"The Mini came about because of a fuel shortage caused by the 1956 Suez Crisis. Petrol was rationed in the UK, sales of large cars slumped and the market for German bubble cars boomed, even in Britain where imported cars were still a rarity at the time. The Fiat 500 was also becoming increasingly popular. Alec Issigonis, who had been working for Alvis, had been recruited back to BMC in 1955 with a brief to design a range of technically advanced family cars in the same innovative spirit as his earlier Morris Minor to complement BMC's existing conventional models. Issigonis had set out design projects for three cars; large and small family cars and a very small economy car. With Lord's task to produce a bubble car competitor, work on the Mini became the priority. This one-owner Mini was purchased from Henlys in Barnes on 3rd October 1979 at a cost of £2,884.60. Having been ‘Ziebarted’ from new, the underside of this car is still like new. The originality of this Mini has to be seen to be fully appreciated, even the quality control stickers are on the inside of the rear brake backplates; these normally come off as soon as the car is used in the rain. The original service books are present together with the original invoice and even the spare keys. This exceedingly low mileage Mini is fitted with an automatic gearbox which, we are advised, operates correctly. Finished in white with brown velour interior, this Mini 1000 is supplied with a V5 registration document together with a full years MoT test certificate."