MDifficult’s E82 1M Coupe & Ariel Atom 3
Discussion
Cheers guys, it’s good to know the excitement was justified! This is the longest I’ve gone without being at work or driving a car since I was 18, so I’m a little worried my marbles are going 
Thankfully, with the weather I’ve not missed much, but I can’t wait to get behind the wheel again as soon as possible
Thankfully, with the weather I’ve not missed much, but I can’t wait to get behind the wheel again as soon as possible
MDifficult said:
Toyed with doing this for ages! Hope you like it. Here goes... Before getting to my current cars, I always love the threads where people share their car history, so here's mine! Unfortunately I don't have pictures for all of them so I've pointed out where I've shamelessly borrowed from Google image search. Where possible the images are exactly as my cars were.
Mini John Cooper Works GP R56 | 2012 | 215 BHP | 185 BHP per Ton | 0-60 in 6.2
Actual car. Image courtesy of Ben Lowden
This started out from a simple set of requirements. Small enough to fit in the garage. Practical enough to drive a reasonable number of miles a year. Fun when I'm on my own. Suitable for the occasional trackday. Straight away I knew the choice would be between a RenaultSport Clio 200 or a Mini John Cooper Works (sadly, I decided a Puma just couldn't cut it, despite the nostalgia value). I test-drove a couple of Clios and really enjoyed their light, revvy, precision feeling. But, I also remembered how much I enjoyed our old Mini Convertible and being a big BMW fan the JCW had to be considered. I test drove a few early R56 models and found them good fun but horror stories about the N14 engine made me nervous.
Enter my horrible habit of 'talking myself into up-spec' again... it started with "get a cheap, early JCW" then became "get a later one with the N18 engine" and then became "well, if you're going to buy an N18-based JCW you might as well do it properly" and that's how I talked myself into a GP2. I test-drove four GP2s before deciding on this one owned by Pistonheads staffer Ben Lowden (see link here: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=162...). Keeping in mind there's only about 200 total in the UK you can imagine how far-afield I had to travel to try four. Ben's car was the best combination of price, condition, mileage and 'owner provenance'. I like to buy cars from people who clearly appreciate them and seeing the sadness on Ben's face as I drove off told me he'd loved this one!
How is it to drive? I can't stop driving the damn thing! It's absolutely hilarious 100% of the time and totally ridiculous in the rain. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun while still being well below the speed limit. Where RenaultSport Clios are light and deft, the GP2 is a little clenched-fist of aggro & fury. It pops and bangs and fights its way around every camber and cats-eye like an ASBO teenager while still having heated seats and bluetooth! What's not to love?
(Side-note: This is the point when a few might jump in with 'but, but, no rear seats' or 'but, but massively over-priced'. To be clear, don't care about rear seats (I'll never need them). I would never have bought a GP2 NEW but the prices are very fair these days and hopefully due to it's relative rarity the stronger residuals vs the standard JCW should make it a good choice. We'll see.)
As good condition as it was when it arrived, it didn't quite meet my usual standards so it's had a few little jobs done already. I'll detail them later in the thread if folk are interested but in summary:
1. Replaced front grill - old one was faded and had a small crack in it
2. New 'stubby' aerial - looks cool
3. Replaced two rusty bolts under the bonnet
4. Replaced a roof decal that was losing its gloss (a scary task)
5. Replaced yellowing sidelights with LEDs
6. Light paint correction and thorough cleaning & waxing inside and out (and under-bonnet)
7. Chased out a dozen little buzzes and rattles from the interior using my own toolkit of sticky rubber strips, low-friction medical tape and scuba-equipment rubber lubricant (I'm not a weirdo - they're the benefits of previous Lotus ownership!)
So that's it, bang up to date. Can't see either of them being replaced for a good while yet and I've no idea what I'd replace them with anyway! Next step is some trackdays this summer for the GP2. Happy to answer any questions and will hopefully keep this thread updated on an on-going basis. Cheers!
