Keeping it OEM+ with the original BMC colour swatch. Surf Blue and Old English White are found throughout the supermini.
A 223 kW Tesla Small Drive Unit taken from a Model S replaces the 848cc Inline 4, Petrol engine.
A small fee of £80,000 was required for the entire project which included a nut and bolt restoration.
A first car can be the gateway into the automotive community that you probably love if you are reading this. Well, a 56 year old Suffolk man’s painstaking work has resulted in a restomod 200km/h Tesla powered 1967 Austin Cooper Mini that was his accession into the motoring world that joined his family in the 1970s.
A small fee of £80,000 was required for the entire project which included a nut and bolt restoration.
Simon Benton’s classic Austin 850 has been part of his family since December of 1977, being the first car he would ever go on to drive, however in the 1990’s after the popular front-wheel drive supermini failed its MOT, it was carefully nestled in the back of a garage.
Benton rediscovered his adolescent gem and went through a painstakingly expensive and time consuming process of restoring the piece of English automotive history. Amalgamating into a three year passion project to complete and costing as much as £80,000 for the restomod 200km/h Mini, which could buy you a new Porsche Taycan 4S.
Not only has the rusted bodywork of the two-door city car been completely overhauled but Benton has opted for an EV powertrain that has raised the top speed from about 110km/h to 200km/h. A 223 kW Tesla Small Drive Unit taken from a Model S now sits in the engine bay while 3 battery packs are nestled throughout the car which give it 33 kWh of battery and a range of 241 kilometres.
A 223 kW Tesla Small Drive Unit taken from a Model S replaces the 848cc Inline 4, Petrol engine.
The suspension and brakes have been upgraded to cope with all of the power delivered to the front wheels via a Quaife ATB limited slip differential however no ABS is present when the going gets tough. Fortunately the Tesla Drive Unit has pre-programmed traction control to help the front wheels from putting the power down.
The OEM+ interior has kept the original BMC Surf Blue and Old English White theme from the restored and electrified exterior with a roll cage and racing harnesses tastefully installed into the diminutive interior.
Keeping it OEM+ with the original BMC colour swatch. Surf Blue and Old English White are found throughout the supermini.
Benton stated that “I was almost moved to tears when it was revealed to me for the first time,” because “It just evokes so many memories. For me, growing up with the car, it’s been part of my life – almost like another member of the family really.”
Keyword: Restomod 200km/h 1967 Austin Cooper Mini utilises Tesla power