In the first half of the 1980s, as mainstream superminis became increasingly rational, many manufacturers began offering “hot” versions: compact cars with sharper performance and a more aggressive image. The Innocenti Mini Turbo De Tomaso fits squarely into that trend, and it is especially interesting because it comes from an already unusual base: the Italian-built Mini reinterpreted by Bertone for Innocenti, later operating within the De Tomaso orbit.

The Turbo De Tomaso arrived after the switch to Daihatsu three-cylinder engines. Introduced in late 1983, it brought a turbocharged 993 cc unit (around 72 hp in period specifications) to a very compact chassis, combined with a dedicated visual and functional package—distinct bumpers and trim, specific wheels, and the unmistakable “Turbo” identity at the rear. It is a car that captures its moment well: small displacement, concentrated output, low weight, and a character that is more lively than refined—very much of the 1980s in the literal sense. The example presented here is described as a well-preserved car with 23,200 km and is said to be fitted with the CB60 Daihatsu engine, the later and generally more developed iteration compared with the earlier phase. The CB60 is often referenced as the more mature base for these cars and is consistent with later Turbo production. Stripped of sales language, the collector point is straightforward: finding a Turbo De Tomaso today that retains correct finishes and hasn’t been heavily modified is harder than it sounds, because many were used intensively, altered, or simply worn out.

On rarity, it helps to be precise. This is not a model built in tiny double-digit numbers; the true scarcity today is the quality of survival rather than the absolute production total. For collectors of Italian youngtimers, a well-preserved Mini Turbo De Tomaso remains appealing because it combines three stories in one package: the Mini concept reinterpreted in Milan, the De Tomaso era, and the broader 1980s wave of turbocharged small cars that shaped the decade’s performance imagination. Find it for sale here in Aversa, Italy.