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For all those longing for a little piece of the glamour of the swinging sixties on their driveway, but who still want the performance and convenience of a modern car, David Brown Automotive may just have a solution.
The exclusive British car maker (or should that be 're-maker?') earned fame and no little praise for its Speedback GT, a sort-of recreation (pastiche if you're feeling cruel) of the classic Aston Martin DB5, built on the chassis and drivetrain of a Jaguar XKR. This time, David Brown's target is a lot smaller, and a little more affordable. It's the original Mini.
The Mini Remastered project will take 100 original Mini bodyshells, strip them down to thew bare bones (and removing the iconic exterior body seams in the process - not sure how we feel about that) and then set about recreating the Issigonis icon with modernised mechanicals and an up-to-date infotainment system.
The 1,275cc A-Series engine is given a full reconditioning, and David Brown claims that it sees a power boost of around 50 per cent compared to its original 60s figure. That suggests a total output of around 110hp, or about the same power as a current MINI Cooper D. The four-speed manual gearbox is also full reconditioned. The brakes and suspension are also upgraded, with the company saying that it placed enormous emphasis on reliability, integrity and driving dynamics."
Inside, the car gets a full-leather-lined cabin, with a full-width leather dash, a wood-rimmed Moto-Lita steering wheel, keyless entry, a touch-screen media system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, classic-style Smiths dials, and bespoke hand-made leather seats. There's even a cupholder.
On the outside, the paint takes a full four weeks to do for each car, and around 1,000-man hours go into every Remastered Mini. There are LED rear lights and aluminium grilles as well as original-style Minilite alloy wheels.
There are also three separate models - a standard model, and two sporty options; 'Inspired By Cafe Racers' and 'Inspired By Monte Carlo.'
"Mini Remastered by David Brown Automotive has been a long time in the making and I'm delighted to be able to share it with you today," said company founder David Brown. "The car has been subtly transformed and updated to retain the original's DNA, yet includes key design details from Speedback GT as you can see by the grille, taillights and interior styling, as well as providing modern comfort and luxury. However, it's been important to remain true to Alec Issigonis' wonderful original concept, yet bring it into the 21st Century in our own way.
"It's not only the design that is special, though. Powered by a fully reconditioned 1275cc engine and re-engineered gearbox, the car will have all of the style and feel of a classic with modern dynamics. We've built this car to sit alongside any classic or modern collector's garage and I can see this being a fantastic city car, too. We've had an amazing response to the car from Speedback GT customers and David Brown Automotive fans and we believe this is a car that will appeal to men, women, the young and old."
The price for all this retro-gorgeousness? Deep breath... Around STG£70,000 which suggests an Irish import price of close to €90,000. This or a new Range Rover Sport? Decisions, decisions...