I am loving mine but like you I have had a few things I have/wanted to changed when it was bought into where I got it from.Mini John Cooper Works GP R56 | 2012 | 215 BHP | 185 BHP per Ton | 0-60 in 6.2
Actual car. Image courtesy of Ben Lowden
This started out from a simple set of requirements. Small enough to fit in the garage. Practical enough to drive a reasonable number of miles a year. Fun when I'm on my own. Suitable for the occasional trackday. Straight away I knew the choice would be between a RenaultSport Clio 200 or a Mini John Cooper Works (sadly, I decided a Puma just couldn't cut it, despite the nostalgia value). I test-drove a couple of Clios and really enjoyed their light, revvy, precision feeling. But, I also remembered how much I enjoyed our old Mini Convertible and being a big BMW fan the JCW had to be considered. I test drove a few early R56 models and found them good fun but horror stories about the N14 engine made me nervous.
Enter my horrible habit of 'talking myself into up-spec' again... it started with "get a cheap, early JCW" then became "get a later one with the N18 engine" and then became "well, if you're going to buy an N18-based JCW you might as well do it properly" and that's how I talked myself into a GP2. I test-drove four GP2s before deciding on this one owned by Pistonheads staffer Ben Lowden (see link here: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=162...). Keeping in mind there's only about 200 total in the UK you can imagine how far-afield I had to travel to try four. Ben's car was the best combination of price, condition, mileage and 'owner provenance'. I like to buy cars from people who clearly appreciate them and seeing the sadness on Ben's face as I drove off told me he'd loved this one!
How is it to drive? I can't stop driving the damn thing! It's absolutely hilarious 100% of the time and totally ridiculous in the rain. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun while still being well below the speed limit. Where RenaultSport Clios are light and deft, the GP2 is a little clenched-fist of aggro & fury. It pops and bangs and fights its way around every camber and cats-eye like an ASBO teenager while still having heated seats and bluetooth! What's not to love?
(Side-note: This is the point when a few might jump in with 'but, but, no rear seats' or 'but, but massively over-priced'. To be clear, don't care about rear seats (I'll never need them). I would never have bought a GP2 NEW but the prices are very fair these days and hopefully due to it's relative rarity the stronger residuals vs the standard JCW should make it a good choice. We'll see.)
As good condition as it was when it arrived, it didn't quite meet my usual standards so it's had a few little jobs done already. I'll detail them later in the thread if folk are interested but in summary:
1. Replaced front grill - old one was faded and had a small crack in it
2. New 'stubby' aerial - looks cool
3. Replaced two rusty bolts under the bonnet
4. Replaced a roof decal that was losing its gloss (a scary task)
5. Replaced yellowing sidelights with LEDs
6. Light paint correction and thorough cleaning & waxing inside and out (and under-bonnet)
7. Chased out a dozen little buzzes and rattles from the interior using my own toolkit of sticky rubber strips, low-friction medical tape and scuba-equipment rubber lubricant (I'm not a weirdo - they're the benefits of previous Lotus ownership!)
So that's it, bang up to date. Can't see either of them being replaced for a good while yet and I've no idea what I'd replace them with anyway! Next step is some trackdays this summer for the GP2. Happy to answer any questions and will hopefully keep this thread updated on an on-going basis. Cheers!
1. Relacquer the carbon wing (had a 2p and 1p circular mark/where it was rough no longer lacquered).
2. Have 3 sharp dents removed.
3. Have front bonnet painted due to dents.
6. General Full Detail.
4. Aerial Stubby Kind.
5. Remap.
6. Winter Tyres (was unsure how good tyres were on car and my first nippy car so didn't want to bin it!).
7. I actually wanted a private plate (not to everyones taste), that I could have on all my future cars.
Some photos.
Sorry It's Sideways...
Detailing
|https://thumbsnap.com/8jkAXUFl[/url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/rQaPJ6S1[/url]Long Aerial
|https://thumbsnap.com/0luFnWHW[/url]Sitting Pretty
First Day with her
On Her New Plate
Its definitely got a v12 under the bonnet
I think its the first car Ive bought that I actually turn around and look at.
I like that some people have no clue what it is, but those that do comment - the first day I drove it some 70+ year old pensioner stopped me for a lovely chat about cars and he how he loved it- sometimes its really nice to have a chat with a petrolhead from another era - he had a new 1.0 ecoboost for his wife and he had a new fiesta ST in white!!!
Edited by mattf93 on Wednesday 21st March 21:11
Hey Matt,
Looks a peach (but don’t they all?). Mine’s not gone anywhere near the snow, but great to see you’re not afraid to use it!
Happy to answer any questions you’ve got. Tried to answer some you’ve raised in other GP threads today but happy to help you with anything else in here.
As you can see, I’m pretty beginner with the spanners, but also spend waaaay too much time reading and researching about my cars so might have answers if you need them.
