Mini car, maxi price

After the Speedback, David Brown Automotive thinks small

IS £75,000 TOO MUCH for a Mini? With a perfectly-restored Cooper S 970 recently nudging £60,000 at auction, the scene might seem to be set. Now David Brown Automotive, maker of the Jaguar XKR-based, Aston Martin-flavoured DB Speedback (12 sold so far), has launched its Mini Remastered and already has deposits. Think Radford or Wood & Pickett, re-drawn for 2017.

It’s as luxurious and ‘connected’ as a Mini could be, featuring much leather (but no wood, except for the steering wheel’s rim) and much machined aluminium around the front indicators, rear lights and the interior controls. There’s a powerful sound system, the speedometer’s cream face and digit design echoes that of the earliest Austin Minis, and of course there’s a sat-nav.

The front grille bars echo those of the Speedback, and the body is de-seamed with internal strengthening to put rigidity back into the new British Motor Heritage bodyshell. Four weeks’-worth of labour goes into the paintwork.

A 1990s-era fuel-injected Mini is the donor and provides the identity, with the major components rebuilt and the 1275cc engine massaged to 78bhp. More power is available, as well as bespoke colour schemes beyond those of the two limited-edition ‘Inspired By’ cars – Monte Carlo and Café Racer – shown at launch alongside the regular £75k offering in light green.

The plan is to make around 100 Remastered Minis a year, up to a total of around 500, at DB Automotive’s new facility at Silverstone.