Mr. Bean’s car was built for Metro Manila

Mr. Bean’s 1977 British Leyland Mini 1000 Mark IV is tiny, slow, and secured by a padlock. Sounds ridiculous. In Metro Manila, however, this car might be the ultimate road warrior.

It’s small enough to slip through tight spots. Jeepneys wrestle for space, private cars battle for every inch, and motorcycles appear out of nowhere. The Mini doesn’t need to fight—it simply finds a way through. At only 3 meters long, about the size of a tricycle, it fits into gaps that would leave bigger cars stuck. With its tiny 10-inch wheels and lightweight frame, it moves through side streets like a ninja.

Unlike massive sports utility vehicles (SUVs), the British Leyland Mini 1000 is light and easy to maneuver. It doesn’t need power steering or fancy parking sensors. It turns sharply, zips through narrow streets, and parks in spaces no other car could do. If parking gets too tight, two or three strong friends can lift and adjust it like moving a heavy couch.

With gas prices rising again, every drop matters. The Mini barely sips fuel, running 15–18 km per liter, making it one of the most fuel-efficient cars ever built. You could drive around all day and still have enough left in the tank for tomorrow. It only has a 34-liter fuel tank, which sounds small, but with the way it conserves gas, it’s enough to last a week of city driving. At 620 kg, it’s lighter than a golf cart but still heavier than six sacks of rice stacked on top of each other. You could probably push it to your destination if you ran out of fuel.

This car refuses to die. Mr. Bean flipped it, crashed it, and even secured it with a padlock instead of a proper key. It still ran. Built to survive. The 1.0L, 4-cylinder engine doesn’t sound like much, but it gets the job done. It’s not built for speed, topping out at 125 km/h, but in Metro Manila traffic, you don’t need it. You can’t. If things get really bad, a group of bystanders or nag-iinuman sa kanto, could probably just lift it out of harm’s way. Basta dapat hindi pa lasing. Who needs a tow truck when the car is lighter than some motorcycles with passengers?

Locking yourself out is never a nightmare. Most cars need a locksmith or advanced criminal skills to unlock. The Mini’s modified padlock only needs a metal saw to get the job done. Duplicating your car key is as easy as going to Mr. Quickie to have as many copies as you want. Security isn’t its strongest feature, but at least you’ll never be locked out for long. Theft is also unlikely since reselling a car that looks like a refrigerator isn’t exactly a fast-moving business. Thieves may even toss some candy and other treats into the vehicle.

Fewer gadgets mean fewer problems. No glitchy touchscreens, no mysterious beeping sensors, no onboard computer demanding a reboot. Just an engine, a steering wheel, and a single speedometer in the middle of the dashboard. No extra buttons, no complicated artificial intelligence technology. If something breaks, a mechanic with a wrench and some creative problem-solving can patch it up in no time. No need for expensive spare parts. Baka nga kayanin pa ng tubero.

If electric cars are the future, then the 1977 British Leyland Mini 1000 Mark IV is the best of the past—no charging stations required, no range anxiety, just pure mechanical simplicity.

The Mini never takes itself too seriously. Bigger cars try to look aggressive, luxurious, or sophisticated. This one just looks like it’s happy to be here. Every time it rolls by, someone smiles, mostly because they can’t believe it’s still running. Even MMDA traffic enforcers might hesitate to flag it down, either out of respect or sheer confusion. It’s unassuming, a little ridiculous, and impossible to hate.

And when traffic reaches a standstill, you can sit on the roof like Mr. Bean, grab a mop, and steer from above. No one would even bat an eye. It’s just another day on Metro Manila roads.