Enjoy!
Looks a peach (but don’t they all?). Mine’s not gone anywhere near the snow, but great to see you’re not afraid to use it!
Happy to answer any questions you’ve got. Tried to answer some you’ve raised in other GP threads today but happy to help you with anything else in here.
As you can see, I’m pretty beginner with the spanners, but also spend waaaay too much time reading and researching about my cars so might have answers if you need them.
Enjoy!
Small update,
The good news is that after 6 weeks on my back and a further two of recovery, I’m now fully operational and back behind the wheel. Protect your necks people! Sit up straight and mind your posture!
First order of business was to get the Mini booked in for a service which was now a month or so overdue (although the only thing the car’s done in that time is gather dust). With a big chunk of the Mini service pack still remaining there’s no money to pay, but handing your car in for a trip on the ramps is always a slightly worrying moment. Thankfully a clean bill of health and oil, filter, plugs all replaced.
The courtesy car Gods were smiling on me too. Rather than the usual 4-door Mini One in some ghastly pastel colour, I was handed the keys to an almost brand new Mini Cooper SD Seven in full “Hotblack Desiato” spec (or “Darth Vader” if you prefer), with black outside (apart from the silver roof, mirrors and bonnet stripes), plus black interior, black leather and black dash inserts.
To quote HHGTTG "It’s the wild colour scheme that freaks me out. Every time you try and operate these weird black controls that are labeled in black on a black background, a little black light lights up in black to let you know you’ve done it.”
I’ve driven a few F56 model Minis now and this is probably the one I liked the most (apart from the engine, more on that in a mo). Despite being bigger than my GP in every direction inside and out, the colour scheme seems to tone down some of the more over-done and distracting elements of the design.
I really understand what people mean when they call them ‘baby BMWs’. Everything about driving this car feels more like my M5 than it does my GP. The iDrive, the head up display, the heater controls, the stalks and dash info is all unnervingly similar to the BMW and a world away from the R56 model Mini. Even the ride and steering feels more ‘big BMW’ that it did ‘little Mini’.
The SD engine does a good job of making it feel reasonably quick too, with good traction and plenty of torque giving you a good shove in the back in the first couple of gears. Sadly though, it’s the classic diesel problem: It feels fun for 1,500 revs at a time and then it’s all over. THUMP-change-THUMP-change-THUMP-change-cruise. Nothing about it really encourages you to enjoy yourself and even on a good piece of road it feels more natural to cruise than to have some fun.
Another slightly disappointing thing is the clutch which is more like a switch… 5 inches of travel but it’s the bottom inch that does everything - and the SD doesn’t even get rev-matching on downshift (unlike the Petrol version). That said, for someone where fun isn’t important but wants a grown-up little car that’ll be a good steer and does 65MPG it’s clearly a great option.
Not for me though. Jumping (down) into the GP was a relief and the drive home reminded me why Minis need little revvy petrol engines… anything else is a travesty
The good news is that after 6 weeks on my back and a further two of recovery, I’m now fully operational and back behind the wheel. Protect your necks people! Sit up straight and mind your posture!
First order of business was to get the Mini booked in for a service which was now a month or so overdue (although the only thing the car’s done in that time is gather dust). With a big chunk of the Mini service pack still remaining there’s no money to pay, but handing your car in for a trip on the ramps is always a slightly worrying moment. Thankfully a clean bill of health and oil, filter, plugs all replaced.
The courtesy car Gods were smiling on me too. Rather than the usual 4-door Mini One in some ghastly pastel colour, I was handed the keys to an almost brand new Mini Cooper SD Seven in full “Hotblack Desiato” spec (or “Darth Vader” if you prefer), with black outside (apart from the silver roof, mirrors and bonnet stripes), plus black interior, black leather and black dash inserts.
To quote HHGTTG "It’s the wild colour scheme that freaks me out. Every time you try and operate these weird black controls that are labeled in black on a black background, a little black light lights up in black to let you know you’ve done it.”
I’ve driven a few F56 model Minis now and this is probably the one I liked the most (apart from the engine, more on that in a mo). Despite being bigger than my GP in every direction inside and out, the colour scheme seems to tone down some of the more over-done and distracting elements of the design.
