OVERDRIVE
Mini Remastered, Lamborghini Huracán STO
AFTER YEARS OF driving ’80s and ’90s Peugeots and a lot of modern front-wheel-drive hot hatches, being told ‘never correct the steering’ takes a bit of getting used to. Braking late and deep into the corners to help the rear end around makes sense, but just how late and deep is difficult to get accustomed to. There’s definitely a technique to driving a hot Mini on track and, with Formula 2 ace and Williams F1 reserve driver Jack Aitken in the passenger seat, it’s clear that I have a lot to learn.
We’re at Bicester Heritage to sample the David Brown Mini Remastered Oselli Edition, the latest from the Silverstone-based bespoke vehicle maker. It’s effectively a Mini turned up to 11. But when does a Mini stop feeling like a Mini? That’s what the team behind the David Brown Mini
Remastered grappled with while working on the track-ready, more extreme Oselli Edition.
After a quick drive in the original Remastered, it’s clear that despite its power steering, air-conditioning and an Apple CarPlay-enabled ‘infotainment’ system, it still feels, sounds and drives like a classic Mini. The Oselli Edition aims to push that ‘Mininess’ to the extreme, without obliterating everything that makes one so lovable.
Unlike the regular Remastered, which runs an injected 71bhp 1275cc engine, this one has its A-series pushed to 1450cc and 125bhp for the ‘ultimate road spec’ engine as built by Oselli. There’s no denying that it’s highly strung, the aggressive camshaft and twin SU carbs making it grumpy below 2000rpm. There’s a five-speed gearbox with limitedslip differential, while braking is taken care of by four-pot AP Racing calipers up front and lightweight alloy drums at the rear. There’s a new lightweight alloy wheel design, too. Just like the standard Remastered it’s based on a new Heritage shell, which is reinforced and deseamed, and the chrome detailing has been blacked out. There are no rear seats in this one, though, just a pair of buckets up front.
Aitken, a great Mini enthusiast, has helped fine-tune the Oselli. He didn’t want the car to lose any of its character, even if that came at the expense of track prowess. The dampers are Bilsteins but, while a full-on Mini racer would use solid bushes, there’s a slightly more compliant set-up here, and the tyres remain the same road-biased Yokohama A359s.
The results are excellent. It’s alive with feedback, the engine pulls strongly from about 3000rpm right through to the 6000rpm redline, and it sounds like a proper Mini on steroids. Now, after years of reading about ‘Smokin’’ John Rhodes’s legendary driving style, my first time on track in a Mini makes perfect sense. The chassis is inherently inert, and so trustworthy that you can take some serious liberties to find its limits. Not only is it huge fun, it’s also very quick when you learn to make the most of it.
Yet it’s not overly aggressive for road use. David Brown accepts that while some customers’ Osellis will venture on track, most will be used purely as road cars. It’s why the creature comforts remain inside. We gave it a quick
run on the local roads, too, and I was pleasantly surprised at how usable it actually was. The EPAS works well at low speed but is hardly noticeable when pressing on, and the engine is flexible enough if kept on the boil via the cracking five-speed ’box. It even cruises relatively well at 70mph.
The time taken to build the Oselli, and its level of detail, don’t come cheap. Each car is different so it’s ‘price on application’, but you’ll spend a little under £100k before options – which seems a hell of a lot for a Mini. But compare it to other bespoke ‘restomods’ and it makes more sense. It’s beautifully trimmed, the paint finish is stunning, and the modern features and upgraded switchgear mean you can jump straight in and enjoy it. For some, that’s a price worth paying.
‘The Oselli Edition aims to push the “Mininess” to the extreme, but without obliterating everything that makes a classic Mini so lovable’