The Wolseley Hornet Is a Posh Classic Mini 

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We didn’t really use seatbelts then. And there was no breathelizer to speak of. So the ashtray worked as did the switches.

A headmistress chariot back in the day. I have fond memories indeed. Thank you for these wonderful videos.

these small pop-out-windows in the back: they work even in the rain. perfect summer-ventilation. same thing with small italian cars from that time.

In my childhood, I thought that they looked like a Mini. Long since forgotten, until a new neighbour arrived in the area with one recently, and I thought "What were they called? Not life changing, Earth shattering news, granted, just one of those moments when you smile and nod, " So that's what it is - Wolseley :The Posh Mini. " Thanks mate. Greetings from Australia.

A handful of Hornets/Elves made it across the pond in LHD form. There was one that found its way to Atlanta by the early eighties, although one wonders about its path. Wolseley and Riley were available in the United States but seem to have been special order in the Americas.

i (and my sisters) learnt to drive in a '65 Hornet. Dark red leather seats, light up grill badge, the works. My grandmother bought it new in '65, gave it to my mother in '75, and in '86 it passed to my younger sister.

The Riley and the Woolsey minis were much better bills then there the standard counterpart I think it was better paint on more paint they lasted a lot longer than the standard mini and where good well built cars, thanks for this video brilliant

Illuminated badge was always my favorite part.

My Granny had the Riley Elf it’s was a great little car and always loved sitting in the front passenger seat sadly both are no longer with us but never forgotten.

I love the Hornet and the Riley Elf’s, they always bring a big smile to my face. The quality of camera work and your presentation skills are improving in leaps and bounds.

Great car, great presenter!

Splendid as always. “People were shorter back then” 😎

As a young boy back in the late 60's I remember seeing hundreds of posh Mini's in Central London

What an interesting little car. Always liked the Hornet and Elf.

Very, very good, sir! Wind up windows, concealed door hinges and the later type door handles before they appeared on the standard Mini. The presentation just gets better and better.

My dad had a Van den plas Hornet in the early 70’S ,I was about six years old was a dark brown coulour,I remember the red leather seats and it had a full walnut dash,I also remember the huge door pockets.Loved this video! It really took me back.Nostalgia! You can’t beat it.

Bootiful, absolutely bootiful!

My ex-wife's mother had an Elf, and I loved driving it! Thanks for another great video.

Beautiful small cars!A real treat when you see one now..

I had one of these in the 80s we stuck a 1275 gt engine in it it was hand painted brown my mates called it the flying Turd it blew away xr2 and 3s for fun loved it and would have back tomorrow...

Oh yeah, you can't beat any Mini content. Another great video. Thanks Ed.

You're so endearing😊

that's one beautiful looking car i have one in my village imported back in the day

My personal favorite mini of them all.

Always loved these cars these and the Riley Elf.

Nice, thank you. Charming is the right word. Something we no longer have in my view: cars that are just charming. I always liked these posh Mini's.

Great Mini derivative the Elf and Hornet cute saloon used to go to an art club in my local area in the late 80's and early 90's an elderly chap had the Riley Elf version in grey

Lovely

My parents had a Wolseley Hornet new in 1968 (two tone green - pale green body and dark green roof). They sold it around 1970. It was still seen driving around Lincoln years later in great condition. It did seem to be better made than the standard minis of the time or was it that it was just better looked after.

I had a 1965 Wolseley Hornet, an upgrade from my previous car which was a 1961 bog-standard mini. The improvements over the standard mini were: 998 cc engine instead of 850 cc Remote gear stick Larger boot Larger fuel tank Key operated starter replacing the push button under the driver's seat Wind up windows Fresh air intake heater instead of the "fug-stirrer" Nicer seats All in all a nice little car which served me well for quite some years.

that is an adorable little car. It's styling reminds me of a mid-80's Chrysler New Yorker(Dodge K-car slathered in chrome and piled high in leather)with the way it is "badge engineered". I love it and would love to own one.

You could say this was my first introduction into motoring, it was the first car I remember my dad owning. Great little car & often made the journey between North Hampshire to London where my grand parents lived. It was painted in a light green colour.

