"To many, its designer Alec Issigonis included, the notion that the Mini might have a future as anything other than basic transport was anathema, and the idea of a high-performance version was laughable. One man though, saw it quite differently. Racing car manufacturer John Cooper already knew quite a bit about tuning BMC's A-Series engine, he was running the company's Formula Junior effort at the time and a test drive in a prototype Mini convinced him of the car's competition potential. The result, launched in September 1961, was the Mini Cooper, a car that offered a size/price/performance package that was nothing short of miraculous. The Mini Cooper soon established its credentials as a rally and race winner and the stage was set for even faster versions. The first of these, the 1,071cc Mini Cooper 'S' of 1963, took engine development a stage further and provided the basis for the 971 'S' and 1275 'S' of 1964, all of which now have cult status and are hugely collectable.
This fabulous example is presented in the iconic and instantly recognisable colour combination of red with a white roof, emulating that of rally hero, Paddy Hopkirk’s famous Monte Carlo winning Rally Mini Cooper S of 1964. This car has had no expense spared in completely rebuilding it to Group B rally specification, even down to the last detail. This includes a Downtown tuned/prepared 1275 cc engine, twin set of TAG Heuer Trackmate stopwatches, Smiths instrumentation, spot light on the roof, a Halda Twinmaster trip computer for competition purposes, two Sparco Pro 2000 FIA Seats race/rally seats with harness seatbelts, twin fuel tanks, Angus Fire Rally System fully plumbed with internal/external activation and a full roll cage. The present owner has competed in a number of historic rallies in the UK and this vehicle is presented with a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust Certificate. A great little ‘pocket rocket’ which can be entered into classic rallies, hillclimbs, sprints or just to use on the road. Superb!"