1997 Rover Mini Cooper 1.3i For Sale By Auction

The Appeal

In the wake of the Suez Oil Crisis and as Britain’s take on the low cost, peoples’ car concept, the Mini hit the roads in 1959. It was a design masterpiece courtesy of, the now legendary, Alec Issigonis. It’s simple, but brilliant, longitudinal engine layout revolutionised small car packaging thinking. This approach combined with others, like the tiny 10-inch wheels, meant that an amazing 80% of the car was given over to its four passengers. A fortunate by-product of its boxy, squat design was that it proved great fun to drive and, thus, soon endeared itself to keen drivers the world over.

By the time our example rolled out of Longbridge in 1997, the Mini was already 38 years old and being produced in its Mark VII guise. This iteration now included a bigger 1,275cc fuel injected engine and a considerably plusher interior. Our example is an honest and original little gem. It is presented in the fun and vibrant Volcano Orange livery and is awash with all the expected Cooper details.

The History and Paperwork

This Mini Cooper is a UK specified and supplied car from new

It was first registered in November 1997

The first owner retained the car for around two years

The second acquired the car in 1999 and retained it until 2004

The current owner acquired the Mini in July 2020 to become its fifth

At that stage the Cooper had covered around 51,300 miles

Since then, the current owner has added around 1,100 miles

The Mini is complete with a helpful level of paperwork

This includes the V5 in the name of the current owner

The current MOT is valid until July 2024

This is an advisory free test

The original book pack is on hand in its supplied Rover folder

This pack includes the service book

The service book is full of stamps from a mix of main dealers and independents

The stamps cover mileages from 12,754 to 52,324 miles

Additionally, a number of maintenance invoices are present

The most recent of these dates from June 2023 and amounts to over £1,300

The Interior

The iconic Mini still provides an object lesson in car packaging

Considering the car’s miniscule footprint, the interior is surprisingly accommodating

In this 1.3 Cooper guise the upholstery is a combination of leather and fabric

The front seats feature fabric centres in a stone coloured, self-patterned design

The bolsters are finished in black leather

Magnolia piping to the seat edges helps round off the sporty ambiance

The condition appears to be very good overall

There is an area of minor cracking to the driver’s seat bolster

The rear bench seat is identically finished and in a fine condition

The signature big rear storage bins are situated either side of the rear bench

The car is carpeted in black, and the condition appears sound

The dashboard is finished with a varnished wooden fascia panel

The instrument binnacle houses striking black on ivory gauges

These consist of a speedometer, tachometer and a multi-purpose third gauge

A smattering of switches occupies the centre section of the dash

A “Cooper” emblazoned, three spoke steering wheel is fitted

This is finished with magnolia leather touch points

A magnolia leather gear knob is also present

A Sony DAB head unit is fitted and is reported to sound excellent

Door cards are finished in a combination of fabric and leather

The light headlining is clean and tightly fitted

The small boot houses a spare wheel, jack and tool set

A protective fitted carpet floor mat is present

The Exterior

This example presents very well in a metallic Volcano Orange livery

Twin stripes in White Diamond adorn the extremities of the bonnet

The roof is also finished in white in true Cooper fashion

As such the condition of paint and bodywork appears exemplary

The orange exudes a high shine and contains a high level of metallic flake

There is plenty of Cooper detail to feast the eyes on, too

This includes twin driving lights and black wheel arch extensions

Badges front and rear are Cooper specific

Delicate, double side coach lines in white terminate in “Mini Cooper” laurel emblems

The wing mirrors are white backed to match the roof and bonnet stripes

Our car sits purposefully on silver painted Minilite style alloy wheels

These 12-inch items feature large Cooper centre caps

A little kerb rash is noted on the front pair

A mixed set of tyres are fitted in a 145/60 configuration

The overall impression created is eye catching and endearing in equal measure

The Mechanics

In this MKVI Mini, engine mounts were revised to allow the 1,275cc unit to be fitted

In our example that is the multi-point fuel injected version of the A-Series

In this configuration power was quoted at 62 bhp and 70 Ib-ft of torque

In a car weighing just 700 kgs dry, this is sufficient for a spirited performance

This is combined with the Mini’s renowned “go-kart like” directness

This combination makes for a highly entertaining driving experience

Our car has clearly been well maintained and lightly used

It is no surprise, then, to report that it is in a fine mechanical fettle

The current owner reports no known mechanical issues

The under-bonnet presentation is good overall

The underside of the car appears to be in good condition for its age

This is a Mini Cooper which is ready to use and enjoy by its lucky new owner

Summary

There are few cars that have shaped the automotive world in the way that the Mini has. Other examples could include the Volkswagen Beetle and the Citroen 2CV, perhaps. What has always set the Mini apart, however, is the way it drives. Compared with its peers the Mini rewarded the enthusiastic driver with excellent handling and roadholding that allowed the most to be made of the peppy, revvy engines.

This example represents a fine ownership proposition, too. It has been lightly and sympathetically used throughout its life. Its paperwork archive suggests rigorous and regular maintenance at all points in its history. The joyful colourway suits the cheeky personality of the car so well, too. What further reasons do you need to get behind the wheel of this delightful Mini Copper 1.3i

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1997 Rover Mini Cooper 1.3i

Highlights