Table of contents for October/November 2021 in Performance MINI

WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2021 ISSUE Hello and welcome to the October/November issue of Performance MINI – my name is Elizabeth, and, in case you missed the last issue, Jamie has stepped down from the Editor’s chair, and I’m the magazine’s new custodian. As such, I feel like at least a brief introduction is in order. I’ve been on car mags for longer than I’d care to admit, and my other roles are editing Performance BMW and our Pure Performance quarterly. While I don’t own a MINI (no funds or space left with three modded BMs to take care of…), I am a big fan. I’ve driven loads over the years and have plenty of extremely good motoring memories courtesy of them. If you pushed me to pick a favourite…

FEATURE R53 COOPER S THE GIRL DUNN GOOD WITH ITS CLASSIC BRG AND WHITE COLOUR COMBO, AND A WHOLE HOST OF TRACK-INSPIRED MODS ON BOARD, THIS R53 COOPER S IS SERVING UP SOME SERIOUS ATTITUDE Words ELIZABETH DE LATOUR Photos MITCH BROWN You can’t go wrong with a classic. For example, British Racing Green – what a great colour, iconic, and it looks good on anything. A British Racing Green MINI? Mmmm, now that’s a *chef’s kiss* right there, a classic colour for a modern interpretation of a classic machine. And a BRG MINI with white details? Now you’re just pushing all our buttons. If your boxes have just been ticked in a big way, then Molly Dunn’s BRG R53 is going to put a smile on your face because…

MOTORSPORT TRACK GUIDE DONINGTON PARK DELIVERING SERIOUS DRIVING THRILLS, DONINGTON IS AN EXTREMELY EXCITING CIRCUIT. WE JOIN ALEX NEVILL FOR A CORNER-BY-CORNER GUIDE TO ONE OF HIS FAVOURITE TRACKS Words ALEX NEVILL Photos VARIOUS I try not to have favourite circuits, but I have a soft spot for Donington. It’s fast and flowing, with elevation changes and some seriously brave corners. What’s not to like? Aside from being a fantastic circuit, it’s been the venue for many of the most memorable moments of my racing career. I had my first win in cars there, my first podium in Cooper Pro, and also my first trip to a circuit medical centre! Hopefully, these experiences will provide a good guide on what to do (and what not to do) at this track.…

NEWS MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS ANNIVERSARY EDITION ANNOUNCED To celebrate 60 years of collaboration with the Cooper Family, MINI has unveiled the new John Cooper Works Anniversary Edition. As the classic Cooper Car Company Mini Cooper started – and won – its first race on track at the Snetterton Lombank Trophy with the number 74 and to acknowledge that heritage, the MINI John Cooper Works Anniversary Edition will be limited to 740 cars globally, with just 60 models destined for the UK. Available in the UK exclusively on the MINI three-door JCW hatch, the new John Cooper Works Anniversary Edition is Rebel green with contrasting white roof, door handles, mirror caps, headlight rings and bonnet stripes with a red accent line. Other features on the car include 18” John Cooper…

FEATURE R56 BAYSWATER ARCH NEMESIS WIDE, LOUD AND RARE, THIS LIMITED EDITION R56 IS AN ANTIDOTE TO COOKIE-CUTTER BUILDS Words BEN BIRCH Photos MATT ANDREWS One of the greatest aspects of the MINI scene is that it’s full of diverse people and ideas, which is why it’s such a vibrant and enjoyable community. That being said, there can still be a bit of repetition of the same old mods, and when you’re at shows, you can’t sometimes help but feel a sense of déjà vu when walking past rows of cars that seem to be ‘personalised’ in an almost identical way. Emily Baker’s R56 doesn’t suffer one bit from this cookie-cutter syndrome. Bought and built with the sole purpose of pulling crowds at the top modified shows, she has been…

FEATURE F56 GP3 BUILT DIFFERENT BUILT TO TAKE ON THE TOUGHEST TRACKS, AS WELL AS SERVING UP SERIOUS ON-ROAD THRILLS, THIS F56 GP3 IS ONE EPIC PERFORMANCE MACHINE Words ELIZABETH DE LATOUR Photos JASON DODD When you get into something, and you find that you really enjoy it, it can suddenly start gathering pace and taking over in a way you never would have thought possible, and so it was with Aaron Singh and his F56 GP3. It certainly didn’t start out as a track build, but after sampling circuit thrills in his hardcore MINI, he found himself thinking about ways in which to improve the car’s performance and then, before too long, he found himself with a Performance MINI feature car. But we reckon he’s not complaining about any…

