RM Sotheby’s auctioneer Lord Dalmeny hammers down a 2001 Mini Cooper with 6 miles on the clock for the staggering sum of nearly £60,000; it would have cost around £10,500 new
In August 2014, Historics Auctioneers hammered down a 2001 Mini Cooper Sport 500 with 30,270 miles on the clock for £9,632 ($10,959, €10,992 or درهم40,248) whilst an example with just 204 miles on the clock “stunned the motor trade” when it sold for £20,160 ($22,938, €23,006 or درهم84,240) in September 2015.
Now, another of the certified last 500 Cooper Sport 500’s made to celebrate the end of ‘classic’ Mini production – which would have cost around £10,500 ($11,900, €12,000 or درهم43,900) when new – sold on Saturday at the RM Sotheby’s London 2022 sale for the even more staggering sum of £57,500 ($65,400, €65,600 or درهم240,100). It had been offered with an estimate of £30,000 to £40,000 ($34,100 to $45,500, €34,200 to €45,700 or درهم125,400 to درهم167,100).
One of the last of the ‘original’ Minis designed by Sir Alexander Issigonis CBE FRS RDI (1906 – 1988) in conjunction with Dr Alexander Moulton CBE FREng (1920 – 2012) has now become the most expensive example ever sold. It has only 6 miles on the clock and had been displayed at the Cayman Islands Motor Museum until 2021.
Of a tiny car that achieved a very high price, in their listing, RM Sotheby’s remarked:
“It offers a rare chance to acquire a one-private-owner-from-new example with only ‘delivery miles.’”
“All 500s were manufactured with the 1275 Plus four-cylinder A-series engine, rated at 62 horsepower. Customers could choose from one of four body colours: Anthracite, British Racing Green, Solar Red, or Tahiti Blue, with the roof and bonnet stripes finished in Platinum Silver, regardless of body colour choice.”
“Included as special extras were 13-inch alloy wheels, a high-level brake light, four spot lamps, a certificate, and a commemorative plaque mounted inside the glove box. Inside all Cooper Sport 500s, the seats, door cards, steering wheel and dashboard were upholstered in black and silver leather. Rather than the standard plastic interior fittings, this model featured an alloy gear knob, window winders, dashboard, door handles, and pulls.”
“This Cooper Sport 500 is painted in Solar Red over a Platinum Silver roof, and is believed to be one of only 110 produced in this colour combination. It was registered on 3rd May 2001 and purchased new by its sole private owner from Caffyns of East Sussex, England. A copy of the original sales invoice accompanies this Mini. The cabin remains a factory-correct affair, with the seats upholstered in black and silver leather, the carpets trimmed in black, and retaining its original alloy fittings.”
Pictured top – The front of the car sold by RM Sotheby’s (left) and chairman of Sotheby’s since 2017 Harry Primrose, Lord Dalmeny DL on the rostrum auctioning the vehicle on 5th November 2022 (right).
More pictures of the little car sold for a very big price by RM Sotheby’s at their Marlborough House, St James’s, London, SW1 sale on 5th November 2022 prior to the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run
