Mini 'Inspired by Goodwood' | Spotted
Forget the Aston Cygnet - remember when Rolls-Royce made a Mini?
As you might already be aware (especially for those in attendance at the recent Sunday Service), 2026 marks 25 years of the modern Mini. And it would surely be fair to say that it’s been a bigger success story than anyone could have predicted, not least as it was once dismissed as too big, too heavy and too expensive to be a Mini.
That success can be considered two-fold as well, both in terms of overall sales and market influence. Prior to the R50, retro small cars amounted to the New Beetle - but so successful was the Mini’s combination of old-school cues with modern materials that the rest couldn’t help but follow. Cars like the Fiat 500, most obviously, and perhaps even the latest range of heritage-inspired Renault EVs, must owe something to the Mini’s trailblazing approach. The 21st-century Coopers demonstrated people would pay a fair bit for a small car, if it was a really desirable small car.
There have been plenty of weird, wacky and wonderful Minis over the years, from Coupe to Challenge, which means all sorts of intrigue in the classifieds. And surely none of the BMW era cars is quite as curious as the Inspired by Goodwood machine, a 1,000-unit limited edition that aimed to sprinkle some Rolls-Royce fairy dust on the humble Cooper S.
It really did employ some Rolls-Royce bits, too, including the glorious Cornsilk leather, the Walnut Burr veneers and the lambswool carpets; the fonts were switched to be identical to R-R displays. Diamond Black was also straight from the Goodwood colour palette as well. There were some mild design tweaks too, in keeping with the subdued vibe; note no bonnet scoop for this Cooper S, for example, and the multi-spoke 17s.
Announced at the Shanghai show in 2011 (where else?), the Mini Inspired by Goodwood went on sale in 2012. Where any discussion of ambience or craftsmanship went out the window, because it cost £41k. Or £60k in today’s money. Either this was the greatest profit maker in modern Mini history, or they really did put a heck of a lot into these Goodwood Coopers. It’s believed that just 119 ever sold in the UK; HowManyLeft puts the current number on the road at fewer than a hundred. And it seems they’ve become something of a collector's item. There are two on PH right now, both with very few miles and prices within £500 of each other - at £28,000. So not a bad return on that original purchase price nearly 15 years ago, all things considered.
As then, of course, it’s going to take a dedicated Mini enthusiast to get themselves a Goodwood. There’s all manner of newer, faster, more capable Coopers around at this money. That being said, the R56 is still a popular generation, handsome and fun before the Mini lost its way a tad; as urban areas become seemingly more stressful, too, so the idea of commuting in a Mini-sized Rolls-Royce (or at least a Mini-sized Rolls-Royce experience) certainly isn’t without appeal. It’s going to be a lot cheaper to run, too. And almost £30k is still less than the going rate for a Cygnet…
SPECIFICATION | MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD
Engine: 1,598cc, four-cyl turbo
Transmission: 6-speed auto, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 184@5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 177@1,600-5,000rpm
MPG: 48.7 (NEDC)
CO2: 136g/km (NEDC)
First registered: 2012
Recorded mileage: 10,334
Price new: £41,000
Yours for: £28,495
I assume it's this one that sold 2 weeks ago on Collecting Cars for £19k plus fees as the mileage is the same.
https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/2012-mini-insp...
The previous two on CC sold for a couple of thousand more so looks like they are still depreciating.
Can buy a lot of actual Rolls Royce or Bentley for that, I know people dont generally cross shop small hatch and massive ageing luxury leviathan but 29 grand gets you a half decent Seraph/Arnage.
Sort of reminds me of Swatch doing those AP or Omega knock offs.
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