Well now you have me started :L im a big mini fan myself, currently have an estate Now the vtec (and redtop) conversion is a big swap in the mini scene, just like the cossie yb and zetec conversion in the osf scene. This company (superfast mini's) have also got a grey mini saloon with the 1800 (i think :s) vtec and awd in it aswell. They do alot of subframe kits to fit the vtec in the front of the mini, including the 2 litre type R. The kits are around the 2.5k mark, which in my eyes is very step considering you need an extend front in order to fit the engine under, whereas theres a compamny over here (allspeed engineering) that do a subframe for the 1800 or lower (dont know about the 2 litre under a standard nose on the allspeed frame) to fit under a standard roundnose. Furthermore, theres also a company called pro-motive, who sell a kit that allows the fitment of the R1 engine into the front of the mini.
Now away from the fwd conversions, theres also a company called zcars that some of you may know of. These do a kit that allows you to install a Yamaha R1, suzuki Hayabusa, GSXR 1000 bike engine into the back of the mini. they also do a kit which allows the fitment of the 2 litre type R into the back aswell.
Few examples:
2 litre type r (zcars):
hayabusa (zcars):
R1 (zcars):
Pro mo R1:
Pro motive website: http://www.pro-motive.co.uk/
zcars: http://www.zcars.org.uk/
Superfast minis (builders of the red estate in question in this thread): http://www.superfastminis.com/
So sorry for waffling, but hope its imformative to who ever is interested