With the UK in the coming out of lockdown, after what felt like an eternity, it was time to book some cars to drive. This post and the next four will detail the cars and how they were. All of the drives took place at Castle Combe in Wiltshire and booked through Car Chase Heroes and U Drive Cars.
First up, the Mini Cooper S. For regular readers, this has a family connection, back in the mid 1960's my 2nd cousin used to race mini's at Castle Combe and did quite well.
So the Mini, designed by Alec Issigonis as a small family car the Mini was launched in 1959 and went on to sell millions. The revolution in this car came from the engine. Most cars as the time used rear wheel drive with a longitudinally mounted engine with a gearbox bolted on. The Mini however had a transverse 4 cylinder engine with the gearbox under the engine driving the front wheels. This meant the powerplant took up less space allowing more room inside the car and better off overall efficiency of the car.
In 1961, racing driver and manufacturer John Cooper modified the original Mini creating the Mini Cooper.
This Mini was equipped with a 1275cc engine that gives out around 6ohp and a top speed of around 88mph.
On paper this does not sound a lot but when you consider that the car only weighs 840 kg's and given the cars firm suspension setup it makes for quite a car. In it's day and now at historic meetings you can see just how good a car this is. Between 1960 and 1972 the Mini won 32 rallies around the world including 3 victories at the Rally of Monte Carlo
Getting inside the mini is easy even for a big chap like myself, once in I familiarise myself with the pedals, 4 speed gearbox and steering wheel.
With the turn of the key, the Mini's engine barks into life and settles into it's idle.
I put the Mini into first and begin to head to the it exit, before I reach the exit I move up to second. Out of the pit, I have a clear track so it's foot down and up to third and fourth. The pit exit is at Folly Corner, making my way to Avon Rise before braking and back down to third to turn into Quarry corner, Once out of Quarry it was back on the power and up to fourth and down the farm straight towards the Esses, with Mini making a great noise. Break and change to third for the tight chicane is the Esses. Back on the power and up to fourth round the Old Paddock Band and Hammerdown before going back down to third for Tower Corner, Once through this tight corner, back on the power and then break for the next tight chicane Bobbies.
Once through this chicane back on the power up Westway then onto the Dean Straight before braking and changing down to third for Bybrook and then back on the power through Camp Corner and the start finish straight heading towards Folly.
Making my way around the track, it's easy to see why the Mini was a popular car to race. It's low centre of gravity and suspension make it feel planted through the corners and it's light body and engine also mean it can accelerate quickly out of corners. The steering at speed is light and responsive and the clutch and gearbox are easy going.
To conclude, the Mini is a car I would like another drive in. It was great fun to take it around Castle Combe to see what my 2nd cousin did and the fun he would have had. When I got in, Dom the instructor said it was like a Go Kart, he was not wrong. When you drive it, you understand why this car has stood the test of time and keeps coming back for more. It's iconic design and performance were why it sold in it's millions to your average person and celebrities alike.
This was a great start of what would turn out to be and amazing days driving.
For more information about Car Chase Heroes, U Drive Cars and Castle Combe please visit
