TEARING DOWN A twisting B-road through a forest in Suffolk, I suddenly realise how broad is my grin. The engine is screaming, the gears are shrieking; the steering wheel writhes and tugs and you barely seem to think about shuffling its rim before you've executed a turn, apparently in a permanent drift yet without so much as a chirrup from the tyres.
This is a Mini, through and through, but with every single sensation heightened to the max.
This is CCT No.1 by Crafted Classics, an outfit founded by Mini enthusiast and expert tuner Christopher Hamilton after he parted company with Swiftune in 2016. 'I made the perfect Mini for me, but also as a showcase for the business,' he tells me. He made his name rebuilding, tuning and supplying engines worldwide, so that's a good place to start.
This one features a pre-A+ block with steel cap conversion, bored to 73.5mm, with a 1071 short-stroke steel Arrow crankshaft, steel Arrow con-rods and forged Omega pistons. 'It's fully forged, with ARP fasteners throughout. That's why it holds together,' Christopher smiles.
Denne historien er fra January 2025-utgaven av Octane.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra January 2025-utgaven av Octane.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Pro route to faster lap times
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro 4Matic+
The power to corrupt
2024 Aston Martin Vanquish
Hyperactivate!
1967 Austin-Cooper MkII 998 by Crafted Classics Tuning Glen Waddington
De Tomaso Racing Blue Blood
IF THE MARQUE De Tomaso is mainly familiar to you through cars such as the Mangusta, the Pantera, maybe the Longchamps and, if you're next-level classic car geek, racers such as the P70, then the sheer variety to be found in this mammoth tome is going to come as something of a shock. There are literally dozens profiled here, and one or two will probably be news to even the most seasoned enthusiast.
The best watch in the world
We've been here, but it bears repeating these gems will soon be cheaper than a 1st class stamp
A star is reborn
This recently revived coachbuilt beauty made the final four at the Pebble Beach concours in August
REINVENTING THE WHEEL
The gyroscopically stabilised Gyro-X blurred the line between reality and science fiction. Sam Glover takes the prototype for a spin
SAYONARA GT-R
After a remarkable 17-year career, the supercar-humbling Nissan GT-R bows out on a high
Shiro Nakamura
Nissan’s long-standing Chief Creative Officer became architect of the marque’s style-led revival… and is also known as ‘Mr GT-R’
LIGHT SPARKS
How does the electric Tesla Roadster compare today?
