Table of contents for August/September 2022 in Performance MINI

Sun’s out, MINIs out, right?! I hate that I always seem to be talking about the weather in these intros, but honestly, it’s a British thing, isn’t it? We love talking about the weather; it seems to dominate our lives, perhaps because it’s so unpredictable on our little island and when it’s good, wow, do we jump on that and make the most of it. And as car enthusiasts, good weather gives us the perfect opportunity to take our cars out. I’m not talking about garage queens, either, because where’s the fun in driving any car around in the rain? Going for a drive on a sunny day is sure to put a smile on your face, and if you’re driving a MINI, that smile might be a little bit…

MEGUIAR’S DUO TWIST DRYING TOWEL £27.50 You may think you’ve nailed washing your car, but you’ve also got to use the proper products to dry it, and when it comes to drying towels, you can’t do better than the Meguiar’s Duo Twist Drying Towel. This is Meguiar’s most effective and best-performing drying towel, thanks to its 1200gsm microfibre construction. Duo Twist microfibres make this the company’s most absorbent (and ultra-soft) drying towel yet, and this huge, 50x90cm, thick and plush towel will make light work of drying your car, effortlessly absorbing water from all surfaces. www.meguiars.co.uk KENWOOD KTC-500DAB DAB AND BLUETOOTH RECEIVER £60.00 We can’t think of a more costeffective way of retrofitting the digital revolution that is DAB directly into your pride and joy than this box of tricks…

The second-generation R56 was an evolution of the R50/R53, fixing many of the first-generation MINI faults and making key improvements. The current, third-generation F56 MINI hatch was all-new and probably represented the biggest change for the brand in the 13 years since MINI was relaunched in the UK. Firstly under the bonnet where, following American-Brazilian then French-supplied power, these MINIs were the first to receive BMW’s own Twinpower turbocharged three-and four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. Then there was the UKL1 chassis that was also all-new, more rigid and has since gone on to underpin BMW models such as the 2 Series MPV. However, BMW stuck to its already proven suspension design but made it stronger and lighter, maintaining the fun-to-drive package that the MINI has always been since its BMW…

Put a rare car and a rare mind together, and you’re guaranteed to get a unique result. Put selfconfessed geek and tech boffin Eduardo Mendez together with a Hot orange R52, and the final outcome is a standout showpiece oozing more Stateside cool than Bruce Springsteen riding a bald eagle into the Super Bowl belting out Born in the USA. This cabriolet was always destined for a different path, as not only are they far from common in America, but you’re also more likely to see the New Jersey Devils (Eduardo’s home town) win a Stanley Cup than see another Hot orange R52. Eduardo had always been into MINIs since he saw The Italian Job movie, and when he spotted this one for sale, he had to have it. “The…

Flushes, additives and cleaners for your engine can feel a bit like snake oil because they do their job in the heart of the engine, hidden from our eyes, but do they really make a difference? To find out more, we put a number of questions to the experts at LIQUI MOLY to see if they can help explain how their own products work and what evidence they have. We’ve concentrated on the oil for a car’s engine along with the petrol or diesel that’s fed into it, but there are other aspects to look at, which we will be quizzing LIQUI MOLY about in the coming issues. FLUSH FIRST Prior to an oil change, an engine flush can be added to the old engine oil, but how should it…

MINIs seem to stir people’s emotions more than the average hatchback. We’ve never heard of anyone remortgaging their house to rebuild a Renault Clio, for example, but we’ve met someone who did just that for their GP2. We’d also never heard of any man brave enough to carjack his wife’s dream car and live to tell the tale, but then we spoke with Andy Jones, who is now unquestionably the owner of this very fine Cooper S. “My wife had always wanted a Cooper, ” Andy explains, “and I thought why not go for the supercharged big brother? So I started to do some searching around for her.” Initially looking for one in Electric blue, or so called Lady Blue in some circles, Andy drew a blank until he broadened…

There’s nothing wrong with mundanity if that’s your bag. Some people just don’t want the hassle of thinking about things too much, so they go with the mainstream and move on to the next decision. These are the people who paint the interior walls of their houses in default magnolia to save choosing a colour. They stick on a bit of Coldplay when they’ve got mates round because they just want a generic background noise they can ignore; who pave over their gardens because flowers and shrubs require decisions to be made. Their lives are simple, uncluttered. They’re also not very interesting, though, are they? Where’s the satisfaction in living an unremarkable life, never having the imagination to rock the boat? You’ve got to roll the dice a little, do…

