Porsche Engine

[SachaR]

Hello everyone,

I thought it was about time I shared my project with a wider audience and documented the journey so far.

The project started several years ago when I decided I wanted to build something completely different. I've always loved classic Minis, and I'd already built a Mini R1 conversion in the past. It was a great car, but like many projects, once it was finished I started thinking about what could be done differently, and perhaps a little more radically.

The idea that kept coming back to me was simple:

What if a classic Mini had a Porsche engine mounted in the rear?

The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. The dimensions of the Porsche Boxster drivetrain are surprisingly compact, and the challenge of combining German engineering with one of Britain's most iconic cars (although this is an Italian Innocenti shell!!) was simply too tempting to ignore.

So the hunt began.

I eventually found a crash-damaged Porsche Boxster through Copart and bought it specifically as a donor vehicle. Once it arrived, I stripped it down completely, salvaging everything that could be useful for the build. Before going any further, I made sure the engine ran correctly and that the drivetrain was in good condition.


With the donor secured, work began on the Mini.

Over the years the project has evolved considerably. The rear of the car has been extensively modified to accommodate the Porsche flat-six drivetrain, and countless hours have been spent designing, fabricating, testing, and re-thinking various solutions as new challenges appeared.




At the point of writing this, the rear-engine installation is largely complete, and my current focus is the front suspension and subframe design. The original Porsche front subframe simply cannot be used because the suspension turret locations would pass directly through the Mini's front wheel arches. This means designing a completely new front suspension arrangement that works within the Mini's much smaller dimensions while still delivering the handling and performance the car deserves.

As with any ambitious project, there have been plenty of setbacks, unexpected problems, and moments where I questioned my own sanity. But that's all part of the fun.

The aim is not simply to build a fast Mini. The aim is to create something unique: a properly engineered rear-wheel-drive Mini powered by a Porsche Boxster engine, combining the character of both cars into something neither manufacturer ever imagined.

I'll continue updating this thread as progress is made and will share plenty of photos, technical details, and lessons learned along the way.

Thanks for following the project. If you are interested in the build videos you can find them here:
https://www.youtube.com/@realdrivercars

Sacha