Corgi VA01425 Mini Van – J Sainsbury Maintenance Dept.

The Mini van was launched five months after the saloon, in January 1960, and remained on sale until 1983. The saloon’s wheelbase was extended by 4 inches and the rear overhang by a further 2.5 inches, creating a load platform 55 inches long, quite impressive in a vehicle which was still only 129.55 inches in length; Issigonis’ design was even more beneficial on a commercial. Vehicles travel down their production line with their doors open, so Mini vans were produced with twin side-hinged rear doors allowing them to be closer together than would have been possible if they had been fitted with a tailgate.