Nick Swift is well known in the UK for building some of the very best classic Mini race cars. His company Swiftune has been building thrilling and fantastic Mini Cooper racers for years now and he’s built a a remarkable reputation. In this new on-board drive video, we get to see why Swiftune Minis are the feistiest of race cars.
During last year’s Gerry Marshall Sprint at Goodwood, a reverse-grid Group 1 race, Nick Swift in his 1275GT Mini race car started near the back of the grid and had to fight his way through much more powerful competitors. Not only is it a testament to his driving; his combination of patience and tenacity is admirable; but also to the quality of his race cars.
Despite having a engine one quarter of the size of some of the other cars, the little Mini — with an engine under 1.3 liters — as able to not only keep up but actually fight and overtake many other far more powerful cars.
It was capable of doing that for a few reasons. One is that it’s so small and light, which makes it surprisingly quick, despite having only 1,275 cc of engine displacement. Another is that it can carry immense speed into corners, allowing Swift to brake later, dive into apexes ahead of other cars and get back on the power immediately, without sliding around. The Swiftune Mini’s combination of lightweight, superb racing suspension, and virtually square footprint give it grip the other cars on track could only dream of.
Check out this video to see just how exciting it is to drive a Swiftune Mini on track, in anger. Not only does it look like incredible fun, it’s immensely impressive to watch such a small, underpowered car overtake so many cars. Oh, and the noise. The noise is very good.
