In my first 11 years working at the Austin Longbridge factory I helped build the odd one or two Mini's, when I started there were 4 lines each making 600 a week down to one making in the last days just 200. It was supposed to be dropped not long after the Metro was released but its popularity kept it going for a few more years with upgrades including bigger wheels for the front disc brakes and lots of limited editions. Japan was a funny market, they drove on the left just like the UK, but 50% of the Mini's made for Japan were RHD, it was a fad in Japan to drive a car with the steering wheel on the wrong side so we sent what they wanted.
When I worked in the Development dept (sweeping the floors in the school holidays ) there were prototypes of a rear tailgated version of the Mini which was never put into production. They had the original Alec Issigonis pencil sketches of the original design, more art than engineering drawings.
In the same dept building (nicknamed the elephant house) there was a car called the Triumph Lynx, a Triumph TR7 with a sloping glass rear. It had come from Canley but was drop dead gorgeous and was to have the Rover V8 engine from the outset.
Elephant House before its conversion to development centre and the glass removed so no prying eyes.
Triumph Lynx
