A true motoring icon, the Mini made its debut in 1959 and survived, in various incarnations, for a remarkable 41 years, until the last one rolled off the line in October 2000. What would turn out to be the final Mini version - the Mark 7 - arrived in 1996. 

The new model included multi-point fuel injection, higher final drive gearing, a driver’s airbag, side impact beams, additional sound insulation, improved front seats, front-mounted radiator and a ‘Sports Pack’ option. Part of a factory initiative intended to encourage customers to personalise their Minis, the Sports Pack comprised 13”x 6” Minilite-style alloy wheels, extended wheelarches, Koni dampers, four auxiliary front lights, a large-bore exhaust tailpipe and extra instruments. Among the numerous other options was a wood-embellished interior and ‘John Cooper’ black leather seats – both present on this example.

W 364 PRL is in excellent condition both inside and out and, with late-series Minis being particularly sought-after, presents an ideal opportunity for any enthusiast.  

The vendor has a long history with this car, and has owned it since 2015. An experienced motor engineer, he used to maintain and service the car for its previous owner, a personal friend, from 2011 onwards, and in 2015 he was offered the chance to buy the car when his friend was offered and accepted, at very short notice, a relocation to the USA. However, as this car is part of a collection, he hasn’t used the car as much as he expected, and its MoT history records that it has only done just over 1000 miles since 2015. 

A potential future down-sizing house move has prompted the decision to sell. (Please note that the V5 records that the vendor acquired the car in 2020. He admits that this was just an oversight on his part, he didn’t get round to applying for a new V5 until 2020.) Unfortunately, the short-notice emigration of the car’s previous owner resulted in the loss of the car’s service history and other documents, so the vendor has very little paperwork with the car. Intriguingly, when the vendor purchased the car the then-current V5 suggested that the car had been previously owned by a member of the Dunlop family, of Isle of Man TT fame. 

The car has been garaged throughout the vendor’s ownership, and in the previous owner’s tenure. 

The car’s online MoT history suggests that the indicated mileage, 46657, is likely to be genuine.

The ‘Sports Pack’-spec interior of the car features black leather seats, a mahogany dash, driver’s airbag, seatbelt pre-tensioners and smart instrument dials. Compared to previous Mini variants, this is a stylish and comfortable driving environment. 

The condition of the interior is testament to the car’s cherished lifestyle and reflects its low mileage. It’s all in remarkably good condition – there are no cracks on the mahogany dash, and only a few minor blemishes that one would expect of a car that’s more than twenty years old. The vinyl top of the dashboard has no cracks or evidence of fading, again reflecting its long history of indoor storage, while the leather-trimmed steering wheel looks fantastic. 

The black leather seats have virtually no signs of wear, the carpets are clean and show few signs of wear (and have been protected by branded overmats). The door cards and interior handles look pretty much as-new. In the boot, the lining is in excellent condition and beneath this is a spare wheel in good condition. The battery and screenwash bottle also live in the boot, and the spare wheel well has no evidence of rust.     

The distinctive styling of the Mini still draws attention; there’s nothing on the road so instantly recognisable. This one looks great in its Tahiti Blue colour scheme, with the familiar Cooper decals, and the vendor admits that this car gets more attention than other more exotic classics that he owns. 

Again, the exterior of the car belies its age and reinforces the vendor’s comments about how well it’s been cared for. There’s no evidence of rust, but closer inspection reveals that the paintwork has a slight patina and would probably benefit from a thorough polish – the vendor admits he’s ‘not a polisher’! The vendor also believes that the sills have been replaced at some point, by a previous owner.

The car has stainless-steel bumpers, headlamp surrounds, windscreen wipers, fog bracket, fuel filter, alternator guard and fuse-box cover. There are new window seals front and back. The door handles, badges and other brightwork all look good, while the alloy wheels have only a few minor scuffs and no evidence of corrosion.

Always renowned for being fun to drive, the biggest changes brought in for the Mark 7 Mini were mechanical. All models now got a 63bhp derivative of the 1275cc A-Series engine with multi-point fuel injection. The four-speed gearbox was revised to give much taller gearing in its highest ratio, making it a more amenable motorway cruiser. 

W 364 PRL starts on first turn of the key, and the cherry-bomb exhaust, while not overly obtrusive, gives the engine a lovely sound. The vendor will also supply the original exhaust with the car. The car has recently had a service which included an oil change, new oil and air filters, a new battery and fuel pump, and the vendor reports that it drives beautifully, with no issues. The condition of the engine bay provides further evidence of the care and respect with which successive owners have treated the car, and it’s the same story underneath the car. 

As well as the airbag and seat-belt-pre-tensioners, this model benefits from side-impact protection. 

The tyres all have good tread but are showing signs of age, and two of these were picked up as advisory matters at the MoT test in February 2022.  

Manufactured in 2000, this example is among the last of the classic Minis, and these remain highly sought-after. In remarkable condition for its age, this is clearly a car that has been well looked-after throughout its life and offers the new owner the chance to own a motoring icon that’s great fun to drive but that will no doubt continue to appreciate in value.