After the arrival of the new generation of MINI from BMW, nostalgia for the older cars remained intact in the hearts of enthusiasts, particularly those that had owned one or grown up with a ‘Mini’ during their teenage years. Two years after her husband, John Cooper of Mini Cooper fame, had developed for himself a “very special” little Coop and almost at the end of production of the first generation cars, it’s not surprising that his wife also decided that she would also like a customised example.

This is a ‘Works’ model with a power output of 90bhp (up from the standard car’s 63bhp). Modifications and enhancements included a specially prepared cylinder head, reworked intake manifold, air filter housing and a bespoke dipstick. Other parts bearing the ‘John Cooper’ moniker included the wheel centres, aluminium pedals, oil pressure gauge, the clock and a stopwatch. The cover of the steering column, the fuse box cover and bottom of the dashboard were all covered in leather in the shade of ‘Granada’.

Before production of the Cooper S finally stopped, Mrs Cooper managed to secure one of the last produced, in fact, it was the last produced, Number 50 of 50, and was finished at her request in Brooklands Green with a white roof and an interior in Granada. The car rolled out of the Rover factory on April 25, 2001 and was registered S90 BHP on the 3rd of September. With its Limited Edition status and very appropriate ownership, this is an exceptional Mini. It has only covered 952 miles, is in fabulous condition and has a Certificate of Provenance stating that it’s 50/50 and the very last one signed by John Cooper.