What is your name and position on the committee?
Peter Williams - Events Secretary. I organize the club’s events calendar, organize some of the events and coordinate other people to run other events.
How long have you been in clubMINI for?
7 years
What MINI(s) do you have, what color is it and how long have you owned it?
R56 LCI Cooper S, red with a red roof. Almost 5 years.
Have you modified your MINI, if so what have you done to it?
Engine is stock.
I ordered the car with softer standard (not S) suspension and an electronic limited slip diff, added a negative Camber kit up front (2.5 deg), Alta 22mm sway bar at rear – so the car cruises more comfortably, I can get the power down better on bumpy roads and earlier, and its cornering attitude is neutral instead of understeer.
Cross-drilled discs front and rear. 4 driving lights. Short aerial. Side-stripes.
Inside: red dash panels and trim, JCW gearshift knob, Alta temperature and boost gauges.
Swapped 17” wheels over from my previous MINI.
What is your favorite song to listen to when driving your MINI?
Even though I’m into music, I don’t generally listen to music when I drive – I prefer to concentrate on the driving.
So if MINI didn't exist, what would be your next choice?
BMW 220i (of course) for its sophisticated handling and quality. At a lower price point, Fiesta ST for its brilliant handling - I had the previous model ST (XR4 here) and it was great.
So you find a genie in a bottle, she grants you 3 wishes with one of them being a brand new MINI, what MINI would you choose and why?
Right now, a 3-door F56 Cooper (not S, just the 3-cylinder) optioned with adaptive suspension, sports seats, JCW gauges and some other stuff – probably a camber kit too! Because 100KW is (just) enough power, and the 3-cylinder means less weight up front for quicker, lighter handling.
But I’d rather wait a year for the F54 Clubman AWD hybrid (even though it’s too big), or better still, either of the Superleggera or the smaller MINI if they ever make them.
What was your first car? And how did this car come to be yours?
Toyota Corolla, bought from my parents – wouldn’t go more than 70km/h up ANY hill. First car I chose was a Holden Gemini, which handled very nicely (catching a theme here? J).
So when you see Peter at the next event, be sure to say Hi and have a chat about cars, as you can see Peter is a total enthusiast for anything with good handling!
