Mini 1499 GT announced

Desperate to buy a 1275 GT reimagined for the 21st century? You might have to make do with this...

Cashing in on brand heritage seems to be en vogue for manufacturers these days. Sometimes they get it right, and sometimes not so much. But now it's Mini's turn to try and pull a fast one - or not-so-fast one, as the case may be - in the form of the new 1499 GT.

Yep, nailed it

It's apparently a nod to one of the best known sporty classic Minis of all time, the 1275 GT, and, according to Mini, "recalls the entertaining drive, distinctive styling and low running costs of the 1969 original." To that end the 1499 GT has a 102hp, three-cylinder turbo engine, getting it from 0-60mph in 10.1 seconds - or only 2.8 seconds faster than the 60s version. There're your low running costs then.

Distinctive styling comes in the form of the JCW Sport Pack, which includes black 17-inch Track Spoke alloys, JCW bumpers front and rear, JCW side skirts and a split level spoiler. There will be a choice of two colour combos: Pepper White with black side stripes, or Midnight Black with the same decals in gold. And inside you'll find partial leather JCW sports seats, a perforated leather JCW steering wheel with red stitching, and a smattering of JCW badges. Just in case the message hadn't made its way through.

Finally, in a bid to fulfil the promise of an entertaining drive, the six-speed manual gearbox - with rev matching - and all-round disc brakes of the standard Mini One are joined here by sports suspension.

The 1499 GT will be built in a limited production run of just 1,499 cars, with on the road pricing starting from £16,990, a £3,000 premium over standard Mini One. But don't all rush off to buy one at once. For £2,000 less you could have this original 1275 GT from the classifieds, or for a £3,000 saving you could find yourself in, you guessed it, an actual Mini JCW.