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500-hp Acura V6 turns this classic 1974 Mini into a mid-engined sleeper

Originally designed on a napkin, the world-famous Mini launched by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) in 1959 was envisioned as a cheap, practical city car for families on a budget. Now, 61 years later, it's a sought-after classic that many aftermarket companies hail as the ideal foundation on which to build their wildest dreams. Gildred Racing thought further out of the box than most by turning a Mini into a mid-engined, 500-horsepower sleeper. Starting with a 1974 model, the California-based firm removed the original four-cylinder engine (and the four-speed manual transmission bolted right under it, where you'd normally expect to find the oil sump) and completely stripped the interior. Only the front seats ended up going back in; the space occupied by the tiny rear bench is now home to a 3.2-liter V6 that started life under the hood of an Acura CL Type S from the early 2000s. It's mounted transversely, and it spins the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. Acura quoted the six's output at 260 horsepower, which would be a healthy upgrade for the little Brit, but Gildred tuned it to 500 horses and 383 pound-feet of torque by making a long list of modifications (including, significantly, adding a supercharger). That's a 466-horse increase compared to a stock 1974 Mini 850, so the scope of chassis upgrades is long. It includes bigger brakes made by Wilwood, and a fully redesigned suspension. And, although packaging a V6 in a small, front-wheel drive car like the Mini was as challenging as it sounds, Gildred pulled it off admirably. The engine bay is now home to the fuel tank and the radiator, while opening the trunk reveals a huge exhaust. The trade-off, of course, is that there's no longer a trunk, but it's a sacrifice we'd happily make. Performance specifications haven't been released yet. Gildred simply said its 1,400-pound Super Cooper is "quite impressive," which we believe. The original wasn't; it took 34 seconds to reach 62 mph from a stop. Gildred also made several changes in the name of modernity. It added a 9.7-inch iPad where you'd expect to find a touchscreen for the infotainment system in a modern car, an Alpine sound system, a push-button ignition, power locks and windows, LED headlights, plus automatic A/C. We imagine the whole cabin gets hot when the V6 works up a sweat. The passengers sit on leather- and suede-upholstered Recaro bucket seats that are heated and cooled.

Mini five-door spotted alongside next Clubman

Is Mini constricting its staggering array of model variants or expanding it? That depends largely on which way you look at it. Because while some models may not make the cut as the second-generation family is gradually replaced with the third, others appear to be joining the fold. They just might not bear different model names.
Take, for example, the vehicle pictured here. It's a five-door version of the latest Mini hatchback, but won't necessarily replace the Clubman wagon - particularly since that's precisely what appears to be pictured alongside it. While the five-door hatch appears to simply add an extra set of portals - full-size ones, from the look of it, not backwards-opening half-doors - to the existing three-door version, the new Clubman appears not only longer but also wider, giving it that much more interior space.
Of course that could all be an optical illusion generated by swirly camouflage designed to do just that, but from the apparent readiness of both models, we'll find out one way or another soon enough - whatever they're called.

2022 Mini JCW Hardtop Anniversary Edition gets British Racing Green, retro Cooper badging

Say a cheery hello to the 2022 Mini JCW Hardtop Anniversary Edition. This little Mini is here to honor 60 years of Cooper racing, as the first Mini with a "Cooper" badge on it went racing in 1961. Thankfully, it’s exclusively painted in British Racing Green. Mini says this JCW Hardtop will also feature white bonnet stripes with red outlines, a white roof and white mirror caps. In a way, it looks like a Christmas car with all of the JCWÂ’s standard red accents. The colors are supposedly derived from Cooper Car Company design motifs, and we canÂ’t deny that it looks good. YouÂ’ll notice the number 74 is plastered across both the hood and doors of the Anniversary Edition, as the first Mini Cooper to ever race was given the number 74. YouÂ’ll also notice the Cooper Car Company logo on the carÂ’s side scuttles and side sills to denote it as the Anniversary car. Inside, Mini honors the three generations of Cooper with the three signatures of those who worked closely with Mini etched into the cockpit fascia: John Cooper, John Michael Cooper, and Charlie Cooper. The steering wheel has a retro "Cooper" logo in the bottom spoke. Feature-wise, it automatically includes a panoramic moonroof and touchscreen navigation.  “John Cooper kicked off 60 years of performance innovation with the original Mini Cooper, and the Anniversary Edition honors the Cooper legacy that helped define MiniÂ’s performance pedigree over the last six decades,” said Patrick McKenna, head of marketing product and strategy for Mini USA. Mini says it will be selling this Anniversary Edition “in limited numbers,” so we donÂ’t expect to see a bunch of them. If you want one, the starting price is $40,750, including destination fee. TheyÂ’re available to order from dealers now. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.