Great video Ed. Can see you are upping the game on the shooting and that. Good to see you not just stuck behind the camera. Far more engaging and enjoyable. 👍

The time and effort you put in to your videos is unreal. Absolutely smashing it.

I am amazed at the number of comments from people who are coming across the Wolseley and Riley for the first time. Makes me feel so damn old , 😂🤣

Had two of these. Loved them

These were charming little cars!

As usual, a great review. FYI, my first Mini was a 1959, I was about 19 years old and couldn’t leave it alone. The remote gear change came from the Austin/Morris 1100. I used the whole gearbox and discovered it had 4:11 diff gears. Made for really good acceleration on 10” wheels with low profile tires. Always wanted a Hornet though.

I passed my driving test in one of these! Great wee car! 🇬🇧

Thank you for this excellent 'review'. A great eye for detail of a car I didn't even know the existence of. Combined with your pleasant voice and scant but ultra-dry dashes of humor this has become rapidly one of my favourite channels.

Another interesting, well researched and informative video. A very engaging presentation style and nice production values too!

Again such a very informative video, I've never seen one of these adorable cars over here in the Netherlands. Enjoyed learning about it this way. You are one of the most enthusiastic petrol heads I know. Big compliments from the Netherlands.

Really great look at these old charmers.

Lovely, and a proper spare tyre!

Keep it coming with the "information we never needed to know"! I love these little random facts!!

Really interesting and well done video, Ed. Great job. It is neat to see the variations on a common theme. A couple weeks ago I was out on my 90 Volvo 240 Estate and was beside an original Mini. I had forgotten just how TINY the Mini really is. To see a luxury version still blows my mind.

Really good! The secretary at my middle school had one of these, and used to give me lifts home in it sometimes. She just liked the posh interior, combined with ease of parking & fun to drive. So it made more sense that we might imagine! Incidentally, "head rests" was originally an abbreviation for "head restraints". But over time, people stopped calling them head restraints, and just call them head rests. But their purpose is to stop whiplash, not for comfort. I always wondered why people put extended things on the toggle switches, so learned something new today from you - that it was due to being restricted by fixed "harnesses" instead of inertia reel seatbelts. Why hadn't I realised that before, doh?!! There's a Riley Elf on Ebay for £6k, I'm seriously tempted!!! :-)

What a sweet car !

Well done very interesting thank you

Fantastic review of this well loved classic car and very well delivered. Well done young man this was superb.

I love your Woolsey Jumper....very 60"s... Those Riley Elfs were nippy things at the time!

1972 My Father has new Renault 16, just ‘run in’ and we’d just overtaken a Ford Cortina 1300. We were going flat out to see what she’d do! 6 kids in the 16, no seatbelts, me and my sister (the youngest) in the ‘boot’. A Riley Elf came out of a side road and we hit him amidships. Thankfully we were all okay. Both cars were written off. My Da fuming! Meanwhile in the boot, me and my sister hadn’t a clue what the hell had just happened! I still shiver when I see an Elf.

Thanks for the very well done orientation of the hornet. My father always went on about them and now I think I can understand a little bit why…

Oh this is such a classy little thing. I’m amazed that such vehicles are still extant out there in England, rather than having gone extinct. The BMC chaps pioneered badge engineering it seems? Considering in today’s world everyone is badge engineering everything! Amazing.

Lovely little car ; really interesting and you have good presenting skills , thanks very much

Owned one of these beauties many years ago and learned to drive in it. It was an absolutely fantastic little car - thank you so very much for sharing thank you, they were great old friends

Good presentation as usual... keep up the good work!

Ah yes , the wonderful little Hornet. These cars were top prizes in Heinz 57 varieties competition in 1966 I think . 57 of them were given away but unfortunately my Dad wasn't one of the lucky prizewinners. Great feature clip, Thank you

Just subbed after watching the DAF 66 episode,loved the way this young man sounds relaxed and thorough.

Love that car!!

I've always liked these mini's with a boot, this one being a Wolseley I half expected a seat-back drinks tray in the rear .

