Americans queue up for Mini

American drivers planning to buy a new Mini were today warned they face a three-month waiting list for the British car.

The first of the new Minis will go on sale in the United States in March but already thousands of fans have joined unofficial waiting lists to buy the small car.

And plans are also being laid to race the cars, following in the footsteps of their famous predecessors, which continue to have a cult following in the land of the gas-guzzler.

The Sports Car Club of America is preparing to approve the car for racing - once it has got models to test, as the only Minis in America are currently on display at the Detroit Motor Show.

The show is the biggest of its kind in the world, and today Mini’s American spokesman Mike McHale said the car was having an ‘‘amazing’’ reception in Motown.

‘‘We have not done any advertising or any promotional work,’’ said Mr McHale.

‘‘It is all word of mouth, but we have had 100,000 people register for more information on our web site.’’

No official dealerships have been appointed yet, but showrooms which plan to sell the car in the United States have already opened waiting lists, which stretch to three months.

‘‘The last Mini was sold here in 1967, so it has been away a long time and they just do not know what to make of it,’’ said Mr McHale. It is a whole new sort of small car for them.

‘‘They have always been told small cars are boring and flimsy. This car has air conditioning, electric seats, electric mirrors all the things they are used to.’’

Prices for the car are due to be unveiled tomorrow at Detroit, but BMW, which manufactures and distributes the new Mini, has said prices in American will start at under £12,500, with 20,000 due to be sold this year.

Mr McHale said: ‘‘The press are just all over it. It is just incredible.

‘‘The motoring press remember the first Mini.’’

A total of 12,000 Minis are on the road in the United States 2,000 more than were sold when the car was on sale in the 1960s.

Many fans race their cars and have registered to buy a new Mini, while other buyers have seen the car while on holiday.

‘‘People are very well travelled these days and they say things like I saw that car when I was in London’,’’ said Mr McHale.

‘‘Some people have seen the old Mini on the Italian Job and that is what got them interested.’’

But Americans will have to wait to drive the modern version of the Mini Cooper S, which starred in the Italian Job.

Only the normal Mini will be imported in March and it will not be until later in the year that the first Coopers will hit American streets.