TECH SURVIVAL GUIDE SURVIVAL GUIDE THIRD-GENERATION MINIS THE HIGH-TECH F5x MINI RANGE HAS PLENTY TO OFFER WHATEVER YOU’RE LOOKING FOR, AND OUR GUIDE WILL ENSURE YOU’RE A THIRD-GEN MINI EXPERT Words MARTYN COLLINS Photos MINI The second-generation MINI range was more of a clever update than an all-new car, as it carried over a lot of parts from the first-generation R50/ R52/R53 models, but the third-generation MINI was a thorough remake. BMW MINIs had previously relied on French-supplied engines, and before that American-Brazilian power, but this was the first of the MINI generations to get BMW-designed and supplied three-and four-cylinder TwinPower turbocharged petrol and diesel engines. On top of that, the F5x-generation received an entirely new chassis, shared with the BMW 2 Series MPV and, more recently, the 1 Series…

FEATURE R53 JCW GP1 PEDIGREE GP A GP1 WAS WAYNE WEST’S DREAM MINI. FIVE YEARS ON, AND WE THINK HE’S ACHIEVED HIS AIM OF OWNING ONE OF THE CLEANEST AROUND Words MARTYN COLLINS Photos JASON DODD Wayne West admits he’s a bit of a petrolhead, as every car he has owned has always been modified. In fact, over the years, he says he’s owned too many cars to list all the mods carried out. Working as a motor technician at the local Vauxhall dealer, his previous two cars before his MINI adventure were from the performance griffin range. His last was an Astra VXR that he’d fitted some lowering springs to, but just didn’t gel with it at all. “For many years I had always wanted to own a modern MINI…

IN THE SCENE IN THE CLUB! LOOKING FOR A MINI CLUB IN YOUR AREA? TAKE A LOOK AT OUR DIRECTORY FOR ENTHUSIAST GROUPS NEAR YOU NATIONAL MINI CLUBS BRITISH MINI CLUB www.britishminiclub.co.uk FULL ON MINI www.fullonminis.co.uk MINI COOPER REGISTER www.minicooper.org CLUBMAN ESTATE REGISTER www.clubmanestates.co.uk MINI TORQUE www.minitorque.com TOTAL MINI www.totalMINI.com GP OWNERS CLUB www.gpoc.co.uk 210CLUB FACEBOOK GROUP www.facebook.com/groups/210Club (Challenge210 Owners only) MINI MOVEMENT https://business.facebook.com/groups/MINI.Movement/?ref=gysj MINI COOPER OWNER/DRIVERS CLUB https://business.facebook.com/groups/504433849698049/?ref=gysj R53 OWNERS CLUB https://www.facebook.com/groups/154538898666141/ MINI Y-REGISTER www.miniyregister.co.uk 02 S REGISTER www.02sregister.co.uk MINIACS ONLY GROUP www.miniacsonlygroup.co.uk THE CLUB53 www.theclub53.com MINI BITZ – KILL ALL CHROME www.facebook.com/killallchromeminibitz BMW CAR CLUB GB www.bmwcarclubgb.uk MINI WHORES www.facebook.com/andy996sps JCW CLUBMAN UK REGISTER www.facebook.com/groups/1713021032320203 MODDEDMINI.COM www.facebook.com/groups/1727463463951925 SCOTLAND NEW MINI SCOTLAND www.newminiscotland.co.uk MINICLAN www.miniclan.com SCOTTISH MINIS www.scottishminis.com MINI MAYHEM SCOTLAND https://www.facebook.com/groups/200110513800064 IRELAND MINI CLUB OF IRELAND www.miniclub.ie MINIS…

FEATURE R56 COOPER S THE GREATEST SHOWMAN WITH ITS SENSATIONAL STYLING AND DAZZLING DETAILS, THIS COOPER S IS A SMALL CAR THAT MAKES A BIG IMPRESSION Words ELIZABETH DE LATOUR Photos VIKTOR BENYI One look at Juergen Beck’s R56 Cooper S, and it’s clear that this is a man who wants his MINI to be the centre of attention wherever it goes. Juergen might be a little more mature than most modern MINI owners, but he is clearly very young at heart, and his R56 build exudes a sense of fun and creativity that just makes you smile. The fact that it’s been built to such an incredibly high standard and modded with nothing but the best components throughout makes this small car into a heavyweight project. Juergen is no…