Latest news with #DavidGandy
Forbes
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
This Classic Mini By Ian Callum Is $100k Of Restomod Perfection
The car is priced from $103,000 and its makers promise no two will be the same. Callum Design has revealed its interpretation of a reborn classic Mini – and you're going to want one. The car uses the body shell of a Mk5 Mini, which was the final generation of the famous city car, built between 1997 and 2001 before the Mini brand was taken over by BMW. Established by Ian Callum, the former head of design at Jaguar, Callum Design has teamed up with coachbuilder Wood & Pickett to reimagine the classic Mini. Wood & Pickett built a reputation in the 1960s for selling modified and personalized Minis to celebrity clients that included Paul McCartney and his wife Linda, as well as Elton John and The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger. Customers are invited to choose their own paintwork and interior specification. Fast-forward to today, and the latest Mini to come from Wood & Pickett is destined for the garage of model, fashion entrepreneur – and noted car guy – David Gandy. Finished in a shade of brown inspired by a Mini once owned by Steve McQueen, the first W&P Mini by Callum, pictured below, boasts redesigned valances at the front and rear, new sills, a new design of 13-inch wheels, and modern conveniences like LED lighting. Inside, the all-new interior has a redesigned wooden dashboard, metal switchgear, leather door cards, a set of redesigned analog dials, and a small touchscreen display running Apple CarPlay. The cabin also boasts a new set of seats and new carpet, and Callum Design says it has improved the car's NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) by using new soundproofing materials. The first example was built for British model and fashion entrepreneur David Gandy. Under the hood sits a newly rebuilt four-cylinder engine with its capacity increased to 1,310cc thanks to a 'Stage 3' tune that promises 110 horsepower, almost double that of the original car. Upgrades include a reengineered manual transmission (complete with a lovely chrome shifter), a computer re-tuned to improve power delivery, a new cylinder head, twin-point injection, and a bespoke twin-exit tailpipe with a sporty upswept design. The reborn Mini also benefits from a suspension system tuned for modern comfort, upgraded brakes with vented and grooved 8.4-inch rotors, and a set of new alloy wheels designed by Callum. Callum Design says each of its Minis will be hand-built in the UK, and is offered as a limited production run. Prices start at £75,000 (about $103,000), and the company promises that 'no two builds will be alike, each customer will collaborate closely with Callum's design team to create a Mini that reflects their individual vision.' The redesigned interior features wood, leather and Apple CarPlay. Ian Callum said of the project, 'The Mini is one of the most important cars ever created, not just for its innovative engineering, but for what it represents culturally as a symbol of British ingenuity and style. It's a car that broke the rules and became a global icon. To reimagine it through the lens of Callum, with Wood & Pickett's craftsmanship, has been deeply rewarding.'
TimesLIVE
7 days ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
This Wood and Pickett Mini by Callum is one sweet restomod
UK-based bespoke car specialists Wood and Pickett and automotive design and engineering house Callum have joined forces to produce a special restomod Mini. Built on a restored Mk5 Sportspack body shell for international style icon and automotive enthusiast David Gandy, the Wood and Pickett Mini by Callum incorporates an exclusive design package with unique front/rear valances, side sills and an updated rear design. These not only give the car a distinctive look but also improve aerodynamics and cooling. Other special touches include distinctive Anthracite metal paint and modern LED headlamp clusters for a dramatically improved night driving experience. The car rides on special 13" alloy wheels shod with wide performance tyres. Image: Supplied The cabin was treated to a comprehensive overhaul, with a newly designed dashboard said to 'blend retro influence with modern precision'. It sports seats upholstered in tartan fabric and tan Bridge of Weir leather, metal fog light and heater switches, a large chrome gear knob and a discreet touchscreen infotainment system that unlocks the convenience of Apple CarPlay. Under the bonnet is a 1.3 l four-cylinder engine developing 82kW. Built to Stage 3 road/rally specification, it features a retuned ECU, performance cylinder head and twin-point fuel injection. Exhaling through a fruity twin-exit exhaust system, it's meshed to a re-engineered manual transmission for snappier shifting up and down the cogs. Handling has been finessed with a road tuned suspension kit, 13" alloy wheels shod with wider tyres and upgraded brakes featuring vented/grooved 213mm discs. The car's noise, vibration and harshness has also been updated for increased refinement. Each Wood and Pickett Mini by Callum is hand-built in the UK and offered in a limited production run, starting at £75,000 (R1.8m). No two builds are alike, with each customer able to collaborate closely with Callum's design team to create a Mini that reflects their individual vision.
