Mini (Industrial sample no.22620)

Gunārs Glūdiņš (1938–2020) was a Latvian industrial designer. After studying at the Riga Industrial Polytechnic he joined the Riga factory Sarkanā Zvaigzne (Red Star) in 1969, graduated from the Art Academy’s Metal Art Section and became the factory’s chief designer. He worked on most of its mopeds and sports motorcycles, including the Rīga-12 moped, built from 1973 to 1979 and now part of the Latvian Cultural Canon.

In 1987 he designed this small car, called ‘Industrial sample no. 22620’. It had a tiny two-door, two-seat body with a large glass area. There were doors on both sides, and the driver controlled the car with a steering wheel. It remained a prototype.