Speed Week 2021: the retro stars

This feisty, punchy little rapscallion is a Mini, but unlike any ‘classic’ Mini you’ve come across. It comes from David Brown Automotive, who partnered with Mini engine specialists Oselli for a limited run of 60, £118k restomods. Yes, you read that price right.

For that considerable outlay you get an embiggened and modified A Series engine kicking out 125bhp, a five-speed manual gearbox, a limited-slip diff, AP Racing brakes, 13in wheels with wider tyres and adjustable Bilstein dampers. Oh, and a sports exhaust.

Want to know what it drives like? Click here.

Price: From £118,000
Engine: 1.5-litre 4cyl, 125bhp
Speed: 0–62mph in 7.8secs, Sub-100mph
Weight: 1,050kg

This is the final Lotus Elise you’ll be able to buy before production is wound up and the company focuses on its shiny new electric future. Fittingly, it’s called the Lotus Elise Final Edition, and… this really is The End.

A fitting end, too, because it’s a good ‘un. It gets more power – 20bhp over the car that came before it – but otherwise it’s as you were.

And as you’ll find out here in TopGear.com’s review of the Sport 240, really very good indeed.

Price: £45,500
Engine: 1.8-litre 4cyl s/c, 240bhp
Speed: 0–62mph in 4.5secs, 147mph
Weight: 922kg

It still beggars belief that Caterham can build and sell you a car that weighs less than half a tonne. 440kg to be precise for this, the lightest ever car it has built. Not just lightest, but smallest too, with an equally microscopic three-cylinder turbo petrol engine of just 0.7-litres and 84bhp. There are sneezes that offer more power. The R gets a few sportier additions, mind, like an LSD, sportier suspension and that all-important harness.

Want to know how it feels? Click here for the TopGear.com review.

Price: £22,990
Engine: 660cc 3cyl turbo, 84bhp
Speed: 0–62mph in 6.9secs, 105mph
Weight: 440kg

A car seemingly built to skin your knuckles and allow for inventive new swear words, because it’s a car you can actually build yourself. Underneath is an old Mazda MX-5 MkII (ideally one you'll bring along to the party), which gets you into a one-seat homage to the glorious Alfa Romeo 158.

Spoiler alert: it’s really good. Click here for the full TopGear.com review.

Price: £21,240 (plus MX-5)
Engine: 1.8-litre 4cyl, 146bhp
Speed: 0–62mph in circa seven seconds, circa 130mph
Weight: 700kg (approx)

Has there been a hot hatch more eulogised than the 205 GTI? Doubt it. Which means this one is even more special. Tolman Engineering has reconditioned the 1.6-litre four-pot, given it a lighter flywheel, a new ECU and a stainless steel exhaust for 132bhp. There’s also the small matter of Bilstein dampers, Eibach springs, LED lights, and the brakes from the 306 GTI-6 all wrapped up in a price tag that’s actually… sensible. Right?

Price: £45,000
Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl, 130bhp
Speed: 0–62mph in 7.5secs, circa 130mph
Weight: 875kg

It’s a fully electric 964 and before you get spooled up, don’t worry – it’s reversable. Inside that delectable bodyshape sit a reconditioned Tesla motor and brand new batteries, producing 500bhp in the ‘Signature’ spec we had at Speed Week. Range? 250 miles. Speed? Very. Price? Lots. But a quarter of a million does get you something TG found to be very impressive, if a little controversial, we've heard.

Click here for the full review.

Price: £250,000
Engine: Single e-motor, 500bhp
Speed: 0–62mph in sub-4.0secs, 130mph (est)
Weight: 1380kg (approx)

Want to know which car won this group? Pick up an issue of Top Gear magazine here, and stay tuned to TopGear.com for more Speed Week updates.