Great video mate, I had exactly the same model and colours in 1981. It was a 1969 model… I loved it! ❤

My first two cars in Australia were a 1965 Morris Mini 850 (with roll up/roll down windows) and a 1963 Morris Mini 850 with the UK spec sliding windows. A Wolseley Hornet would have been absolute luxury, but I have to say I never saw one!

Awesome review. Great work.

Great video! Wolseleys were very rare cars in Sweden in the 60s. My dad had a Wolseley 6/110 - I still miss it.

Good video, thanks. I was actually surprised how few Hornets/Elfs (or should that be Elves?) were made. I remember seeing quite a few driving around until around 1980. Maybe they just stood out more than a normal Mini? It would have to be the Wolseley for me. That light up badge elevates one up a class level or two 😄.

You are ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTFUL to watch. I can't wait to see each and every episode! In the US, we are not accustomed to seeing these things, and the detail of your report! Wow. You're amazing!

Those rear lights are straight from the Austin/Morris 1100 parts bin. Lovely car.

The lad just gets better and better at this-informative and well presented -👍

Many thanks fella, really enjoyed this. Well filmed and well narrated! My mum had one of these, back in the 70`s, real old rust bucket, you could look down at the floor and watch the road go by. Loved it! Subscribed! :)

Great video..I also own and love my 1969 Riley Elf..

This looks a great video.

Such a sweet little car, i love it and the light up badge, love the chrome and the red interior... Great video , very well done Ed....

Well done ED ..very interesting video..and informative.. might see you on top gear running the show soon ..keep up the great work.......ps the 60s jumper was a nice touch .ha ha ha ..

Great video. So much better than most classic car commentary. I’d love one of these Wolseleys.

The Commanding officer of an RAF camp i was at, ( i was actually in the Army), had one of these in 1975. It looked befitting of an officer and a Gentleman. A posh version of the 1968 Mini i had at the time. I remember i couldn't resist having a good look inside, leather seats and a wooden dash. Too good for me.

This Takes me back a bit, the first car I ever bought when I passed my test. May 1979, I thought I was the bees knees 😂.

Loved this. Well done!! 😊😊

Another great video with accurate researched information.

I remember seeing these unusual looking vehicles during the 1970s. And i always wondered what the story was surrounding them.

Well done!

My first car. 1967 model bought in 75 for a £100. Saw me through to my first ford Escort 1300gt , £400. Oh those were the days.

A very nice presentation, thank you! Nice little car you have there.

Well presented. Thanks.

Love this little car, everything about it is so endearing. Surprised that the Riley is a higher spec than the Wolseley. The rear lights look suspiciously like they may have come from the Triumph parts bin!

It Looks wonderful.

I actually seen an Elf here in the USA at a British car show. And a late original Mini at my favorite beach parking lot in San Diego.

Another great video once again, keep up the great work

You do great reviews. Informative with style and enthusiasm. Bravo.

A great video and I thorough enjoyed it. Thanks Ed. Pete 🇬🇧

Great video Ed. Well done mate. Just wished we could have had a spin around in the car. Take care. Steve.

Nice to see a Young 'Un talking knowledgeably and entertainingly about a car that went out of production before he was born!

Delightful! Yes, it’s a Mini in a Wolseley costume, but the smell of the leather alone would certainly set it apart. I occasionally see a Hornet or Elf at British car shows here in the US, and they’re always a treat. Very nice review, thanks!

Loved the video, you are very good at presenting.

Great video. Well done.

I very nearly bought a 1969 Riley Elf way back in 1980. Not hugely different to this car except the dash sported glove boxes in lieu of the parcel shelf (later on I fitted a Riley Elf dash to my 1967 Austin Mini). Went like the clappers but oil rings a bit suspect. While in England Dad got hold of a walnut veneer Wolseley Hornet dial trim and fitted it to his 1964 Austin Mini Deluxe. Once again many thanks for the memories, pleasure to watch as always.

Nice work, keep them coming. Always fancied a Riley elf

Watching this because my father had one of these when I was a small kid :)

I restored one of these in the early 80’s. if you pass one on the road or any classic Mini they look like Dinky Toys. Would not feel safe driving one on today’s roads. Imagine a 40 ton truck coming up behind you sitting in one of those !