‘Vini’ Is A Custom-Built Mini With A BMW 4.0-Liter V8 Stuffed Under The Hood

A British suspension firm by the name has unveiled the passion project it will unveil at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, dubbed ‘Vini.’

This wild creation has been in the works for four years and while from the outside it may simply look like a Mini Cooper with a body kit, it is much more than that.

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For starters, the hatchback is powered by BMW’s beloved S65 4.0-liter naturally-aspirated V8 that was used by the E90 and E92 M3. This engine delivers a cool 414 hp and is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. To fit this engine, the floor pan and bulkhead had to be modified and the car sits on the subframe of a Subaru WRX STi with custom-made MacPherson struts and Powerflex’s own polyurethane bushes.

The exterior of the hatchback has been modified with flared fenders, a new hood, and gold wheels but considering the comprehensive changes made beneath the skin, the exterior isn’t that different from a standard Mini Cooper. The same cannot be said about the interior.

The Mini has been equipped with Cobra Motorsport racing seats and a full roll cage. It also features a hydraulic handbrake, a motorsport-inspired carbon fiber steering wheel, and an all-new dashboard, also made from carbon fiber. There are no luxuries in sight, not even carpets and the seats feature four-point racing harnesses.

“Vini the Powerflex V8 Mini is an iron hand in a velvet glove: an utterly usable and road-legal piece of engineering art that’s as comfortable on a track as it is on the road,” Powerflex said in a statement. “With 414bhp on offer within a short-wheelbase body that tips the scales at little more than 1300kg, Vini has the ability to stretch the confines of physics through its Toyo Proxes R888R track tyres.”