Lot 232: 2000 Rover Mini Cooper S by John Cooper Garages 'The Very Last One'

Few cars in competition have fuelled the imagination like the giant-killing Mini Cooper, the combination of diminutive size, outstanding roadholding and punchy power often running rings around the opposition. Following the original 997cc Mini Cooper's launch in July 1961, Pat Moss gave due warning of the car's potential by winning the 1961 Tulip Rally on only the car's second outing, and the following year John Love won the British Saloon Car Championship; it was successes like these that prompted BMC to build a much more radical car, an homologation special to take on the world's best in competition. Launched in March 1963, the 1,071cc Mini Cooper S was the ultimate Mini, at its heart a much higher specification engine than the plain Cooper's unit, and slightly larger but much more efficient front disc brakes. The increased potential of the S was quickly demonstrated by Rauno Aaltonen's outright win on the 1963 Alpine Rally, followed by Paddy Hopkirk's 1st place overall on the Monte Carlo, 3rd on the Tour de France and 4th on the RAC. A few months later, in January 1964, the 997cc Cooper was replaced by the 998cc model, and by March 1964 its big brother became available with two new engines, the 1,071cc Cooper S being discontinued in August the same year. The limited production 970cc S was aimed purely at the 1,000cc class in race and rallies, an area in which it was to excel. It is the larger 1,275cc model, however, that is best remembered and with it Timo Makinen won the 1964 Tulip Rally as soon as the 1,275 had been homologated. The successes continued, including Timo Makinen's victory in atrocious weather on the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally and numerous other wins that year culminating in outright honours for Aaltonen on the RAC. It was in January 1966, however, that the works Mini Cooper Ss caused a furore when all three cars entered finished an impressive 1st, 2nd and 3rd only to be disqualified on the highly spurious grounds of an irrelevant dipped-headlight infringement - unsurprisingly to the benefit of the French and an embarrassed Citroen team. With a competition history like this and a place comfortably reserved within the heart of the nation, it is little surprise that the design matured and continued for several more decades. The Cooper S presented here today began life as one of the final 500 Rover/BMW Mini Coopers. This series of the very last Minis is frequently described as the best built due to the far higher build quality that the BMW assembly plant could offer. The car was sold initially by John Cooper, in fact, it was parked right next to his personal Mini, the famous MY 5UN, both cars being visible from Mr Cooper's office. It was a big day at the garage when the last car ever to be made was delivered for sale and a number of very specific modifications were made. The last 500 had a silver/grey roof panel with contrasting bonnet stripes and this particular car has the same specification but with the stripes and roof painted on rather than being stuck-on decals. The interior is red leather with contrasting black piping and a facia - a unique Cooper unit with the instrument cluster set into the panel - formed from engine-turned aluminium, and there are also drilled aluminium door handles and window winders. Not all the changes are just superficial however; power is delivered through a quick-shift gearbox while the fast road specification engine is protected by an alloy sump guard. Costing over £23,000 at the point of sale and with just 7,000 miles recorded, this Mini has been looked after by long term Cooper specialist Aladdin Motorsport and it comes with an enormous history file, including brochures as well as a letter signed by Mike Cooper certifying the pedigree of this very last of the classic Mini line converted to works S specification at John Cooper Garages. Like wine, fine art and sculpture, there is a finite number of these important objects and only one like this. With this in mind, have a good look over this lot and ask yourself, "Can I really afford not to buy it...."