It’s rare that you see a genuinely brilliant pipedream plucked forth from the ether and brought into reality. “Imagine if you could drive a classic car with modern levels of performance.” It’s the sort concept car you would giddily hypothesise amongst friends, but never get to see. Well David Brown imagined and acted. On the 6th of April he launched the Mini Remastered – a modernised embodiment of the iconic 60s Mini.
Rose-tinted glasses be damned; certain eras boast a sense of style that we can’t quite mimic today. London in the sixties was hub of unbridled creativity. As with any timeless piece of art, the genesis of the classic Mini is a culmination of interconnecting factors – the psychedelic music, the outlandish-yet-timeless fashion, the revolutionary political and social climate, a general feeling that anything is possible. The car is a symbol of London at its most chic – of a city at its creative apex.
Step into the Mini Remastered… Smell the leather, grip the finery, behold the dashboard – you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d fallen into some nostalgic reverie. It would be more accurate to say you had slipped into an alternate sixties reality, where everyone has smartphones and remote-central locking.
The Mini Remastered comes equipped with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, USB connectivity and charging, a four-speaker sound system, as well as a push-button start feature… Pretty much any mod-con you need.
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Every inch of the car has been considered and refined by hand with traditional coachbuilding techniques. Taking inspiration from the original British motoring icon and remastering with bespoke design, modern connectivity and craftsmanship, each car takes around 1,000 man hours to create by David Brown Automotive.
The interior is designed around modern convenience and luxury. Inside are sculpted seats with a hand-trimmed interior swathed in British-sourced hides and a combination of paint, leather and fabric finishes to the dash. Premium retro Smiths dials, a David Brown Automotive engraved Moto-Lita steering wheel with enhanced driving position, and the addition of a cup holder to the centre console make Mini Remastered one of the most luxurious classic cars ever re-imagined.
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Not only that, bespoke built for each car is a leather-lined luggage space and a petrol tank painted in each car’s contrasting roof colour. Each paint finish is exceptional, with a full four-week paint process applied to every car.
Each customer can personalise their car’s exterior finish; contrasting roof, full interior trim and wheels – with the opportunity to add further options and accessories to make their Mini Remastered truly bespoke.
The car also comes in two limited-production special editions, ‘Inspired by Café Racers’ and ‘Inspired by Monte Carlo’, each with unique interior, exterior and accessory finishes. The company is confident the car will find an eager audience of new customers.
In terms of power, the car has been remastered from the ground up. The David Brown Automotive team has completely rebuilt each classic Mini engine and power is increased by up to 50% more than the original unit. The new engine – teamed with a fully reconditioned four-speed gearbox, upgraded suspension and brakes – makes for a rapid little tool.
The finished product is aesthetically perfect. It just oozes class from every hand-crafted panel. David Brown has preserved the bottled lightening of the 60s classic and infused some modern elements of his own. In doing so he has created a car that commands the title of ‘icon’ in its own right.
Prices are still to be announced, but the company maintains Mini Remastered by David Brown Automotive will be highly-exclusive and built in strictly limited numbers.
Mini Remastered by David Brown Automotive will be launched to the public at the upcoming Top Marques Monaco show, taking place from 20th – 23rd April in the Grimaldi Forum, Monte Carlo.
DAVIDBROWNAUTOMOTIVE.com
