RE: Mini Remastered by David Brown Automotive
Discussion
Corranga said:
The amount that classic Ford Escorts sell for is proof that a market exists for this. The Mini, like the Escort is a fun to drive car that doesn't really compete with any modern stuff in terms of performance, safety, comfort etc, but they are cool, and people remember them.
Normal people don't care about the A-Series, or the 4 speed box, or even the <100hp.
It looks like a Classic Mini, it has a lush interior and looks pretty. They have presumably added some sound proofing, and it looked like an MPI lump so should be turn key reliable rather than pissing around with dodgy electronics and carbs.
The 4 speed box will just add to the classic feel - I think they have realised that people want a modern classic car (with the speedster) though in this case, it's just a classic car with a new shell.
I'd be interested in what they've done suspension and chassis wise - will it still dive like a classic Mini, or is it now modernised?
Is it worth £75k? Well, this is Pistonheads, so most here would likely put money into something else, or build their own Mini.
But for wealthy folk who want something out of the norm, why not?
YepNormal people don't care about the A-Series, or the 4 speed box, or even the <100hp.
It looks like a Classic Mini, it has a lush interior and looks pretty. They have presumably added some sound proofing, and it looked like an MPI lump so should be turn key reliable rather than pissing around with dodgy electronics and carbs.
The 4 speed box will just add to the classic feel - I think they have realised that people want a modern classic car (with the speedster) though in this case, it's just a classic car with a new shell.
I'd be interested in what they've done suspension and chassis wise - will it still dive like a classic Mini, or is it now modernised?
Is it worth £75k? Well, this is Pistonheads, so most here would likely put money into something else, or build their own Mini.
But for wealthy folk who want something out of the norm, why not?
It seems just a bit like Singer....but with old Minis rather than old Porsches.
gareth29 said:
There's just no accounting for taste - or lack it. Get the boys from bad obsession to produce a proper mini remastered!
Indeed, Project Binky is an occasional treat when they produce an episode, what an epic project, the amount of work is staggering, just hope it is as good as it promises to be and that they get loads of work from it.If they were just a limited edition of say 100 cars built then perhaps It might be possible to justify the rediculous price tag £75k+ ?
But they intend to produce 100-200 cars a year WTF
I just sold a MK1 1071 Cooper S, for me a fully restored genuine classic Mini will always be a better investment and more fun to drive.
But they intend to produce 100-200 cars a year WTF
I just sold a MK1 1071 Cooper S, for me a fully restored genuine classic Mini will always be a better investment and more fun to drive.
They say it makes a good city car. It makes the Aston Martin Cygnet look cheap.
If there were 100 or so people out there who would want a new"old" mini, don't you think that someone would have jumped on this before. There are enough old mini specialists restoring cars, presenting them at shows, appearing in magazines etc that motoring enthusiasts are aware of the updating fashion of icons.
So all of a sudden people are going to say " what a good idea, I must have one of those".
David Brown does not have High Street or retail park showrooms across the country so the people who get to know about the cars are the ones going to car shows, reading car magazines etc so it's not a new market he's aiming for.
If there were 100 or so people out there who would want a new"old" mini, don't you think that someone would have jumped on this before. There are enough old mini specialists restoring cars, presenting them at shows, appearing in magazines etc that motoring enthusiasts are aware of the updating fashion of icons.
So all of a sudden people are going to say " what a good idea, I must have one of those".
David Brown does not have High Street or retail park showrooms across the country so the people who get to know about the cars are the ones going to car shows, reading car magazines etc so it's not a new market he's aiming for.
Edited by Swede123 on Thursday 13th April 20:58
I was actually thinking about one of these. We need a small fun car with back seats (sort of), that is easy to park in central London. Wife has to be happy with it as it will be hers really. Given we have a Range Rover as well, it can be tiny.
At 50k, my wife was very keen. The first car she had ever been really keen on, to be fair. I was about there too. At 75k plus tax, no.
They certainly do have a market among the new generation of Sloans and their equivalents. Although I have a feeling they will depreciate like a stone, given they are just a cuter, retro, Fiat-500-a-like. For about 3 times the price...
I'm now pointing her towards Wood & Pickett.
Edit to add: Good point about the Cygnet!
At 50k, my wife was very keen. The first car she had ever been really keen on, to be fair. I was about there too. At 75k plus tax, no.
They certainly do have a market among the new generation of Sloans and their equivalents. Although I have a feeling they will depreciate like a stone, given they are just a cuter, retro, Fiat-500-a-like. For about 3 times the price...
I'm now pointing her towards Wood & Pickett.
Edit to add: Good point about the Cygnet!
WreckedGecko said:
....At 50k, my wife was very keen. The first car she had ever been really keen on, to be fair. I was about there too. At 75k plus tax, no.
