Ian Callum’s classic Mini is a handbuilt hot hatch

By Lizzie Pope
News
 | 26 Jun 2025
Classic & Sports Car – Ian Callum’s classic Mini is a handbuilt hot hatch

Renowned British car designer Ian Callum has teamed up with Wood & Pickett to reinvent the classic Mini for the 21st century.

Meddling with any classic car design means treading a careful path and especially when taking on one as revered as the Mini.

The first car to come from this collaboration between the former Ford, TWR, Aston Martin and Jaguar designer and the well-known coachbuilders is a bespoke build for model David Gandy, and comes with a price-tag of ‘starting from £75,000’.

Classic & Sports Car – Ian Callum’s classic Mini is a handbuilt hot hatch

The classic Mini’s Callum x Wood & Pickett makeover blends retro features with 21st-century technology

Indeed, every Wood & Pickett Mini by Callum of this limited run will be a custom creation, and each will be handbuilt in the UK.

The starting point for every example is a fully restored Mk5 Mini Sportspack body shell.

Power comes from a refreshed, 1310cc Stage 3 engine, with twin-point injection plus a new cylinder head, for 110bhp, while the gearbox will be upgraded to handle the extra power.

This restomod Mini will also receive uprated suspension that’s said to be tuned for road use and comfort.

And if you were hoping for a set of Minilites, Callum has designed a new 13in alloy wheel for this project, and brakes with vented and grooved 8.4in discs are part of the offering, too.

Classic & Sports Car – Ian Callum’s classic Mini is a handbuilt hot hatch

David Gandy (right) worked with Ian Callum and his team on this Mini, as all owners will

The cabin takes inspiration from Wood & Pickett’s classic Margrave interior which had a leather and walnut fascia panel, as well as leather or Dralon fabric upholstery.

In this 2025 version, there is tan leather with chequered cloth, although with every one of these rebuilt Minis being fully customised, no two cars will be alike.

Metal-ringed dials and metal heater vents have a classic feel, while the Apple CarPlay touchscreen pulls it right up to date.

The body uses Wood & Pickett wheelarches, while the classic Mini’s side sills and front and rear bumpers have been modernised, and there are bespoke, twin-exit tailpipes. LED lights in new housings complete the exterior changes.

Classic & Sports Car – Ian Callum’s classic Mini is a handbuilt hot hatch

The twin upswept tailpipes are part of the look for this customisable classic Mini

Of course, Wood & Pickett is a famous name in the world of classic Minis.

The company was established in 1947 by Bill Wood and Les Pickett and developed its uprated Margrave model, and owners of its Minis included celebrities such as Twiggy, Mick Jagger and Elton John.

Today, it is owned by Motaclan Limited, and the parent company has announced it will soon release a range of Wood & Pickett by Callum products that will be sold separately, so owners of Minis can personalise their own classic cars.

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