BMW sends three classic Minis on a road trip in Germany

Three of BMW Group Classic's more unusual representatives from the small British car collection, comprising of a 1981 Mini Clubman Estate, a 1969 registered Riley Elf, and a Mini Wildgoose 'Brent' Super V. E. B., participated in the sixth Hamburg-Berlin Classic 2013 rally for vintage and classic cars organised by Auto Bild Klassik magazine.

The classic rally was held from the 19^th to 21^st September under an east-west route. This is the first time the Olympic Stadium in Berlin was the starting point for the three classic Minis along with 180 other vehicles from almost 100 years of automotive history.

During the course of the event, the competitors were tested with special tasks to be completed against the clock. Among others the visual highlight for this year's race included the three classic Minis hoping to complete the trip from the banks of the Spree to the waters of the Elbe.

The Mini Clubman Estate was built between 1969 and 1981 as an estate version of the new model variant, which was longer than the original by 110mm and which had a different front section. One of the last of this type of vehicle ever produced took part in the rally featuring silver paintwork and a 1.0 litre four-cylinder engine with a 39bhp.

The Riley Elf is unmistakably a Mini, despite having a character of its own. Introduced in 1961 as a more elite version of the classic Mini, this model extended the range of the Riley marque, which also belonged to the British Motor Corporation (BMC). The Elf was immediately recognisable thanks to its tall radiator grille, extended luggage compartment and swallow-tail wings on the back.

The participating car, customised for rallying, dates from 1969, the last year of production and features a splendid two-tone colour scheme in Damascus Red/Whitehall Beige, the advanced hydro-elastic suspension system and a 38bhp four-cylinder engine.

The Mini Wildgoose, based on a classic Mini van, was conceived in the 1960s as a camper van for adventurers, who wanted to push to the limits of the principle of the creative use of space that characterised Mini. Wildgoose Ltd, produced about 60 units of the small camper between 1963 and 1968, with only about 10 expected to survive today. One of these is the turquoise and ivory vehicle with serial number 18, produced in 1965 as the range topping Mini Wildgoose 'Brent' Super V. E. B.

The Mini Wildgoose has room for four people to travel and sleep and, among other features, has a two-ring gas hob, a sink and an electrically powered telescopic roof that offers a surprising amount of headroom. A modest tempo is guaranteed by the 850cc four-cylinder engine with 34bhp, enabling a top speed of 116km/h.