MINI TO THE MAX!

-PRESS RELEASE-

Maximum Mini, a brand new book by Amsterdam-based motoring journalist Jeroen Booij is the first to focus solely on cars derived from the original classic Mini. Small GTs, sports cars, roadsters, racers and fun cars: Mini derivatives that changed the specialist motoring market completely in the early sixties, while newer designs kept it busy for nearly four more decades.

Published by Veloce at £24.95 in large square format, and containing 540 mainly colour pictures, the majority of which were specially shot for this project, this unique book is the result of over five years of Jeroen's own research and world travels to meet owners and picture their cars.

Maximum Mini features an extensive collection of almost 60 lovingly described and photographed cars. From the well known Unipower GT and Mini Marcos that raced at Le Mans, to the very obscure but equally exciting Coldwell GT and Sarcon Scarab. Some represent genius, some are crazy, but all are out of the ordinary, colourful and fascinating. Many of the people originally involved with designing and building them were interviewed - including famous F1 designer Gordon Murray - and even some cars thought to be long gone were discovered during Jeroen's researches.

Just like the enthusiasm needed to build the cars it describes, this book has been written with a true passion. After a career as a road test editor for a Dutch motoring magazine, Jeroen decided to become a freelance motoring journalist. He prefers describing the weird and wonderful of the automotive industry, specializing in classic, specialist, or simply unusual cars, which has often led to full features on vehicles that are hardly taken seriously by the regular press. With a passion for Minis, it was a logical step for Joroen to write a book about the unusual cars that derived from it.

Jeroen Booij commented: "The old Mini has been of great influence in the cottage industry as it offered perfect opportunities for derivatives. Once I'd started researching them I came across more and more cars and there was just no way back anymore. Every car had its own cool story which I became insatiable for."

The 128-page book was published this month and is available now from bookshops or from www.veloce.co.uk.


This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Mini and what better way to celebrate it than with the book that looks at the extreme forms of the classic little car!