I really understand what people mean when they call them ‘baby BMWs’. Everything about driving this car feels more like my M5 than it does my GP. The iDrive, the head up display, the heater controls, the stalks and dash info is all unnervingly similar to the BMW and a world away from the R56 model Mini. Even the ride and steering feels more ‘big BMW’ that it did ‘little Mini’.
The SD engine does a good job of making it feel reasonably quick too, with good traction and plenty of torque giving you a good shove in the back in the first couple of gears. Sadly though, it’s the classic diesel problem: It feels fun for 1,500 revs at a time and then it’s all over. THUMP-change-THUMP-change-THUMP-change-cruise. Nothing about it really encourages you to enjoy yourself and even on a good piece of road it feels more natural to cruise than to have some fun.
Another slightly disappointing thing is the clutch which is more like a switch… 5 inches of travel but it’s the bottom inch that does everything - and the SD doesn’t even get rev-matching on downshift (unlike the Petrol version). That said, for someone where fun isn’t important but wants a grown-up little car that’ll be a good steer and does 65MPG it’s clearly a great option.
Not for me though. Jumping (down) into the GP was a relief and the drive home reminded me why Minis need little revvy petrol engines… anything else is a travesty
MDifficult said:
Another slightly disappointing thing is the clutch which is more like a switch… 5 inches of travel but it’s the bottom inch that does everything - and the SD doesn’t even get rev-matching on downshift (unlike the Petrol version).
The last time I had my car for a service I´ve been given a Q3 with a manual. The worst car I´ve ever driven, exactly the same problem with the clutch they don´t seem to care anymore about manuals.Bernie Sanders said:
The last time I had my car for a service I´ve been given a Q3 with a manual. The worst car I´ve ever driven, exactly the same problem with the clutch they don´t seem to care anymore about manuals.
I suspect that the increased torque of modern turbo engines (especially diesels) means less chance of bogging down so they can go for super-quick clutches. Turns the clutch into a switch, requiring much less finesse and making the car easier to drive for numpties. ..also horrible for anyone with any flare in their left leg
Just want to do another update: Although it’s about the history of my GP, it's really a tale of how bloody awesome some car people can be and what a small world we live in. Here we go…
After discovering that my car had featured in one of my favourite episodes of Top Gear (see a page or two ago), I became somewhat obsessed with trying to find out what other adventures it had had early in it’s life. Partly, this was a way to occupy myself while I was stuck in bed, but also because I thought it would be interesting for me, and for any future owners (if I ever part with it!).
To start with, I speculatively emailed the BMW/Mini press office to see if they had any record of PFO, and whether there was any detail they’d be willing to share. If I’m honest, I wasn’t expecting much but a really helpful guy from Mini (I won’t give his name in case he was over-sharing) dropped me a really friendly response. He was able to tell me all of the things my car had done, how it had been looked after and what publications it had been featured in.
The good news is that the majority of things PFO did were static displays at press events, Goodwood FOS etc, plus the Top Gear stuff - nothing scary. But what piqued my interest was that it had also been borrowed briefly by Car Magazine.
A quick search of the Car Magazine website brought up one article, a really good twin-test between the Mini GP and the Audi A1 Quattro. You can read it for yourself here: Audi A1 Quattro vs Mini GP (2013) CAR Giant Test
The article clearly had some quality photography but only one image was on the website and that was side-on. No way to tell (or not) whether this GP was my GP:
However, the article was helpful enough to list the photographer. Another quick Google later and I found his website and a few more minutes browsing convinced me of two things:
1. This guy had an amazing job and was a great photographer and
2. This guy was clearly a car nut… maybe he’d be worth an email
So, I emailed the photographer explaining the background and asking whether he remembered the shoot, whether he still had the pictures, whether the car featured was PFO and finally.. whether he’d be willing to let me see the other pictures? I crossed my fingers and waited for a response…
…it didn’t take long. Despite being nearly 10pm I got an email back in less than 15 minutes saying that it was my lucky day! He remembered the shoot, it was my car, he still had the pictures and even included a link so I could download them. I couldn’t really believe it - what a result (and what a fantastic gesture).
POSTSCRIPT: But it didn’t end there. While I was waiting for the pictures to download, I did some more browsing of the photographer’s portfolio and noticed his personal car, a bright yellow, epically modded Exige V6. Not any Exige V6, but one I instantly recognised - I’d been reading his Readers Cars thread right here on Pistonheads since last year! You should read it yourself: 460hp Lotus Exige V6
I’m glad I decided to pull this particular piece of string. Not only did it result in more interesting history for my car and some great photographs, but also reaffirmed what awesome, helpful, friendly people car nuts can be. A massive thank you to the Mini Press team and GFWilliams.
