Our thanks go to Classic Car Services for providing the necessary skills. It wasn't an easy transformation ΂- the starting point wasn't that great, with little shape or class to the standard seats ΂- and there was the added complication of airbags within the backrest.

Alcantara was chosen for the centre trim because a) it looks cool, and b) it acts a little like Velcro on the corners. Visually it works a treat, with the two- tone look matching the rest of the interior design nicely. It's a shame the seats aren't a little longer in the squab, and I wish there was a way of giving the seats a little more structure ΂- Classic Car Services did what they could to add some support to the sides of the seats, which has helped. It's strange this wasn't resolved before launch; BMW is normally pretty good at this sort of thing. The new sports seats now on offer look like being a must- have option (shame they weren't available when we got our car), even though they're covered in the same cheap leather that ours came with. I think retrimmers are going to be busy for a while yet.

I met the guy in charge of Mini production the other day and put to him some of the faults we've encountered. It sounds like most of them have now been fixed on the production line. The buzzy exhaust turns out to be a catalyst shield hitting another component on the underbody as it heats up, which has now been rectified by a change in design. The fuel gauge that refused to go beyond three-quarters full has been recalibrated, but the pulling to the left that seems to be afflicting a lot of Minis is proving harder to fix. He said it was down to the coil springs rotating on their mounts within the front suspension and their relationship with the dampers, but when I asked him for the third time what on earth he was on about, he whimsically remarked that it wasn't a problem in Germany as they drive on the right like everyone else and, with the road camber being the opposite to British roads, the car always pulls dead straight. Not much comfort for the RHD market.

I have been guilty of hogging the Mini just recently, it's such a satisfying drive, though I admit you do feel shortchanged by the lack of oomph on offer ΂- as much to do with the over-tall gearing as the general lack of power.

Can't agree with a lot of the criticism of the engine; during normal driving it feels like one of the smoother four-pots on offer, if a little anodyne. BMW's new Valvetronic engine in the 316i Compact is certainly no better, and if you crave a little more top-end fizz there's now the 'Works' kit on offer from Mike Cooper via you Mini dealer. Guess where our Cooper is going next month. I haven't had this much fun in ages!