Ben Birch

Ben Birch · Articles

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300-Mile Test: 2024 Alpine A110R on road and track

Few ever tackle Porsche head-on, let alone its mesmerising Cayman GT4. Alpine has. We drive the serious – and ferociously expensive – A110R The last laugh.

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Modified 1980 Mini Clubman Estate

Nick Klee loved tinkering with an array of cars, often fitting full-on ICE systems, but hadn’t engaged in a rebuild until a 1980 Clubman Estate came on his radar. “I didn’t go out looking for a Mini,” recalled Nick. Apparently, the owners were moving house and the Estate, which had been rotting on a driveway for two years, was surplus to requirements. For just £50 he became the new owner. “I started stripping it down and I was left with an awful lot of bodywork.”

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Modified 1981 Mini Saloon - Brilliant rally-inspired revamp living in Malta

Ramon Montebello, from Malta, literally has ‘Monte’ in his name so a long-term obsession with the 1997 Monte Carlo rally Mini is no great surprise. It spurred him on to modify his Mini many years later.

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1961 Austin Seven De-Luxe

Brian Birchall says that he likes all cars but Minis clearly hold a special place in his heart as he’s owned quite a few over the years. His latest Mini project is this fine, earlyMk1 but will it be the last one he restores?

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2024 Praga Bohema

A £1.1m Czech hypercar sounds like a terrible idea. Except it’s brilliant.

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300-Mile Test 2024 Alpina B3 Touring Allrad G21

It’s built for the Alps, so Alpina’s take on the 3-series estate isn’t one bit bothered by a little frost in Wales.

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2023 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS "Weissach Package" 982C

What happens when you shoehorn Porsche’s 4,0-litre flat six from the 911 GT3 992 into a Cayman 982C? A cardiologist on speed dial is a good idea.

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Bi-turbo Volkswagen Golf R32 Mk4 with all the show and plenty of go!

When Ryan Maretsky confessed ‘Why not?’ was the motto behind his car, that explained quite a lot to us. Looking at the photos on these pages, we’re sure you’re probably getting that similar vibe, too…

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2023 BMW 220d M Sport Coupé G42

Keeping it simple, the G42 220d matches rear-drive character with efficiency

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800bhp 2023 DS E-Tense Performance

It has 800bhp, does without brakes and is shaping future DS road and race cars. We drive the E-Tense Performance.

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2023 Cadillac Lyriq

The great reinvention. Art deco EV reimagines the glam of the 1920s for Caddy’s future

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Tuned Joel Russell’s 6.2-litre 440rwhp 1966 Chevrolet Nova

As far as ’1966-1967 Novas go, we’ve recently seen these cars move up the ranks in the muscle car food chain, and this ’66 here, owned by Joel Russell of Longwood, Florida, tops in style and quality. It comes as no surprise, though, as this one was constructed by the talented fellas at Chassis Crafters in Daytona Beach, Florida. Ed Nash and Steve Ward have been wrenchin’ and buildin’ badass vintage muscle cars for quite a while and know what’s what.

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260bhp 2001 Mini Cooper S R52

With its bright orange bodywork and interior overflowing with speakers, this R52 Cab is one show-stopping soft-top.

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Wide-Arch R56 build Mini Cooper S - Bayswater brings some serious attitude

Wide, loud and rare, this limited edition R56 is an antidote to cookie-cutter builds

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