This car is too crazy to be described.
The original Mini remains one of the most iconic streetcars. They were so great that James Hunt began his racing career around Snetterton in them. It was lightweight and it has a unique ethos. What if you swapped the engine in its middle and converted it to rear wheel-drive? And added larger tires on all four corners.
Adam from AMT Machine Shops decided to stop wondering and find out what it would look like. He wanted his MINI to stand out from the crowd. The car’s bonkers engine aside, it is equipped with flared fenders that could put an RWB Porsche into manhood counseling. It also has a rear spoiler that would be right at home in the pits for a World Time Attack event.
The obvious party piece of this vehicle is the Kawasaki Ninja engine, which is mounted in the middle. The original Mini has very little space so the AMT guys had to be creative in putting the new engine in. Because the engine is positioned rearward, passengers are no longer separated from the heat and noise that you would normally never be concerned about. The fuel tank is also located under the hood, so it can sing its tune in the back.
AMT Adam decided to keep the Ninja’s existing gearbox, rather than searching for a new one. To keep track of vital signs, the car also retains the Kawasaki-bike’s existing dash. The vehicle also features a hydraulic handbrake because it’s impossible to get wilder.
We would love to see a GP quick shifter for seamless gear-changes in a perfect world. But, we understand that this is not a MotoGP machine on four-wheels. We think this car would capture James Hunt’s essence.