get made (like so many cool ideas / cars that are designed but don't really go anywhere). It would be neat if it did.

Electrive has an article on it but it is dated 02/01/2018. 

(photo from the Electrive site). 

I wonder if one could create the Bricklin 3EV using the parts of a Cam Am Spyder? The name would be different since it wouldn't be an electric but I think it would be still cool. Perhaps call it the Bricklin Spyder (it seems more than one car has that name)? The Can Am Spider has a similar layout of engine and transmission powering the single rear wheel.

I think it would be like taking a Mini Cooper or Smart Fortwo and making something totally new (in appearances). 

Thomas Lee Mullins 

TomLeeM at Cafe Press.

Reva NXG?

I came across this unique little car from Reva called the NXG. I think it is really cool looking. I believe it is a concept car. I hope they put it into production and have it come to the USA.

I think it is part of Mahinda Electric. 

While it is an electric car, it would be neat to see it as a hybrid, a fuel cell vehicle or as a bio fuel 'gas' engine vehicle. I think people / buyers should have an option. I think the Liquid Piston rotary engine would (could possibly) work in this little car. 

I really like the look of this. 

I think it has a neat design. 

One can see the other - in back in red - electric vehicle from them. I believe the red one is the NXR. 

The Reva NXG reminds me of the Obvio 012 in design.

I can compare them. There are similarities and there are differences. I think it would be neat to not only see both made but also sold in the USA. It would be even cooler to see both and experience both so one can really compare the two. 

Thomas Lee Mullins

TomLeeM at Cafe Press.