Top Gear
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
David Gandy's bespoke Mini gets a 110bhp rally engine and much brown
Retro Whaddya make of Gandy's coachbuilt, fully bespoke British icon? Skip 4 photos in the image carousel and continue reading If you're David Gandy, what do you daily? A rally-engined classic Mini restomod, of course. Specifically, this wacky little thing, built by Callum Designs in partnership with a Mini specialist called Wood and Pickett. Power is provided by a "road/rally" spec 1.3-litre four-pot producing 110bhp, courtesy of a tweaked ECU, new cylinder heads and twin-point fuel injection. That's mated to a five-speed manual 'box, with further upgrades including a sportier suspension setup and vented 8.4in brakes. Probably goes like the clappers. Advertisement - Page continues below There's a new front grille for better cooling, a new splitter plus dandy blue light signatures. We very much approve of the extra fog lamps too, which add to the already cheeky look of the Mini. There's very little gap between the pronounced arches and those caved four-spoke 13in alloys, and out back, there's that familiar upward-angled central twin-exhaust. The look is complete with an 'Anthracite' finish and two brown stripes running across the bonnet, roof and tailgate. You might like Inside, you'll spot even more brownness. The redesigned dashboard gets a tiny screen with Apple CarPlay, plus gauges and metal bezel dials integrated within the same unit for a clean look. Meanwhile, the seats are cloaked in Bridge of Weir tan leather upholstery, with a black and white trim along the central sections. Ian Callum said: 'The Mini is one of the most important cars ever created, not just for its innovative engineering, but for what it represents culturally as a symbol of British ingenuity and style. It's a car that broke the rules and became a global icon. To reimagine it through the lens of Callum, with Wood and Pickett's craftsmanship, has been deeply rewarding.' Advertisement - Page continues below Pricing for the Callum x Wood and Pickett Mini will start from £75,000, and each example will be tailor-made for customers. Any thoughts on what the most outlandish spec would be? Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
The classic Mini turned into a £75,000 hot hatch - and the first model built has been sold to... a model
The classic Mini has been turned into a luxury-grade hot hatch with a staggering price tag - and the first hand-built example has already been delivered to an extremely well-known face... and body. Car designer Ian Callum - the man who's penned some of the greatest modern-era British models, including the Aston Martin DB9 and Vanquish, Jaguar XJ and F-Type, and Ford's RS200 and Escort Cosworth - has teamed up with renowned coachbuilder Wood & Pickett to produce a limited run of custom-made Minis. The Wood & Pickett Mini by Callum Mini takes the last of the run of original Minis - produced up to 2021, before BMW launched the new, not-so-mini Mini - and has turned it into a modern-era performance car crammed with upgrades and tech. The engine and chassis have been completely overhauled, while the legendary vintage interior has been bestowed with a premium interior and a dashboard digital display. The cost for one of these bespoke motors is an eye-watering £75,000 - more than seven times the price at the turn of the Millennium. Who would fork out that amount of money on a Mini, you ask? Well, the first customer is confirmed - and you might well know him from various TV and billboard adverts... The classic Mini has been turned into a luxury-grade hot hatch with a staggering price tag as part of a new collaboration between legendary car design Ian Callum CBE and coachbuilding specialist Wood & Pickett Model, David Gandy, has taken delivery of the first Wood & Pickett Mini by Callum Mini. The self-confessed petrolhead is a classic British car enthusiast and brand ambassador for Jaguar. He even commissioned a full restoration of a 1965 XK120, which is now part of his collection. While his latest purchase has a heritage dating back to 1959, it is based on more modern iteration of the classic Mini. It is a modified version of the Mk5 Mini Sportspack - the last of the true Minis. This was the wide-arched version of the old-style car produced between 1997 and 2001 by Rover Group, before BMW's takeover of the Mini brand. At the end of its production run, a Cooper was just under £10,000 - meaning this new 'restomod' (a restored and modified take on a classic car) is more than seven times the price of the vehicle on which it is based. But while it captures the legendary shape and characterful look of the original, this upgraded version certainly won't drive like a car built in the late 1990s. That's because it's been overhauled with a rally-spec engine, uprated suspension and more powerful brakes. The A-Series engine capacity has been upgraded from the Cooper's 1,275cc to 1.310cc. It also has a new cylinder head, two-point fuel injection and a custom twin-pipe exhaust. The performance tweaks have resulted in a 75 per cent increase in potency, with the engine generating 110bhp, up from the standard output of 63bhp. Given its kerb weight of around 700kg, that's a notable increase in power. To cope with the additional grunt fed through the transmission, the gearbox has also been strengthened. While each car made will be different on exacting specification requested by the client, Gandy's restomod Mini has a revised front and rear valances, side sills and an updated rear design. The wheel arches are fatter, too. While this gives the Mini a wider stance, the adjustments aren't just to make it 'visually distinctive' but 'engineered for improved aerodynamics and cooling'. The lights have also been brought into the 21st century with LEDs front and rear in period-correct housings that are sympathetic to the iconic Mini's original design. On the inside, it gets a wooden dashboard fascia inspired by the walnut panels fitted to Wood & Pickett's Margrave Mini in the 1960s. The switchgear is heavy duty metal toggles, and a small touchscreen with Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring has been installed. Ian Callum CBE said: 'The Mini is one of the most important cars ever created not just for its innovative engineering, but for what it represents culturally as a symbol of British ingenuity and style. 'It's a car that broke the rules and became a global icon. To reimagine it through the lens of Callum, with Wood & Pickett's craftsmanship, has been deeply rewarding.' For Wood & Pickett, it's a long-awaited return to the fore, with the company - founded in 1947 by Bill Wood and Les Pickett - renowned in the sixties for commissioning Minis for celebrity owners including Elton John, Mick Jagger, and Paul and Linda McCartney. Having formerly been owned by British Leyland dealer the Henlys Group in the eighties, it is now in the hands of Motaclan - the firm that owns the former MG Rover parts division. Gandy - who has fronted campaigns for fashion giants including Hugo Boss, Dolce & Gabbana and Carolina Herrera, as well as high-street chains including Marks & Spencer, H&M and Zara - is said to have worked directly with the design team to tailor every aspect of his Mini. This includes the painstaking process of deciding the paint colour and interior trims. He said it 'embodies everything I love about automotive craftsmanship, bespoke, attention to detail, and, of course, performance'. He added: 'I'm proud to be the first owner of such a remarkable vehicle.'
