In Good Company

Part of the ultimate automotive toybox, Elliott Norris’ MkII Cooper S has been given a sympathetic rebuild and a more than usable power hike.

- Jeff Ruggles

At first, the Mini would seem to be the odd one out. Elliott Norris’ octane-fuelled passion for cars revolves around Porsches, BMW M cars and American muscle, with plenty of grunt driving the rear wheels as the common denominator. His collection includes everything from the latest lightweight 911 R model right through to a 550bhp Plymouth Road Runner – a proper old school muscle car. A front-wheel-drive, ‘60s Mini Cooper S ticks none of these boxes, and yet we find this immaculate 1967 MkII amongst Elliott’s incredible fleet. So how does that work?

The answer lies in the world of motorsport. With the exception of a stunning Mercedes 220 SEb and an ultra cool Audi 100 low-rider, Elliott’s cars all have bona fide track credentials, be that genuine competition cars or race-bred machinery for the road. A BMW 2002 turbo, several M cars, three track-focused 911s and a Plymouth Superbird (that’s the mental aero version of the Road Runner) reveal that homologation specials are a specific passion, and of course, that’s exactly how the Mini Cooper was initially conceived. “It’s that road-going race car thing that really appeals to me,” says Elliott, who is rather partial to the odd Alpine pass or a blast around the Nürburgring.

GETTING ON TRACK