Description
'REDUCED TO SELL'
HIGHLIGHTS
A vanishingly rare seen example of this Rover approved Mini Convertible by Lamm
One of just 75 made with less than 10 thought to have survived until today
Boasting an extremely low mileage and admirably pristine condition
THE APPEAL
By the late 1980’s the ageing Mini was already approaching 30 years old yet was enjoying somewhat of a renaissance. As a result, Rover started to explore additional niches for the old-timer to exploit. A convertible option soon became a contender. Consequently, Rover commissioned an obscure German company to produce 75 special Mini convertibles as a “proof of demand” exercise. Lamm were a German Rover franchised dealer but, more importantly, they had been converting Minis into convertibles since the 1980s.
Their approach was simple but impeccably engineered: they removed the Mini’s roof, added compensatory strengthening and fitted a fabric roof with plastic rear windows built in. All 75 were Mini Cooper specification cars, featuring the bigger, carburettor fed 1, 275cc engine. Revolution alloy wheels were specified, and a dramatic looking body kit was present. The unique colourway consisted of Pearlescent Cherry Red paintwork with a matching, maroon hood. All 75 cars were built in right hand drive.
This example is thought to be number 13 of the 75 built. It has survived and thrived to become one of the rarest Minis ever built. The car presents in excellent condition thanks, in part, to its miniscule 17, 279 miles from new – or an average of under 800 miles a year! This diminutive classic is now ready to use and enjoy by a privileged new owner.
THE HISTORY AND PAPERWORK
Like all of the Mini Lamm Convertibles, this example hails from 1991
This car is thought to have been number 13 of 75 built
The car was supplied new in October 1991 by Knights of Manchester
Knights was one of just 12 Rover dealers allocated to supply these special cars
The first owner paid the princely sum of £13, 625
Taking inflation into account that equates to around £30, 000 today
The first owner specified a wax oil treatment and an alarm
The current enthusiast owner acquired the car in 2019
At that stage the Mini had covered around 17, 000 miles
Since then, only a further 280 or so miles have been added
It is this lack of use that is prompting the sale
There is a good level of accompanying paperwork available
This includes the current V5 in the name of the owner
The current MOT in hard copy is also on hand
This is an advisory free test which is valid until July 2024
A significant number of earlier MOTs are also present
The original sales invoice from 1991 is on hand
As is the one from the 2019 sale to the current owner
The remainder of the archive consists of maintenance invoices
The latest of these documents a full service from July 2023
THE INTERIOR
The original interior specification for the Lamm included front Cobra seats
These were originally trimmed in grey velour from the Mini Mayfair
At some point this car has been fitted with a leather interior
This is possibly from the later Mini 40 and is clearly a matching set
The condition of the interior is excellent overall
The front seats are arranged into vertical box pleats
Panels are delineated with contrasting dark piping
The front seats fold forward to provide access to an identically trimmed rear bench
The condition here is equally fine
The door cards and rear side panels are finished in matching, pleated leather
Door furniture and cappings are finished in an attractive burr walnut look
The dark grey cabin carpets appear original and are in fine fettle
The front carpets have been preserved with heavy duty rubber mats
The dashboard is formed from a gloss walnut look panel
A trio of white on grey gauges sit directly ahead of the driver
These nestle behind the three spoked, leather rimmed Mini steering wheel
A lidded glove box is present as is a Pioneer CD head unit
Below this is a panel of familiar Mini rocker switches
A charming, wooden Mini gear knob is in evidence
The boot is traditional Mini fare
This is also home to the spare wheel, tools and new batteryTHE EXTERIOR
Like all Mini Lamm convertibles, this example is finished in Pearlescent Cherry Red paintwork
This looks both sophisticated and reminiscent of the claret hues favoured by 1950’s saloons
The paintwork is beautifully lustrous and punctuated by a subtle, double coachline in silver
Discreet “Lamm Design” decals adorn the bottom fronts of the doors
The chunky body kit features a bumper covering front chin spoiler
This is complete with built in oblong driving lights
This blends into deeply flared, hand width (at least!) wheel arch extensions
These are connected by grooved side skirts with outward flared ends
The rear end wears a copy of the front, bumper covering panel with an integrated fog lamp
The maroon fabric hood fits tightly and is in an excellent condition
The rear side windows are plastic items which are integrated with the hood
Both these and the plastic rear window are clear, un-fogged and free from creases
When the hood is dropped a tailored maroon tonneau cover keeps everything tidy
The big arches are home to the original five-spoked Revolution light alloy wheels
These are 13-inch items and are centred with original flag bearing caps
The wheels are in an excellent and highly original condition
These wheels wear a matching set of Yokohama tyres in a 175/ 50 configuration
THE MECHANICS
The Lamm cars were based on Mini Cooper specification
As such they featured the bigger 1, 275cc, four-cylinder petrol engine, transversely mounted
This unit was originally rated at around 60bhp and 67 Ib-ft of torque
Power is fed to the front wheels via a four-speed manual gearbox
Inevitably this is a light car with a kerb weight of around 695 kg
This endows the little car with a 12 second 0-60mph time and a top speed of over 90mph
The under-bonnet presentation is excellent and completely original
What can be seen of the underside seems equally well presented
Given the car’s mileage and maintenance history the mechanical condition seems excellent
No known mechanical issues were reported
SUMMARY
The Lamm converted Minis represent an interesting watershed in the Mini’s history. Rover commissioned them as a proof of concept for their own convertible version that followed. These were always special cars being one of just 75 beautifully converted, equipped and specified Minis. The intervening years have reduced that original number much further still, of course, making them even more desirable.
This example is a fine exemplar of that very rare breed. It is a lovely looking, chunk of a car with its nicely resolved body kit, sparkling livery and sublime wide alloy wheels and accompanying arches. If you love a classic Mini, and who doesn’t, then this must be a dream ownership opportunity for you. Be sure not to miss this one as who knows if another as good even still exists
