Mini Magazine January 2022

Winter is a time of renewal and rebirth, or so the saying goes. And as the last of the leaves tumble from the trees and the children start to get excited about mince pies and whatnot, you find a different face looking out at you from this intro page. Hi, I’m Dan, and I’ll be your new guide through the fragrant vistas of classic Mini culture. Regular readers will be used to the twinkle-eyed spirit of Gez Hughes sitting in the big chair, and I’ll be doing my very best to live up to the outstanding efforts he’s achieved with Mini Magazine over the years. I’ve got a few fun ideas for you, but don’t panic – I won’t be changing the fundamentals of the mag. Think of it as a…

Winter is a time of renewal and rebirth, or so the saying goes. And as the last of the leaves tumble from the trees and the children start to get excited about mince pies and whatnot, you find a different face looking out at you from this intro page. Hi, I’m Dan, and I’ll be your new guide through the fragrant vistas of classic Mini culture. Regular readers will be used to the twinkle-eyed spirit of Gez Hughes sitting in the big chair, and I’ll be doing my very best to live up to the outstanding efforts he’s achieved with Mini Magazine over the years. I’ve got a few fun ideas for you, but don’t panic – I won’t be changing the fundamentals of the mag. Think of it as…

Ashley Abraham is supremely matter-of-fact about his vivid Mini’s nickname: “It was green when I bought it, so it made sense to call it ‘Hulk’ and the name just stuck,” he grins. “Everyone I know refers to it as that. It also makes me angry sometimes…” Well yes, it wouldn’t be any fun if it was easy, would it? And perhaps the most impressive thing about this perky little saloon is that it’s Ashley’s first proper crack at modifying. Believe it or not, he’s basically got it right first time – although not without a little trial-and-error along the way, of course. This has been a thoroughly in-depth and sleeves-rolled-up sort of project; occasionally infuriating, always intriguing, and representing a frankly astonishing amount of effort. “Hulk is the first car I’ve owned…

The Historic Rally Car Register offers a plethora of historic motorsport events across the calendar, and none is more engaging or hotly contested than the Mini Sport Cup. Sunday October 24th saw the various plucky teams gearing up to compete in the 4th round of the Cup, taking on the formidable Cheviot Stages Rally. Beneath dramatic Northumbrian skies, and competing over thirteen stages on the notoriously difficult Otterburn Ranges, the Mini Sport Cup crews had a real battle on their hands with class honours up for grabs. Current Category 2 Class leaders, Andrew O’Hanlon and Kevin Hogan, had a day of mixed fortunes; having suffered a blown head gasket and handling problems caused by a broken rear shock absorber on the recent Pokerstars Rally on the Isle of Man, the pair…

Goodwood has announced its show dates for 2022. After the Covid-enforced hiatus of 2020, the ’21 events were bigger and brighter than ever before; you can see our Revival coverage on p.30-33, and we’ll be bringing you coverage of the 78th Members Meeting next month. And now the order books are open for it all to happen again next year: the 79th Members Meeting will run across the weekend of 9th-10th April, the Festival of Speed will take place between 23rd-26th June, and the Revival will be held from 16th-18th September. We’re expecting 2022’s events to be something really special. Tickets are on sale - check availability at www.goodwood.com…

Ashley Abraham is supremely matter-of-fact about his vivid Mini’s nickname: “It was green when I bought it, so it made sense to call it ‘Hulk’ and the name just stuck,” he grins. “Everyone I know refers to it as that. It also makes me angry sometimes…” Well yes, it wouldn’t be any fun if it was easy, would it? And perhaps the most impressive thing about this perky little saloon is that it’s Ashley’s first proper crack at modifying. Believe it or not, he’s basically got it right first time – although not without a little trial-and-error along the way, of course. This has been a thoroughly in-depth and sleeves-rolled-up sort of project; occasionally infuriating, always intriguing, and representing a frankly astonishing amount of effort. “Hulk is the first car…