The classic Minis with VTEC engines won’t age.
Engine swaps have become a popular choice for car enthusiasts, particularly those who desire more power and performance. The most popular is LS-swapping. However, there are more extreme options like the Mustang Coyote HTML8-powered Porsche Cayman or the twin-turbo Diesel Chevy Camaro. The Hellcat-powered Miata makes 685 horsepower (or 511 kilowatts) at its wheels. That’s mental.
But there is one engine swap that is quite common, but often overlooked: the Honda VTEC-powered classic mini. A quick Google search for Honda Mini Cooper should bring up a lot of results, including this one, which is a turbocharged VTEC Mini from the U.K.
As I said, this is not the first time we have seen it. A classic Mini with a B16 Honda VTEC engine 1.6-liter and GT3076R turbocharger has been seen before. However, this looks ridiculous due to the engine bay. A tuner in California offers engine swapping for an Accord’s V6 to make it a classic Mini.
The U.K. version (see video embedded at top) is not an exception. However, the mechanicals are quite different. The engine is a 1.8-liter B18C4 from a Honda Civic VTi and produces 169 hp in its former life. Dan, the owner of the vehicle, can be followed on Instagram via his @vtecturbominiguy handle. He turbocharged it with Precision 5431 turbo kit to produce 369 horsepower (275 kW) and sent it to the front wheels.
He also gave his Mini a K-Tuned Shifter X equipped with a boost button. What does this button do? It simply switches between high and low boost control maps, and vice versa. You can see the difference in the Officially Gazed test at 0-60 mph.
The VTEC-powered mini ran for more than six seconds on low boost. The pocket rocket was able to decrease that time to 5.38 seconds by switching to high boost. This is a good result for a small car. It’s not bad at all