Electric cars have a reputation for lacking character, and it’s not unwarranted. When your design focus is on efficiency, aerodynamic calculations tend to end up with similar results. This is why electrified classics have garnered so much interest (and plenty of hatred), combining some of the joys of retro motoring with the convenience and efficiency of an EV. The latest to offer electric driving with the character of a previous era is limited edition carmaker David Brown Automotive with the Mini eMastered. I got to try it in its native environment – the streets of London.
Car lovers may be familiar with David Brown Automotive. The company is famous for its retrospective recreations, such as the Speedback GT and Silverstone Edition, and its Mini Remastered. The Mini eMastered is obviously a riff on the latter but is the company’s first EV. Like the Remastered, the eMastered is much more than a lovingly restored classic Mini. While a donor classic Mini still forms the basis, the body is an all-new steel shell custom made by British Motor Heritage. This is entirely obvious when you shut the door, which has a solid “thunk” that would be the envy of a premium German car.
The design harks right back to the original 1959 Mini, but with subtle improvements to provide an uncanny modern twist. The original Mini had welding seams in front of the doors, which have been smoothed out for the eMastered, although the ridge around the roof has been maintained. The wheel arches have been flared to accommodate a wider track. The body is rust-proofed and given an electrophoretic coating, in a paint process that takes four weeks. Customers can choose whatever paintjob they want, but the two-tone cream and bronze of the car I drove is a particularly classy example. The roof coloring is echoed by the sumptuous interior upholstery, with a subtle grading on the dashboard that complements the exterior.
Mini eMastered: Sumptuous Interior With Modern Infotainment
While the exterior maintains the 1959 look, it includes modern technology such as LED head- and taillights and indicators. There is a choice of 12-inch wheels, which are bigger than the original car’s 10-inch rims, and the width is wider at 165mm compared to 145mm. The bumpers (or fenders for American readers) are chrome, as are doorhandles and wing mirrors. There’s chrome trim around the lights, windows, and charging port too. The overall look is very period.
One thing that couldn’t be updated about the Mini was the small size of the interior. The space up front is fine for adults, but anyone who sits in the back will be cramped – even kids. The eMastered could still transport four grownups, but those relegated to the rear won’t have a particularly comfortable ride, and getting in the back isn’t that easy either. However, the front seats are extremely comfortable and finished with lush leather.
All the switchgear has a solid quality and is finished in knurled aluminum. You press the brake and the Start-Stop button to get the system going. Then a gearstick-like knob selects drive, or you can lift the rim and push forward for reverse, although you don’t get a camera or sensors to help you with parking. There’s a manual handbrake. There are knobs for hazard lights, fog lights and demisting the windscreen. Analog dashboard dials maintain the period feel, including a clock and characteristic central speedometer.
No original Mini had air conditioning, and David Brown Automotive had trouble shoehorning this into the cramped engine bay. But they managed it, and it works very well, although the air only comes through the central vents – the two outer vents are only connected to the outside, not routed through climate control. There’s a proper infotainment system with a 7-inch screen from Pioneer, too. This includes a satnav, but as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android are supported, you’ll probably use your phone’s maps for navigation. USB phone connectivity can be found in the glove compartment. The Pioneer sound system drives four speakers. I found it projected Sandy Shaw, Lulu, and the Beatles very effectively. And possibly some more modern music I’m embarrassed to admit to.
Mini eMastered: Electrified Driving Experience
The overall sense is a loving recreation of the classic Mini but delivered with modern comforts. The driving experience similarly has the go-kart handling of the original but with much more potential for speed. My test drive around London sadly did not let me push the upper limits of the Mini eMastered’s performance, however. In fact, most of the city is pegged at 20mph, with just a few sections of the routes I took offering 30mph. As I also hadn’t recently stolen any gold bullion, there was no need for any Italian Job-style getaway driving either. Nevertheless, even at this sedate pace, the eMastered exuded fun and a sense of occasion.
The Zonic 70 electric motor has 72kW (96hp) with 175Nm of torque driving the front wheels. Putting that in perspective, even the 1275cc classic Mini engine only had 57hp and 94Nm, and the David Brown Automotive Mini Remastered 83hp. With the immediate torque of an EV, the eMastered is much punchier than any classic mini before. Where the 1275 could hit 60mph in 14.5 seconds (while the 850cc model required an interminable 25 seconds), the eMastered takes just 8.5 seconds to reach 62mph. That’s not tremendously quick by EV standards. But in slow urban streets this car still feels incredibly sprightly. You will beat many other vehicles off the lights with ease.
You can use a choke-like knob on the right to choose between normal and sport mode. With the latter engaged, there’s even some mild torque steer when you punch the accelerator hard. The ride quality is decent, too, despite the tiny wheels. Although there is obvious bounce over speed bumps and London’s terrible potholes, this is dampened enough to well within bearable levels. The steering doesn’t deliver sportscar levels of precision, but the short wheelbase and 640kg weight (same as the original) mean you can still chuck his car into corners with gusto, albeit at no greater than 20mph in most of London. The brakes, however, need a good hard press to fully engage, which takes a little getting used to after the usual instantaneous braking on modern EVs.
Although I suspect the Mini eMastered would be a whole host of fun at 60mph around a windy country UK road, you might have to think twice about straying too far out of the city. The battery is an 18.8kWh unit, delivering just 110 miles of range in non-sport mode with the air conditioning on. Charging is AC-only, too, so a long journey would involve interminably long stops. You’re better off charging this car at home for short trips around the local area. The battery packs have been placed both up front with the motor and in the rear, which does reduce the luggage space a little. But there’s room for your Harrods shopping or a couple of gym bags, and the interior is finished I the same lush leather as the seats.
No other car I’ve test driven has received the public attention of the eMastered. When I stopped in Hyde Park, I got positive comments from virtually everyone who went past, even young people who will have little or no experience of the original Mini. Best of all was when a London black taxi driver smiled and nodded as we passed each other headed in opposite directions. If you want a car that meets with near 100% public approval, there won’t be many better options than this.
It all sounds idyllic, but there’s a catch. The bespoke hand-built nature of the Mini eMastered means it’s not cheap. In fact, it’s very expensive. The basic cost, before any kind of sales or value-added tax is added, is £125,000 ($157,000). This means you won’t be seeing that many Mini eMastereds coming to a street near you. But everyone I showed this car to wanted one, until they heard the price. So if your budget stretches this far, it’s the perfect city runabout for the exceptionally well heeled.