After discovering that my car had featured in one of my favourite episodes of Top Gear (see a page or two ago), I became somewhat obsessed with trying to find out what other adventures it had had early in it’s life. Partly, this was a way to occupy myself while I was stuck in bed, but also because I thought it would be interesting for me, and for any future owners (if I ever part with it!).
To start with, I speculatively emailed the BMW/Mini press office to see if they had any record of PFO, and whether there was any detail they’d be willing to share. If I’m honest, I wasn’t expecting much but a really helpful guy from Mini (I won’t give his name in case he was over-sharing) dropped me a really friendly response. He was able to tell me all of the things my car had done, how it had been looked after and what publications it had been featured in.
The good news is that the majority of things PFO did were static displays at press events, Goodwood FOS etc, plus the Top Gear stuff - nothing scary. But what piqued my interest was that it had also been borrowed briefly by Car Magazine.
A quick search of the Car Magazine website brought up one article, a really good twin-test between the Mini GP and the Audi A1 Quattro. You can read it for yourself here: Audi A1 Quattro vs Mini GP (2013) CAR Giant Test
The article clearly had some quality photography but only one image was on the website and that was side-on. No way to tell (or not) whether this GP was my GP:
However, the article was helpful enough to list the photographer. Another quick Google later and I found his website and a few more minutes browsing convinced me of two things:
1. This guy had an amazing job and was a great photographer and
2. This guy was clearly a car nut… maybe he’d be worth an email
So, I emailed the photographer explaining the background and asking whether he remembered the shoot, whether he still had the pictures, whether the car featured was PFO and finally.. whether he’d be willing to let me see the other pictures? I crossed my fingers and waited for a response…
…it didn’t take long. Despite being nearly 10pm I got an email back in less than 15 minutes saying that it was my lucky day! He remembered the shoot, it was my car, he still had the pictures and even included a link so I could download them. I couldn’t really believe it - what a result (and what a fantastic gesture).
POSTSCRIPT: But it didn’t end there. While I was waiting for the pictures to download, I did some more browsing of the photographer’s portfolio and noticed his personal car, a bright yellow, epically modded Exige V6. Not any Exige V6, but one I instantly recognised - I’d been reading his Readers Cars thread right here on Pistonheads since last year! You should read it yourself: 460hp Lotus Exige V6
I’m glad I decided to pull this particular piece of string. Not only did it result in more interesting history for my car and some great photographs, but also reaffirmed what awesome, helpful, friendly people car nuts can be. A massive thank you to the Mini Press team and GFWilliams.
GFWilliams said:
My pleasure that I could help with a little bit of your car's history, the shoot was on the 19th Feb 2013, so a little while ago now!
Awesome little car, I miss being able to borrow my mate's GP...
Need to find time to update my thread properly, lots of updates to the car as usual!
Looking forward to that update - and if we're ever in the same place at the same time you're welcome to a quick blast as a proper thank you.Awesome little car, I miss being able to borrow my mate's GP...
Need to find time to update my thread properly, lots of updates to the car as usual!
BenLowden said:
Ah man, this is really rubbing salt in the wounds now! How amazing. Need to get a copy of that rig shot off you (as long as George doesn't mind of course) to get printed for my office, looks incredible!
Sorry Ben, wasn't looking to make it worse for you Sorry to hear about your back! I've been quite lucky with courtesy car bingo, but something tells me it was in the early days when they were hoping I'd trade in quick for an upgrade! I've had a top spec BMW X1, cooper s clubman and a bunch of mini ones. Its a shame you haven't been able to enjoy the car this week, its been a long winter!
lestiq said:
Sorry to hear about your back! I've been quite lucky with courtesy car bingo, but something tells me it was in the early days when they were hoping I'd trade in quick for an upgrade! I've had a top spec BMW X1, cooper s clubman and a bunch of mini ones. Its a shame you haven't been able to enjoy the car this week, its been a long winter!
Cheers for the sympathy! Thankfully, it's all behind me now (pun very much intended!). I'm out in the Mini today and I've got a great run-out planned for this weekend - genuinely cannot wait.