...
It's 75k excluding tax. 10k is more than enough money to really buy yourself a mint Rover mini from the last few years it was in production sold buy some of the handful of 'classic' mini specialist dealers....
RichB said:
Buy a Fiat 500 and move on. Seriously, why waste money on stuff like this?
Buy a 2 year old Fiesta for even less. Why waste money?In fact save a bit more and buy a just-out-of-warranty Fiesta.
Why not go a bit further and buy a 10 year old Polo, that's even cheaper.
In fact you could just cycle, not have to pay a penny.
Even better, get a rickshaw and people will pay YOU to ride it! So long as you're willing to go via their destination first. But hey it saves wasting money!
Venturist said:
RichB said:
Buy a Fiat 500 and move on. Seriously, why waste money on stuff like this?
Buy a 2 year old Fiesta for even less. Why waste money?In fact save a bit more and buy a just-out-of-warranty Fiesta.
Why not go a bit further and buy a 10 year old Polo, that's even cheaper.
In fact you could just cycle, not have to pay a penny.
Even better, get a rickshaw and people will pay YOU to ride it! So long as you're willing to go via their destination first. But hey it saves wasting money!
If it had this A series in it and sounds like this they'd be onto more of a winner.
https://youtu.be/rapQm7tNBMY
https://youtu.be/rapQm7tNBMY
You can build one of those Bmw headed twin cam A series engines for like £4 or £5k, buy a mini van shell, £3k on welding and paint, strip interior, roll cage, mini lites... That's the mini buzz, then buy a Range Rover with what's left over, you have to be literally bananas to buy this. Singer 911 it ain't.
RichB said:
It's easy to be sarcastic, but go on then tell me , would you all honesty spend £80k on a one of these when you could get a perfect restored real Mini for £20k or less?
Absolutely not, nor would I buy a restored real Mini for 20k, or a ropey one for a few k, or any Mini because they have no appeal to me. But I'm not the target market for Minis of any sort and I'm happy to accept that.
This is positioned almost as an impulse-buy product for people wealthy enough to spunk 80k without blinking. Its not for people wanting to get the best Mini possible and DBA is under no illusions that they're the cheapest way to accomplish that goal. It's not intended to appeal to me, or to you. They're not expecting to shift tens of thousands a year, it doesn't need to be a value proposition. It is the vehicular equivalent of one of those absurdly expensive handbags.
ambuletz said:
WreckedGecko said:
....At 50k, my wife was very keen. The first car she had ever been really keen on, to be fair. I was about there too. At 75k plus tax, no.
...
It's 75k excluding tax. 10k is more than enough money to really buy yourself a mint Rover mini from the last few years it was in production sold buy some of the handful of 'classic' mini specialist dealers....
They'll sell just fine, just not to people on here.
My problem with old cars that have been restored is that the design issues will remain, no matter how well they are implemented. Silly things like "being waterproof" - we take for granted these days that car doors don't let water in because they have custom designed seals, but in those days the sealing strip was whatever commodity crap that they could shove in. If you set it up really carefully (as I'm sure these guys will do) it would be dry for a year, but after a few winters, water would come pouring in.
I don't get the love of Minis. My mum had one, and it was the nastiest most unreliable piece of junk ever. I remember the day we got a 1.3 Opel Kadett to replace it .... it was like stepping forward 20 years into the future.
My problem with old cars that have been restored is that the design issues will remain, no matter how well they are implemented. Silly things like "being waterproof" - we take for granted these days that car doors don't let water in because they have custom designed seals, but in those days the sealing strip was whatever commodity crap that they could shove in. If you set it up really carefully (as I'm sure these guys will do) it would be dry for a year, but after a few winters, water would come pouring in.
I don't get the love of Minis. My mum had one, and it was the nastiest most unreliable piece of junk ever. I remember the day we got a 1.3 Opel Kadett to replace it .... it was like stepping forward 20 years into the future.
Venturist said:
RichB said:
It's easy to be sarcastic, but go on then tell me , would you all honesty spend £80k on a one of these when you could get a perfect restored real Mini for £20k or less?
Absolutely not, nor would I buy a restored real Mini for 20k, or a ropey one for a few k, or any Mini because they have no appeal to me. But I'm not the target market for Minis of any sort and I'm happy to accept that.
This is positioned almost as an impulse-buy product for people wealthy enough to spunk 80k without blinking. Its not for people wanting to get the best Mini possible and DBA is under no illusions that they're the cheapest way to accomplish that goal. It's not intended to appeal to me, or to you. They're not expecting to shift tens of thousands a year, it doesn't need to be a value proposition. It is the vehicular equivalent of one of those absurdly expensive handbags.
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