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David Brown's latest Remastered project shows the Mini's classy side

England-based David Brown Automotive builds some of the most mesmerizing classic Mini models we've ever seen. Its latest creation is no exception: Commissioned by a client in Japan, it leaves behind the Mini's econobox roots and proudly highlights the car's upscale side. In a way, David Brown is to the Mini what Singer is to the Porsche 911. It keeps the original car's basic design and proportions but modifies nearly everything else. For this posh, England-inspired build, it applied a coat of paint called Fade to Black and installed 13-inch wire wheels, which were never available from the factory. There's also a hand-painted Union Jack flag on the roof. Look closely and you'll spot several other subtle changes, like LED exterior lighting, bullet-shaped door mirrors, fender flares, and smooth fenders (the originals have a seam). The resto-mod treatment continues inside with red leather upholstery, black inserts in the seats, a wood-rimmed Mona-Lita steering wheel, Smiths gauges, and a push-button ignition. David Brown also replaced the air vents and most of the switchgear, and added a modern sound system. The finishing touch is a pair of leather straps designed to carry an umbrella and attached to the passenger-side door panel. While the company has dabbled in performance, it doesn't sound like the customer who commissioned this Remastered asked for rally-ready speed. The standard engine that David Brown Automotive puts in its cars is a 1,275-cc four-cylinder that develops 71 horsepower and 88 lb-ft of torque in its standard state of tune. It's fuel-injected, and in this application it spins the front wheels via an automatic transmission. David Brown Automotive hasn't revealed how much this specific build cost. However, it previously noted that each Remastered takes about 1,000 hours of labor to complete, so it's reasonable to assume that it's priced accordingly — and likely far above anything Mini makes. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Psychology can wipe out 20-25% of your EV's range

There are two primary takeaways from a recent study of electric-vehicle driving habits in Germany. One: an electric vehicle with 25 percent of its battery charge left creates the same reaction in drivers as the fuel needle on "E" in a gas-powered car. Two: familiarity breeds comfort. The study, conducted by Germany's Technische Universitat Chemnitz and funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, put some real numbers on the concept of "range anxiety." According to Green Car Congress, that anxiety truly kicks in when there's less than a quarter of the driving range left on an EV's battery and the study found that a typical car's range is "shortened" by a 20 to 25 percent "psychological safety buffer." If we take the popular Nissan Leaf as an example, the official 84-mile single-charge range is really closer to 63 miles in the head of the driver. The longer the driver spent in the EV, the shorter his mental buffer became. The study was culled from data involving just 79 drivers who tooled around Berlin in Mini E EVs for about six months, collectively putting a quarter-million miles on the electric vehicles. The good news is that the longer the driver spent using the EV, the shorter his mental buffer became, which meant he could comfortably get more miles from the car. So, to all you EV advocates out there, know that once drivers spend some time with an EV, they get more and more used to what the car can do. It's a lesson we've learned before. Just remember that to new EV drivers, the single-charge range is a lot smaller than the one old-timers see.

World record practice jump doesn't go as planned for Chicherit

French rally driver Guerlain Chicherit is a very lucky man. He had hoped to beat Tanner Foust's 332-feet car jump record (which nearly went awry itself) with a 360-foot leap in a specially built Mini to score a new Guinness World Record at the French ski resort of Tignes. However, things didn't go to plan, and Chicherit suffered a massive crash during the attempt. According to The Local, emergency services were on the scene immediately, and he was transported to the hospital by helicopter, but Chicherit is in better condition than anyone could have expected. He has been on Facebook since the crash and appears to be in great spirits. He wrote: "I have to stay to the hospital for the night just for safety, I'm all ok !!!" The jump was originally scheduled for Sunday, March 16, but heavy fog delayed it until today. Warning: The crash is quite graphic, but remember Chicherit wasn't seriously injured. Scroll down to see it all from multiple angles and in slow motion. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.