Its always nice when others are interested in cars ad are happy to pass information on, I do get the feeling that most people that work with Minis love cars and are happy to help, had your car been a BMW or Audi I bet you wouldn't have received a response.
We are now a 2 Mini family with my R55 and the wifes F57 convertible, I do love the F57 its so much nicer inside in terms of spec and materials. However i think I prefer the R55 to drive, it feels a bit more nimble, a bit sharper, i prefer the dashboard and having the rev counter right in front of you, Mini with the F series cars would be better off ditching the speedo/tacho and just go back to the R series.
Having said that i am tempted by an F series Clubman S. Oh and top555 is just up the road from me.
We are now a 2 Mini family with my R55 and the wifes F57 convertible, I do love the F57 its so much nicer inside in terms of spec and materials. However i think I prefer the R55 to drive, it feels a bit more nimble, a bit sharper, i prefer the dashboard and having the rev counter right in front of you, Mini with the F series cars would be better off ditching the speedo/tacho and just go back to the R series.
Having said that i am tempted by an F series Clubman S. Oh and top555 is just up the road from me.
steve-5snwi said:
Its always nice when others are interested in cars ad are happy to pass information on, I do get the feeling that most people that work with Minis love cars and are happy to help, had your car been a BMW or Audi I bet you wouldn't have received a response.
Totally agree on Audi, but I have to say that the press office guy was both BMW and Mini, so think he’s just a car buff. steve-5snwi said:
We are now a 2 Mini family with my R55 and the wifes F57 convertible, I do love the F57 its so much nicer inside in terms of spec and materials. However i think I prefer the R55 to drive, it feels a bit more nimble, a bit sharper, i prefer the dashboard and having the rev counter right in front of you, Mini with the F series cars would be better off ditching the speedo/tacho and just go back to the R series.
Having said that i am tempted by an F series Clubman S. Oh and top555 is just up the road from me.
Agree on the dashboard, but if you really want a desireable F series Mini, check out the Mulgari Icon02 earlier in this thread. Been to see the first few production models now and it’s proper tasty! Lots of money but very tempting!Having said that i am tempted by an F series Clubman S. Oh and top555 is just up the road from me.
MDifficult said:
Just want to do another update: Although it’s about the history of my GP, it's really a tale of how bloody awesome some car people can be and what a small world we live in. Here we go…
After discovering that my car had featured in one of my favourite episodes of Top Gear (see a page or two ago), I became somewhat obsessed with trying to find out what other adventures it had had early in it’s life. Partly, this was a way to occupy myself while I was stuck in bed, but also because I thought it would be interesting for me, and for any future owners (if I ever part with it!).
To start with, I speculatively emailed the BMW/Mini press office to see if they had any record of PFO, and whether there was any detail they’d be willing to share. If I’m honest, I wasn’t expecting much but a really helpful guy from Mini (I won’t give his name in case he was over-sharing) dropped me a really friendly response. He was able to tell me all of the things my car had done, how it had been looked after and what publications it had been featured in.
The good news is that the majority of things PFO did were static displays at press events, Goodwood FOS etc, plus the Top Gear stuff - nothing scary. But what piqued my interest was that it had also been borrowed briefly by Car Magazine.
A quick search of the Car Magazine website brought up one article, a really good twin-test between the Mini GP and the Audi A1 Quattro. You can read it for yourself here: Audi A1 Quattro vs Mini GP (2013) CAR Giant Test
The article clearly had some quality photography but only one image was on the website and that was side-on. No way to tell (or not) whether this GP was my GP:
However, the article was helpful enough to list the photographer. Another quick Google later and I found his website and a few more minutes browsing convinced me of two things:
1. This guy had an amazing job and was a great photographer and
2. This guy was clearly a car nut… maybe he’d be worth an email
So, I emailed the photographer explaining the background and asking whether he remembered the shoot, whether he still had the pictures, whether the car featured was PFO and finally.. whether he’d be willing to let me see the other pictures? I crossed my fingers and waited for a response…
…it didn’t take long. Despite being nearly 10pm I got an email back in less than 15 minutes saying that it was my lucky day! He remembered the shoot, it was my car, he still had the pictures and even included a link so I could download them. I couldn’t really believe it - what a result (and what a fantastic gesture).