NATIONAL MINI CLUBS BRITISH MINI CLUBwww.britishminiclub.co.uk FULL ON MINIwww.fullonminis.co.uk MINI COOPER REGISTERwww.minicooper.org CLUBMAN ESTATE REGISTERwww.clubmanestates.co.uk MINI TORQUEwww.minitorque.com TOTAL MINIwww.totalMINI.com GP OWNERS CLUBwww.gpoc.co.uk 210CLUB FACEBOOK GROUPwww.facebook.com/groups/210Club(Challenge210 Owners only) MINI MOVEMENTwww.facebook.com/groups/MINI.Movement MINI COOPER OWNER/DRIVERS CLUBwww.facebook.com/groups/504433849698049 R53 OWNERS CLUBwww.facebook.com/groups/154538898666141 MINI Y-REGISTERwww.miniyregister.co.uk 02 S REGISTERwww.02sregister.co.uk MINIACS ONLY GROUPwww.miniacsonlygroup.co.uk THE CLUB53www.theclub53.com MINI BITZ – KILL ALL CHROMEwww.facebook.com/killallchromeminibitz BMW CAR CLUB GBwww.bmwcarclubgb.uk MINI WHORESwww.facebook.com/andy996sps JCW CLUBMAN UK REGISTERwww.facebook.com/groups/1713021032320203 MODDEDMINI.COMwww.facebook.com/groups/1727463463951925 BMWMOGwww.facebook.com/groups/997488570719427 SCOTLAND NEW MINI SCOTLANDww.newminiscotland.co.uk MINICLANwww.miniclan.com SCOTTISH MINISwww.scottishminis.com MINI MAYHEM SCOTLANDwww.facebook.com/groups/200110513800064 IRELAND MINI CLUB OF IRELANDwww.miniclub.ie MINIS IN NORTHERN IRELANDwww.minisinnorthernireland.co.uk NI MINISwww.ni-minis.co.uk NIMM (NORTHERN IRISH MINI MEETS & RUNS)Facebook.com/groups/NIMMR/mediaFacebook.com/niminimeets@ni_mmr WALES CARDIFF MINI CLUBwww.cardiffminiclub.co.uk SNOWDON MINISwww.facebook.com/SnowdonMinis NORTH WALES/WEST MINI OWNERS GROUPwww.northwaleswestminiownersgroup.weebly.com NORTHERN ENGLAND LEYLAND & DISTRICT MINI CLUBwww.leylandminiclub.com NORTH EAST MINI CLUBwww.neminiclub.com OLDHAM & DISTRICT MINI CLUBwww.oldhamminiclub.org.uk TYNEMOUTH MINI CLUBwww.tynemouthminiclub.co.uk MERSEY MINI CLUBwww.merseyminiclub.co.uk FULL ON MINISwww.fullonminis.co.uk WIRRAL MINI…

Family. That innocent and unassuming little word represents so much to so many in an infinite number of ways. Fans of EastEnders will see it as a word with a lot of vowels, ‘faaaaaaamily, ’ which means giving your cousins an alibi when they’ve done over a bookies or set fire to a pub. Family Fortunes offers a more light-hearted outlook, relying on one another’s ability to recall simple facts about everyday life under the intense pressure of studio lighting. And of course, there’s Sly and the Family Stone, demonstrating that there’s no brotherhood quite like that of dropping psychedelic mischief to a backing track of funky bass licks. You can choose your friends, as the old saying goes, but you can’t choose your family. They’re yours whether you like…

SCORPION MINI CHALLENGE SAFETY CAR 2022 As Scorpion enters its eighth consecutive year being a Technical Partner to the BMW MINI Challenge race series, it is pleased to announce its new 2022 MINI Clubman Safety Car, which will support the series throughout 2022. This Shadow Edition MINI Cooper S features a prototype 70mm/2.75” GPF-back system that has been through extensive track testing alongside the company’s twin high-performance 100mm Carbon Ascari tailpipes. When available in late August 2022, the system will come as four interchangeable performance upgrades, which are designed to enhance the various stages of tuning throughout the life of the vehicle. The 2022 colour scheme will ensure that the safety car will not be lost in the crowd and will be as prominent in the paddock as on track.…

After cutting his teeth modifying Ford RS and Cosworth models while working for the Hendy Ford Rally Team, and having a Mk1 Fiesta as his first car, you might think Nigel Marsh was destined for modifying future fast blue-oval models. So why did this Ford fan end up owning and building this MINI track car? Well, Nigel admits his admiration of the firstgeneration grew from running a garage (Engine Evolution), which specialises in them. “Lots of customers started needing theirs fixing, some wanting them modified. I enjoyed the challenge and decided to make my own, ” he tells us as we chat, and a damaged R50 Cooper Challenge car quickly followed. “I used to work in a bodyshop, so we got it in and repaired it – or so we…

We’re the longest-standing club on the south coast. We’re proud to have been one of the first all-Mini clubs, and for more than a decade, we have welcomed every model from 1959 to the present day. Whereas last year we did a few events at the end of the year, now we are back attending pretty much any and every show on the calendar. Just recently, we’ve been at Brooklands, Castle Combe, the Riviera Run, Downton Classic Vehicle Show and the Popham Classic Vehicle Show. The last three all took place in the space of one weekend, meaning we had three groups of cars are three separate shows! To encourage members to get back into the habit of attending events, we’ve designed a Club Passport, which is free to members.…

Ever wanted to see your MINI appear in all its glory splashed across the printed pages of a magazine? Well, if so, all you need to do is ask! Simply email us or post a picture of your car on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages and add the hashtag ‘#printmyMINI’, and each issue we’ll choose our favourites and print them on these very pages! Alternatively, drop us an email with a couple of photos, a full spec list of any mods or upgrades, and a few details about your time with the car to performanceMINI. ed@kelsey.co.uk with the subject heading ‘printmyMINI’ and we’ll pick our favourites for ‘spotlight’ features each issue too! In order for us to print your MINI please ensure all images are of print quality, show…

THE UK’S ONLY MODERN MINI TUNING MAGAZINE HEAD TO SHOP.KELSEY.CO.UK/ISSUE/MMI AND HAVE IT DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR! We’ve got a selection of back issues ready to be shipped out and delivered straight to your address! To make sure you never miss an issue again, why not take advantage of one of the amazing subscription deals and have the new issue delivered direct to your door as soon as it’s released!? Head to http://shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/MMI to see the latest offers!…