The Independent American Magazine for all Mini Owners
Issue link: http://mc2.epubxp.com/i/33537
S by Rob Marshall UK Correspondent urprisingly, Dave Tassell admits that he was not enamoured by the new MINI, when he saw its original pre-release images in 2001. Like many British enthusiasts of the classic car, the passing of time saw this UK electrical engineer’s stance mellow and thus, when he sought to purchase a diminutive performance car that had character, he experienced a turnaround in attitude and plumped for a brand-new 2005 Cooper S. “I loved my first MINI, but even the ‘S’ was not fast enough for me,” says Dave. “It was clear that the supercharged version was a bit of an afterthought in the MINI range, and so I started to execute my own improvements.” These ‘improvements’ resulted in 255bhp being attained, a 64 percent gain over the peak power developed by the standard car. However, in that state of tune, the MINI had become considerably more tiring to drive, which indicated that a whole new approach was needed. Instead of investing further resources in the project, Dave returned his ‘S’ back to OE specs, prior to trading it in against a brand- new Clubman Cooper S. Yet, the achievements gleaned from his first ‘S’ brought Dave to a pair of conclusions. Firstly, he discovered a distinct lack of authoritative aftermarket information in the UK, related not only to modifying but also to the day-by-day maintenance of MINIs. So in 2007 he started his own business, ThinkMINI, based in Worcestershire, England. Secondly, he realized that, in order to achieve higher engine outputs for road cars, the most cost-effective route meant substituting the standard Tritec-Chrysler engine with another powerplant. Mopar Out. Volkswagen In. With his new business flourishing, Dave decided that to demonstrate his company’s prowess he should build a show vehicle. When he was offered an abused R53 MINI Issue 29 MC2 Magazine 21 TEUTONIC TWINNING Ddarviv e T a s en a l s te erl n l ena giv i t eero t ne t s th he ‘ e per f or i ec l i g n a t per f or ’ C o m o a per S . n c e -