POSTSCRIPT: But it didn’t end there. While I was waiting for the pictures to download, I did some more browsing of the photographer’s portfolio and noticed his personal car, a bright yellow, epically modded Exige V6. Not any Exige V6, but one I instantly recognised - I’d been reading his Readers Cars thread right here on Pistonheads since last year! You should read it yourself: 460hp Lotus Exige V6
I’m glad I decided to pull this particular piece of string. Not only did it result in more interesting history for my car and some great photographs, but also reaffirmed what awesome, helpful, friendly people car nuts can be. A massive thank you to the Mini Press team and GFWilliams.
Small world... when you got to the bit about the Lotus I knew exactly which photographer you were on about - he seems to have a proclivity for destroying his rear tyres After discovering that my car had featured in one of my favourite episodes of Top Gear (see a page or two ago), I became somewhat obsessed with trying to find out what other adventures it had had early in it’s life. Partly, this was a way to occupy myself while I was stuck in bed, but also because I thought it would be interesting for me, and for any future owners (if I ever part with it!).
To start with, I speculatively emailed the BMW/Mini press office to see if they had any record of PFO, and whether there was any detail they’d be willing to share. If I’m honest, I wasn’t expecting much but a really helpful guy from Mini (I won’t give his name in case he was over-sharing) dropped me a really friendly response. He was able to tell me all of the things my car had done, how it had been looked after and what publications it had been featured in.
The good news is that the majority of things PFO did were static displays at press events, Goodwood FOS etc, plus the Top Gear stuff - nothing scary. But what piqued my interest was that it had also been borrowed briefly by Car Magazine.
A quick search of the Car Magazine website brought up one article, a really good twin-test between the Mini GP and the Audi A1 Quattro. You can read it for yourself here: Audi A1 Quattro vs Mini GP (2013) CAR Giant Test
The article clearly had some quality photography but only one image was on the website and that was side-on. No way to tell (or not) whether this GP was my GP:
However, the article was helpful enough to list the photographer. Another quick Google later and I found his website and a few more minutes browsing convinced me of two things:
1. This guy had an amazing job and was a great photographer and
2. This guy was clearly a car nut… maybe he’d be worth an email
So, I emailed the photographer explaining the background and asking whether he remembered the shoot, whether he still had the pictures, whether the car featured was PFO and finally.. whether he’d be willing to let me see the other pictures? I crossed my fingers and waited for a response…
…it didn’t take long. Despite being nearly 10pm I got an email back in less than 15 minutes saying that it was my lucky day! He remembered the shoot, it was my car, he still had the pictures and even included a link so I could download them. I couldn’t really believe it - what a result (and what a fantastic gesture).
POSTSCRIPT: But it didn’t end there. While I was waiting for the pictures to download, I did some more browsing of the photographer’s portfolio and noticed his personal car, a bright yellow, epically modded Exige V6. Not any Exige V6, but one I instantly recognised - I’d been reading his Readers Cars thread right here on Pistonheads since last year! You should read it yourself: 460hp Lotus Exige V6
I’m glad I decided to pull this particular piece of string. Not only did it result in more interesting history for my car and some great photographs, but also reaffirmed what awesome, helpful, friendly people car nuts can be. A massive thank you to the Mini Press team and GFWilliams.
Nice that BMW/Mini press office were cooperative with information and george sending you the photos... making me debate whether I need a new laptop or phone back ground now...
Had my tyres changed again to summers and makes a huge difference to front end grip Ive now got Micheline PS4s on - what've you got on your GP now?
Also the AUkey bluetooth thing works a treat thanks!!!
mattf93 said:
Small world... when you got to the bit about the Lotus I knew exactly which photographer you were on about - he seems to have a proclivity for destroying his rear tyres
Nice that BMW/Mini press office were cooperative with information and george sending you the photos... making me debate whether I need a new laptop or phone back ground now...
Had my tyres changed again to summers and makes a huge difference to front end grip Ive now got Micheline PS4s on - what've you got on your GP now?
Also the AUkey bluetooth thing works a treat thanks!!!
Cheers Matt. I've got Michelin Pilot SuperSports which I'm really happy with and have the same on my M5. That said, with the Mini only really seeing use on dry days, I'm tempted to revert to the standard Kumho Ecsta v70 when these have worn out. Be good to know how you find the PS4s too. Nice that BMW/Mini press office were cooperative with information and george sending you the photos... making me debate whether I need a new laptop or phone back ground now...
Had my tyres changed again to summers and makes a huge difference to front end grip Ive now got Micheline PS4s on - what've you got on your GP now?
