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David Brown's newest Mini Remastered is a tribute to James Bond's Lotus Esprit

England-based David Brown Automotive introduced a one-off version of its restomodded Mini Remastered built as a tribute to the Lotus Esprit Turbo driven by James Bond. It's a unique, unabashedly British creation that shares very few parts with the city car it started life as, and nothing but looks with the sports car that inspired it. Think of David Brown Automotive as the Singer of the classic Mini world. Its cars aren't cheap, especially when customers commission a one-of-a-kind build, but collectors get what they pay for. Its latest project resembles the Esprit Turbo that starred in the 1981 movie For Your Eyes Only thanks to a orange paint job with copper stripes above the rocker panels and gold-painted 13-inch alloy wheels shaped like the BBS units worn by the Lotus. The front end receives Cibie driving lights, while black paint on the wheel arches and the roof completes the look. The retro-flavored Hollywood inspiration is only skin-deep. Inside, the Mini gained white leather upholstery, walnut inserts on the dashboard, plus a 7.0-inch touchscreen compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Thicker carpet, more sound-proofing material and a push-button ignition integrated into a redesigned center console also appear on the build sheet. The extra equipment inevitably adds a little bit of weight. The average Mini Remastered tips the scale at approximately 1,630 pounds, which represents a 200-pound increase over a stock 1275 GT model, but it's nonetheless about 700 pounds lighter than a fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata. Don't pay much attention to the turbo stickers on both sides; they were added to create an additional visual link between the Mini and the Esprit that inspired it. Lifting the tiny hood reveals a 1,330cc evolution of the Mini's naturally-aspirated four-cylinder tuned to 83 horsepower. It spins the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. It's bigger than the engine that powered the standard Mini, whose displacement never exceeded 1,275cc, and it receives a generous 20-horsepower bump that accentuates the go kart-like feeling. David Brown Automotive published a photo of television personality Simon Cowell behind the wheel of the Lotus-inspired Mini, which seemingly confirms he's the lucky enthusiast who commissioned it.

John Cooper Works GP Pack transfers feisty visual cues to Mini JCW

Mini made just 3,000 examples of the 302-horsepower, $45,750 John Cooper Works GP. Now that they're all gone, Mini designers have put together a cosmetic kit called the John Cooper Works GP Pack that lends some of the genuine GP aura to the standard Mini John Cooper Works. The Racing Grey Metallic paint and contrasting Melting Silver Metallic roof, rear spoiler — in standard form as opposed to the lurid unit, and mirror caps are ported over. They're offset by the black engine scoop, door handles, and fuel filler door, red trim across the grille, and piano black headlight surrounds with black headlight and taillight inserts. The exterior Mini badges go all Johnny Cash black, too, and the 18-inch John Cooper Works Cup Spoke lightweight wheels show GP on their center caps to match the GP logos on the door sills.  The cockpit amps up its edge with JCW leather-trimmed Dinamica suede sport seats in front, bearing GP badges — the two-door keeps its four seats, though, unlike the two-seater JCW GP. A 3D-printed metal stripe marks 12 o'clock on the Walknappa leather-corvered steering wheel, Walknappa being a fancy BMW Group name for one of its Nappa leather finishes. Buyers that go the eight-speed automatic route will get 3D-printed shift paddles with more GP logos. Floor mats front and rear pop with red cross stitching, and yet more GP logos. As a look-fast instead of a go-fast package, nothing changes under the hood or under the skin, the JCW sticking with its 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder with 228 hp and 236 pound-feet of torque. Mini hasn't coughed up a price yet, but we're told the John Cooper Works GP Pack will be available sometime next month. Related Video:    

2013 Mini Cooper S Paceman All4

In just over a decade, Mini has expanded its modern range from the singular Hardtop model (launched in 2002) to a full range of little runabouts. The latest of these is the Paceman, and while European Editor Matt Davis gave us the full scoop on this model late last year, we recently spent time with the all-wheel-drive model just outside of Ponce, Puerto Rico.
It's weird, this Paceman. It slots in between the Hardtop and the Countryman (on which its based) in terms of size and functionality, and Mini says that it will appeal to a more style-conscious shopper. Key competitors range anywhere from the Nissan Juke on the low end to the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque on the high end.
After spending lots of time with the Countryman, we're convinced that maxi can still be Mini. And the same is true with this Paceman, too.