Highlights
- Only two owners from new
- One of only 374 Mini Classic Sevens built
- Modified with evocative retro features including ‘basket weave’ grille
- Valid MOT until August 2023
- Registered with the Mini Owner’s Club
The Appeal
In 2000, Rover - suffering under a swathe of debt - opted to sell off the Mini name to BMW, in the hopes of recuperating their spiralling losses. It was the beginning of the end of an era, but such an occasion had to be properly marked. BMW offered Rover the Mini License for a few more special editions, including the Mini Seven, which focused on recapturing some of the car’s original heritage character. Only 374 were built, available in Black, Old English White or Solar Red.
This particular example has taken that heritage character one step further, installing the vintage ‘basket weave’ grille and rear light cluster, which really enhances the special edition’s ethos.
The History and Paperwork
- Registered in January 2001
- The registration date confirms that this Mini was pretty late in production
- In current ownership since 2018, and largely kept garaged
- Registered with the 2000 Mini register
- The 2816th last Mini ever made, with a build date of 14th June 2000 and registered Jan 2001
- In VIN order this would have been the 195th seven made out of the 374 in total
- The cosmetic modifications were largely done during this period
- The five-figure Odometer indicates 44,769 miles
- From what we can ascertain from the car’s MOT history, this is likely to be genuine
- Car comes with some spare parts and a Sykes-Pickavant code reader
- Paperwork file includes:
- Original owner’s handbook and folder
- V5c document
- A selection of invoices
The Interior
- Highly evocative interior in red and white
- Seats in good order with patina to the bolsters and soft cracking
- Scratch to the passenger seat’s leather
- The rear seats are in excellent order and look seldom used
- Some light wear to the headlining and carpets, though nothing significant
- Door cards have some marks but largely present very well
- Instruments all present nicely with all dials clean and easy to read
- Spare airbag steering wheel
- More vintage style interior mirror and gear knob installed
- CD player is the correct optional radio/CD player CD43, though this car never carried the rare CD surround
- The vendor notes that the heated rear window is non-functional
- Alarm has been unplugged from the driver’s door, boot and bonnet
- Boot looks in good order and conceals a spare wheel
The Exterior
- Classic Solar Red paintwork
- Car has at some point been modified with an Old English White roof
- Paintwork is in fair order, with some orange peel and the odd bubble or blister
- Some light signs of corrosion though nothing out of the ordinary for the car
- Slight bonnet/front panel misalignment
- Chromework and trims appear in good condition
- The car has been modified with a ‘Basket weave’ grille and moustache
- Retro-style front-and-rear overriders
- Vintage-look rear light clusters
- Standard arches have been removed as they’re not required for the 10” wheelset
- The result is a Mini with a very distinctive character
- Glasswork and lenses all look sound with no faults we can spot
- The car is sitting on 10” wheels with Cooper discs
- These really suit the car and look in good order
- Wearing a full set of Nankang tyres that appear to have decent tread levels
- Underneath, the car shows some corrosion, though nothing extreme for a Mini of this age
The Mechanics
- Powered by the 1275cc Multi Point Injection A-Series engine
- 4-speed manual gearbox
- The car’s latest MOT came back with zero advisories
- Car has always kept up with its annual services and any repairs required
- The battery has been cut off in the boot in order to save its life while out of use
- Recently subject to steering rack and tracking work
- Car comes complete with:
- Spare airbag
- Spare steering wheel
- Spare clock
- Spare CD player
- And a few other bits and bobs
Summary
Highly characterful, there are few cars with the sheer influence of the Classic Mini. This one is presented in good working order, and should prove a very attractive prospect for any fans of the iconic British motor.
Notice to bidders
This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only*.** Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.*
UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Car & Classic are run through an online HPI check. On the HPI report, this vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft. It is currently not covered by a finance agreement.
UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Car & Classic are run through an online HPI check. On the HPI report, this vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft. It is currently not covered by a finance agreement.
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