Also the AUkey bluetooth thing works a treat thanks!!!
Glad the Aukey working out.. I know there's slightly more integrated solutions out there but they're 5 to 10 times the price!
After weeks of no driving and waiting to get the Mini's service out of the way, it was finally time for the first proper run-out of the year. Seems crazy to be saying that towards the end of April.
MrTouring came up trumps with a route he’d spotted in a magazine that ended at Prodrive in Banbury. I used the slightly sketchy instructions and plotted a route into Google Maps that gave us a full loop back home and included some suitable stopping points. Total: 203 Miles. No mucking about then.
Next was the debate around which cars to take. Expecting quiet roads and some twisty stuff we decided to leave the M5s at home and take the Mini and MrTouring’s 944 instead.
Christening it 'TheFour Five Counties Pilgrimage' (Berks, Bucks, Glos, Worcs & Oxon) we started at 6am in Reading, heading through Henley to High Wycombe, the A40 right through Oxford to Cheltenham for our first stop at the racecourse for photos and breakfast. The weather was absolutely fantastic - dry, sunny and cool with low sun through the trees and mist on the meadows.
After the stop, we headed north out of Cheltenham on the A46 before cutting east on the A44 to the epic Fish Hill. The first run up the hill had too much traffic and a little too much wide-eyed cowardice so we trundled (and popped and banged) back down the hill for a second go. This time, the hill was empty and the Mini was in it's element, especially on the tightest and most 'uphill' of corners. Made it even better to see the little 'slice of the 1980's' bobbing and weaving in the rear-view-mirror.
Slowing down and enjoying the beauty of the Cotswolds, we ran straight through to Prodrive in Banbury for some photos and to stretch the legs.
Rather than heading home on the M40, we decided to take the A4260 through Deddington back to Oxford so we could pay a visit to the Cowley plant where my car was born (and lived it's first 6 months). Couldn't really find a great photo location but managed to sneak this one by Gate 8
After that, it was the A4074 to Wallingford, then Pangbourne (with a quick stop-and-gawp at the Astons, Lamborghinis and Bentleys in the dealership there). Finally, a run down the M4 and we were home. 205 miles showing, about 6 hours of driving and absolutely knackered.
All in all, a really great route through some stunning countryside on some great roads. The Mini and 944 were really well matched and both played nicely (although I suspect MrTouring got slightly tired of the popping and banging after 6 hours). We'll definitely have to do this route again... maybe next time we'll give the 'weapons-grade' machinery a run-out instead
MrTouring came up trumps with a route he’d spotted in a magazine that ended at Prodrive in Banbury. I used the slightly sketchy instructions and plotted a route into Google Maps that gave us a full loop back home and included some suitable stopping points. Total: 203 Miles. No mucking about then.
Next was the debate around which cars to take. Expecting quiet roads and some twisty stuff we decided to leave the M5s at home and take the Mini and MrTouring’s 944 instead.
Christening it 'The
After the stop, we headed north out of Cheltenham on the A46 before cutting east on the A44 to the epic Fish Hill. The first run up the hill had too much traffic and a little too much wide-eyed cowardice so we trundled (and popped and banged) back down the hill for a second go. This time, the hill was empty and the Mini was in it's element, especially on the tightest and most 'uphill' of corners. Made it even better to see the little 'slice of the 1980's' bobbing and weaving in the rear-view-mirror.
Slowing down and enjoying the beauty of the Cotswolds, we ran straight through to Prodrive in Banbury for some photos and to stretch the legs.
Rather than heading home on the M40, we decided to take the A4260 through Deddington back to Oxford so we could pay a visit to the Cowley plant where my car was born (and lived it's first 6 months). Couldn't really find a great photo location but managed to sneak this one by Gate 8
After that, it was the A4074 to Wallingford, then Pangbourne (with a quick stop-and-gawp at the Astons, Lamborghinis and Bentleys in the dealership there). Finally, a run down the M4 and we were home. 205 miles showing, about 6 hours of driving and absolutely knackered.
All in all, a really great route through some stunning countryside on some great roads. The Mini and 944 were really well matched and both played nicely (although I suspect MrTouring got slightly tired of the popping and banging after 6 hours). We'll definitely have to do this route again... maybe next time we'll give the 'weapons-grade' machinery a run-out instead
Edited by MDifficult on Monday 23 April 11:29
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