Based in Utah, Johnny Lange is a talented professional photographer specializing in automotive content. When not shooting cars, “Utah Johnny L” spends much of his spare time churning out custom vehicle builds, such as this 2004 Mini Cooper S that Lange has transformed into a safari-specced off-roader.
Dubbed “PEPE,” this ’04 Mini S was built in 2019 around a 1.6L supercharged R53 variant. The ruggedized build features a 2″ lift kit from Journeys Off Road and flared fenders in order to accommodate the build’s 15″ Vors wheels shod in beefy Falken Wildpeak AT3 all-terrain tires. Other off-road elements include an auxiliary lighting array, custom-fabricated bumpers fore and aft, a full-sized roof rack, an aluminum skid plate, and a cosmetic snorkel, while further performance upgrades come from a PaceSetter Monza exhaust system, a CravenSpeed pulley upgrade, and an Alta intake system. The interior remains mostly stock, aside from the addition of a JVC Bluetooth stereo and Harman Kardon speakers. Outside, there’s also a black livery paired with tinted windows and gold fasteners — matching the lips of the wheels. Two years after its competition, and Lange is now looking to sell PEPE, having posted the lifted Mini Cooper S on Bring a Trailer, where (as of the time of writing) bidding has reached $7,000 with six days remaining.
