Legendary car designer Ian Callum is the man behind Aston Martin and Jaguar’s most iconic designs. Now working by himself, he restores and upgrades models from different time periods (restomod), with a recent focus on the Mini before the BMW era. For this project, he chose the body shell of the Mini Mk5 Sportspack (1997-2001), easily recognizable thanks to its wings. The A-Series engine goes from 1275 to 1310 cc, and features a new cylinder head, a two-point fuel injection and a custom twin-pipe exhaust. As a result, the mill now makes 110 brake horsepower, with a reinforced gearbox to handle the extra power. The reimagined Mini overhauls the hatchback with new suspension and a set of grooved and ventilated 8.4-inch disc brakes. The original 13-inch Minilite wheels were replaced by rims of the same size, designed by Callum himself. The external design retains the broad Wood & Pickett wings, combined with sportier front and rear bumpers. The lights have been upgraded with LED bulbs , and the passenger compartment boasts a charming wooden dashboard, a tribute to the Mini “Margrave” of the 1960s. The retro feel is further enhanced by metal switches for the fog lights and heating. Each model will be entirely custom-built to the customer’s exact requirements. Ian Callum himself has confirmed this. The starting price is £75,000, and this project also marks Wood & Pickett’s return to the forefront of the design scene. Founded in 1947 by Bill Wood and Les Pickett, the company became famous in the 1960s for its luxurious Mini transformations. At the time, such cars were popular with celebrities such as Mick Jagger, Elton John and Paul and Linda McCartney. The first owner of this Mini restomod will be model and designer David Gandy. A man of taste, that’s for sure!