Style Icon, Remastered
Peacock Prestige attended the launch evening of the Silverstone-based marque’s latest innovative Restomod vehicle, a fully electric take on the classic Mini Cooper, last night amongst the affluence of Chelsea’s Kings Road. And what better place to partner a timeless icon with modern day style and functionality than Timothy Oulton‘s furniture boutique? Very much the perfect setting to showcase something so quirky yet undeniable.
The Mini first graced our roads over 60 years ago and continued to win our hearts with its quirky yet functional design until production ceased under the Rover Group in 2000. During this time, the British icon went relatively unchanged, making it one of the most recognisable cars in the world. BMW have since continued the spirit with their MINI Hatch and its subsequent brothers and sisters, even releasing the all electric MINI Cooper SE in 2020, but nothing captures the spirit like the original.
What is it?
The David Brown Automotive Mini Remastered has already caused quite a stir in the automotive world, considering its eye-watering price tag of somewhere in the region of £100,000, but when you see the quality of the materials used, and the level of craftsmanship on each and every model, you can soon see why. The new Mini eMastered takes everything great about the Remastered but ditches the infamous A Series internal combustion engine for a zero-emission electric powertrain ideal for discerning inhabitants of the city.
The Silverstone-based auto-manufacturer take a heritage Mini shell, clean up the shell by removing the seams, add sportier wide wheel arches and essentially build a brand new car. It may look and capture the spirit of the original but this is an entirely different beast. Integrated is all of the mod-cons of a 2023 car along with the 18.8kWh battery to add a modern driving experience to the ethos of a 640kg motoring legend.
Electrifying Performance
David Brown Automotive describe the electric heart of the Mini eMastered as a “quiet, smooth but powerful drivetrain”, claiming a 0-62mph time of just 8.5 seconds and top speed of 92mph; not bad for little Mini! 97 horsepower may sound modest by modern standards but you have to remember that is more more power than any production A Series Mini. In fact, the final run SPi models had 20 horsepower less from the 1,275cc petrol engine, so to add a Tesla-esque drivetrain to a car half the size of the modern BMW iteration would be utterly ludicrous.
The luxury Restomod manufacturers also claim this new battery powered super-mini has a range of 110 miles, so is more than capable of pottering around the high-end boutiques of Oxford Street and then back home to the comforts of your new Battersea apartment. Not only is the electric motor capable of a run from the capital all the way up to the outskirts of Birmingham, the Mini eMastered is charged from 0% to 110 miles in only 3 hours.
Uniquely Yours
The model on display last night featured stunning pearlescent Champagne Supernova bodywork with contrasting Tangerine roof; original David Brown Automotive colours painted here at our Peacock Prestige bodyshop. The Mini eMastered, as with the Mini Remastered, is available in a plethora of exterior and interior finish combinations to make your electric Mini truly yours. How much will you have to pay for this luxury? David Brown Automotive currently state prices start from £125,000 Ex Works but you can reserve your build slot for as little as £1,000.