This Classic Mini By Ian Callum Is $100k Of Restomod Perfection
Callum Design has revealed its interpretation of a reborn classic Mini – and you're going to want one.
The car uses the body shell of a Mk5 Mini, which was the final generation of the famous city car, built between 1997 and 2001 before the Mini brand was taken over by BMW. Established by Ian Callum, the former head of design at Jaguar, Callum Design has teamed up with coachbuilder Wood & Pickett to reimagine the classic Mini.
Wood & Pickett built a reputation in the 1960s for selling modified and personalized Minis to celebrity clients that included Paul McCartney and his wife Linda, as well as Elton John and The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger.
Customers are invited to choose their own paintwork and interior specification.
Fast-forward to today, and the latest Mini to come from Wood & Pickett is destined for the garage of model, fashion entrepreneur – and noted car guy – David Gandy. Finished in a shade of brown inspired by a Mini once owned by Steve McQueen, the first W&P Mini by Callum, pictured below, boasts redesigned valances at the front and rear, new sills, a new design of 13-inch wheels, and modern conveniences like LED lighting.
Inside, the all-new interior has a redesigned wooden dashboard, metal switchgear, leather door cards, a set of redesigned analog dials, and a small touchscreen display running Apple CarPlay. The cabin also boasts a new set of seats and new carpet, and Callum Design says it has improved the car's NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) by using new soundproofing materials.
The first example was built for British model and fashion entrepreneur David Gandy.
Under the hood sits a newly rebuilt four-cylinder engine with its capacity increased to 1,310cc thanks to a 'Stage 3' tune that promises 110 horsepower, almost double that of the original car. Upgrades include a reengineered manual transmission (complete with a lovely chrome shifter), a computer re-tuned to improve power delivery, a new cylinder head, twin-point injection, and a bespoke twin-exit tailpipe with a sporty upswept design.
The reborn Mini also benefits from a suspension system tuned for modern comfort, upgraded brakes with vented and grooved 8.4-inch rotors, and a set of new alloy wheels designed by Callum.
Callum Design says each of its Minis will be hand-built in the UK, and is offered as a limited production run. Prices start at £75,000 (about $103,000), and the company promises that 'no two builds will be alike, each customer will collaborate closely with Callum's design team to create a Mini that reflects their individual vision.'
The redesigned interior features wood, leather and Apple CarPlay.
Ian Callum said of the project, 'The Mini is one of the most important cars ever created, not just for its innovative engineering, but for what it represents culturally as a symbol of British ingenuity and style. It's a car that broke the rules and became a global icon. To reimagine it through the lens of Callum, with Wood & Pickett's craftsmanship, has been deeply rewarding.'
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