Highlights

Iconic British classic city car, previously restored and resprayed
Striking red-and-black colour scheme
Modified Swiftune engine, rebuilt between 2000 and 2007, paired with a retrofitted five-speed gearbox
Five-digit odometer is believed to have rolled over, with total mileage reported as 120,961 miles
MOT valid until November 2026

The Appeal

The original Mini is one of the most significant small cars ever produced. Conceived by Sir Alec Issigonis, its transverse engine and front-wheel-drive layout freed up remarkable interior space within a tiny footprint, establishing a template that would influence generations of compact cars to follow.

That fundamental design proved so effective that the Mini remained in production, instantly recognisable throughout, until 2000. By then, more than 5.3 million examples had been built and the model had long since secured its place in British motoring culture. Its compact dimensions, low weight and wheel-at-each-corner stance also lent themselves naturally to more sporting versions, most famously those developed in association with John Cooper.

This 1993 Cooper 1.3i is equipped with the single-point injection engine and was subsequently treated to a programme of rebuilding and modification by Swiftune between 2000 and 2007. Its included private registration provides a clear reference to the car’s increased output. A five-speed gearbox has also been fitted in place of the original four-speed unit, with the seller praising the additional flexibility it provides on faster roads.

Various body panels were replaced, and the car was resprayed in 2011. It is now finished in bright red with contrasting black detailing across the roof, bonnet stripes, bumpers, wheel arches, grille and headlamp surrounds. Inside, the familiar Cooper combination of black half-leather upholstery with red piping, red carpets and a wooden dashboard remains, while an enlarged centre section houses a full complement of Smiths gauges alongside a Panasonic CD player for an appropriately period touch.

Praised by the seller for its condition, this modified Cooper combines the familiar charm of the classic Mini with a series of thoughtful mechanical upgrades that should make it particularly entertaining to use.

Key Information

Mileage: 20,961 miles (indicated, believed by the vendor to be 120,961 miles)
Country of registration: United Kingdom
Technical inspection status: MOT valid until 1 November 2026, first-time pass with advisories for an oil leak, play in the steering rack inner joint, underseal and heavy welding on the underside of the vehicle, corrosion on the offside and nearside rear subframe, damage on the nearside rear subframe, wear on the front bushes of the rear subframe, heavy corrosion on the nearside outer sill, heavy underseal on the front subframe mounting area, and low brake fluid.
Technical specs: 1,293cc inline-four, retrofitted five-speed gearbox
Paperwork: Folders of service history, V5C registration document, MOT certificate, dyno graph, various invoices

The Detail

Red paintwork with contrasting black detailing
Black half-leather interior with red piping and matching red carpets
Walnut dashboard incorporating Smiths auxiliary gauges
Black Minilite-style wheels with contrasting red rims
Equipment includes auxiliary driving lights, alloy door furniture and a Panasonic CD stereo
Some bubbling and other paintwork imperfections visible around the bodywork
Stone chips present on the front end
Age-related creasing visible on the seats
Spare wheel and wheel brace stored beneath the boot floor carpet
Accompanied by numerous invoices documenting the engine rebuild and modification, servicing, replacement sill section and jacking point, new manifold and catalytic converter, MOT testing and other work
Dyno graph also included among the accompanying paperwork

BEFORE YOU BUY

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