Embracing the front-wheel drive concept of the original Mini and adding the versatility of a hatchback layout, the supermini was a new class of vehicle that could appeal to buyers who wanted compactness and economy whilst craving some of the creature comforts of a traditional family car. There’s plenty of debate about who got there first, but few would argue that 1972 was a very significant year.
In theory, Fiat was first to take
