1996 Mini Classic

Mini Cooper won the prestigious Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965, and 1967. Mini's eventually had to move over when cars such as the Porsche 911 and Alpine A110 started to dominate the World Rally Championship in the early 1970s.However, the public love for the little car remained, as it still does today, and when Rover started to produce the Mini Cooper again in the early 1990’s a plan was hatched by the factory to support ‘works’ entries to the Monte Carlo once again.

The story starts in 1994 when Rover consented to 5 cars being built for Rally events and led to Paddy Hopkirk returning together with Ron Crellin to participate in the 1994 event. This was covered by Top Gear and footage of the event is still available online. The following year just one Rover ‘works’ supported car was entered and that was a Rover France Group A car. In 1996, Rover heritage, under the leadership of Brian Cameron, assembled a team for the Monte Carlo Rally in which both cars finished . After this success they acquired 2 new chassis from the production line which were initially prepared as race cars before being converted back for the 1997 Monte Carlo Rally.

This 1997 event was the final Monte Carlo for the Mini Cooper and in total there were 5 ‘works’ cars entered. One GpA and a GpN for Rover GB, a GpN car for Rover Japan, a Gp N car for Rover France and this car for sale today which was the Gp A car prepared by Rover Italia.

The car has superb provenance and unbroken history. It was driven by Claudia Peroni with Liliana Armand in the navigators seat. Car number 153, registration AL 555 CW which started the concentration run from Turin. The car ran well in the initial stages of the Rally but sadly, a drive shaft pulled out and the car had to be withdrawn . There is , however, a wonderful short film of the car on the event which can be found on YouTube together with one showing Sandro Munari - the legendary Lancia Stratos driver, testing this car after the event.

youtu.be/IGuJkGotACg?si=-AkqN3ApwxU6pbu1

Following the event the car went on public display in the Rover headquarters in Rome. A short time later Rover went ‘bust’ and the car was sold to one of their dealer network ending up in Piacenza where the garage owner had a Rally Car collection.

So the car remained in perfect Rally prepared condition, never turning a wheel again on a Rally. The mileage to this day is still less than 1000km.

In 2010 the car was advertised for sale and I travelled to Italy where I purchased the car and trailered it home over the Alps .

The car was correctly UK registered P106 GPB, has a V5 and can be driven on the road. The original Italian paperwork has been retained with the consent of DVLA as the car is of significant heritage value. It has been part of my collection and used for Rally demonstration events and shows. Maintained, and in great original condition this car is 100% authentic and there are numerous articles about the car written in both UK and international publications.

The car comes with a spare set of wheels and the associated documentation for the ‘97 rally such as stage notes etc.

This is a very special piece of Mini Cooper heritage and offered at a fraction of the price of similar ‘works’ car from the 1960’s , and with the price of low mileage road cars from the same era now making £30-50k this has to be a very good buy.