Wood & Pickett Mini: Peppy restomod gets stage 3 engine and Ian Callum styling

Though it might look like a classic Mini, this coach-built beauty leaves no nut or bolt unturned. But is it really worth Porsche Cayman GTS money?

Few cars are as emblematic of British culture as the original Mini. Certainly, as far as iconic design goes, Alec Issigonis’ Mini is in the same company as machines like Jaguar’s E-Type and Aston Martin’s DB5. And, to many, messing with that dinky form is a bit like painting a 250-bhp John Deere tractor into the foreground of Constable’s Haywain. 

But, if there’s one man who knows how to blend retro with revolutionary, without upsetting the applecart, it’s Ian Callum. During his tenure at JLR, Callum dragged Jaguar into the 21st century with award-winning designs like the XF and XK — though he played no part in the firm’s most recent, rather controversial, rebrand...

So what’s he done here, then? Well, working in collaboration with respected Mini coachbuilder Wood and Pickett, CALLUM (Ian’s design house) has taken a Mk5 Mini shell and repurposed it to create a bespoke, nostalgia-inducing pocket rocket.

The styling tweaks are subtle but effective. Flared arches give a squatter stance and house new four-spoke, 13-inch, CALLUM designed wheels. Meanwhile, there’s a set of more aggressive bumpers, an upswept twin-pipe exhaust, and LED head and taillights. Oh, and don’t forget that brown-on-brown exterior finish. 

Hop inside, and you’re immediately transported decades into the past. Sumptuous tan Bridge of Weir leather upholstery gives a wonderfully cosy feel, as does the tartan/checkered fabric on the seat bases. Higher up, there’s also a brace of gorgeous white-backed, fully analogue gauges hiding behind a sporty metal wheel. If you look closely, though, you’ll spot enough modern accoutrements to make this restomod a feasible daily driver. A central digital display looks to be running Apple CarPlay, while USB ports and electric window switches are further concessions to civilised motoring.

Wait a minute, is that a five-speed gearstick? It is indeed, and it’s hooked up to an evolution of the original, fizzy petrol engine. With 110 bhp to play with, power has nearly doubled, but there’s no turbo or electric assistance to corrupt the old four-pot’s pure feel. Instead, that added muscle has been gained with a slight lift in total displacement (from 1275cc to 1310) and some trickery with the fuel injection and cylinder head. So it should scoot along with some vigour when you get the revs up.  

Don’t think all that newfound grunt’s going to fry the poor little gearbox, either. It’s been suitably beefed-up to cope — thankfully, so have the brakes. There’s even a new suspension setup and modern Yokohama rubber to cement the Mini’s go-kart-like driving dynamics. 

What’s not to like? Well, while the car is tiny, the price is not… Hand-built in the UK and bespoke to each buyer, each Wood and Pickett Mini will start from £75,000. That’s Porsche money for a car the size of microwave oven. Still, for the right customer, such craftmanship will be worth every penny.  

Which begs the question: if the Picket Mini is made to order, who’s this one for? That’d be model and creative director, David Gandy, of course.

Hero image credit:   Newspress