Without a doubt, one of the reasons why the Mini has remained such an icon of British motoring innovation is thanks to the community of like-minded enthusiasts it has promoted. Whether it’s the trade of new and used parts, attending events, competing in races or reminiscing about Mini adventures of the past – anyone who knows anything about the Mini knows that owning one, is more about the car itself.

Being in a position to put back into this vibrant community, our own Mini specialists are constantly at the forefront of the classic Mini revival. Having been established since the Mini’s 1960’s heyday, we have since grown to be world-leading suppliers of ‘everything Mini’. Remaining a family-owned business, we value and upload the same values of tradition that owning a Mini also represents.

So to celebrate the wonderful community that we’re a part of – here, we’ve outlined our own experiences of organising, sponsoring and even innovating different aspects of ‘The Mini Movement’.

How Our Mini Specialists Contribute To The Mini Community

Event & Club Sponsorship.

Mini Specialists sponsored eventsOne of the major yardsticks that you can use to measure the popularity of the classic Mini is by the sheer number of events that take place throughout the calendar year. Attended by clubs from around the UK (and often from around Europe), these events can range from one-day trade shows to celebrations of ‘all things Mini’ over multiple days; with displays, demonstrations and autojumbles all being a part of it.

Being huge supporters of the community, our Mini specialists regularly attend these events, with the Mini Sport brand acting as a sponsor for occasions such as the International Mini Meeting.

We are also proud to support clubs such as the British Mini Club and the Mini Cooper Register and their associated events. We celebrated the 60th anniversary of the MK1 Mini at such great events as Mini Action Day, the BMC’s Mini Fest and the Goodwood Festival (check out the video of the latter event below, which showcases the brilliant Mini Parade, starring Monte Carlo Rally Legends Paddy Hopkirk and Rauno Aaltonen!)

Mini Rallying.

Mini Specialists ralliesAs Mini rallying enthusiasts, our team love to attend and participate in heritage rally events – this affection for grassroots motorsport led to us being sponsors of the HRCR’s Old Stager Championship. The HRCR Mini Sport Cup is usually comprised of 8 stages, held over 7 events across the UK and Belgium. The 2019 edition was a particularly nailbiting one for our crews – as it turned out, father and son battled each other right until the very last stage for the title! The Mini Sport Cup will be back  (in June 2021 - Covid restrictions dependant) for more exciting rallying action – click here to see the schedule.

Aside from the Mini Sport Cup, we regularly run teams in rally events across the country. In 2019's RAC ‘Rally of Tests’, Steve Entwistle won the competition driving Paddy Hopkirk’s Morris Cooper S (6 EMO) – a car maintained by Mini Sport. In what turned out to be a final-stage decider, Steve drove only the second-ever Mini to win the event, proving there’s more life in the old girl yet!

Leading Innovators.

Mini Sport constantly push the boundaries of automotive design. Ever since our founder, Brian Harper, found that there was an issue with the throttle linkage of the original models, he created a new version that solved the problem, setting up our custom Mini parts business.

Since then, our Mini specialists have kept on top of the latest changes in technology to continue to design and create new versions of parts to make the experience of driving a classic Mini much more enjoyable (and reliable). Our MAD (Motorsport Advanced Development) engineering department makes use of machinery, such as 3-D printing and scanning, as well as CNC machines to understand and evaluate issues with older parts and how they can be fixed, before using them to design and create new, improved parts.

In addition to MAD, we operate a service centre and garage that sees our fully-trained technicians make use of Mini-specific tools and the latest computerised diagnostic equipment to keep the Minis of our clients in the best condition possible (increasing their value as a result). By using our expertise to maintain and improve the qualities of their cars, our restoration centre and bodyshop can help to keep more classic Minis on the road for many more years to come.

Finally, in our strive to offer a true international service, we have rolled out region-specific websites in Australia, the United States and the EU for the growing number of Mini enthusiasts to have access to a one-stop-shop for all of their classic Mini needs.

So that was our community – why not be a part of it?

Need To Learn More About Mini Servicing? Get In Touch With The Mini Specialists!

Please take the time to browse our website to learn more about us, our services and of course, the full catalogue of parts for all iterations of the classic Mini we have on sale.

If you have any questions that you would like to ask us directly about any aspect of our services, or even the Mini community in general, our Mini specialists would be please to speak with you. You can call them on 01282 778731 or you can send an e-mail to sales@minisport.com.