FOR SALE
A perfect unregistered Rover Mini Cooper Sport 500 with just 8 miles.

EQUIPMENT
Chrome brightwork, twin coachlines and decals, Mini winged badges, derivative and GB boot badges, large body coloured wheelarch extensions, cream faced instrument gauges and dials, analogue clock, alloy gearknob, alloy door furniture, driver’s airbag, Perimetric anti-theft alarm with passive engine immobiliser and remote activation. Special Cooper 500 Equipment Pack: Platinum Silver roof, door mirrors, and bonnet stripes, alloy fascia, special edition plaque, high level third brake light. Special Edition Gift Box: Signed authenticity certificate, Penknife, fragrance canister with syringe, satchel, razor, card holder, cuff links, keyring, cap, fleece, T-Shirt X2. Collectables: Original Cooper Sports 500 launch press pack, Coventry Evening Telegraph dated October 4th 2000 with Lulu and last Mini at Longbridge.

EXTERIOR
Absolute Mini Cooper Sport 500 perfection is found here with this example being unregistered and covered just 8 delivery miles! In one of four colours designated for the 500, 110 cars were produced in Solar Red (Code WNR), the second rarest colour after Anthracite of which there were just two fewer produced. Stored in an air chamber from new, the factory paintwork is flawless and every panel pin straight with no markings at all. Incredible preservation of all trim, rubbers, chrome, and lights almost defies belief and retains a pinnacle level most could never aspire to. The underside follows suit in being utterly pristine with every nut, bolt clip and even bright coloured PDI markings and delicate labels intact. The ultimate collector piece for the Mini connoisseur and the perfect blueprint.

INTERIOR
These late Mini Coopers were lavishly trimmed, particularly so in the final ‘500’ celebration model. The full leather interior in Black and Nickle Silver, (Code WNP), is in showroom condition. Thankfully, this incredible example has remained in perfect ambient conditions away from elements such as UV light. As importantly, the metal plaque fitted to the inner glove box lid states, ‘This Mini is one of the last 500 built to the original Sir Alec Issigonis Design’. As new.

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION
The final production cars utilised the 1275cc unit mated to Multi-Point fuel Injection to lower emissions and noise and increased performance. Spotless and the benchmark for anyone wishing to recreate a 100% accurate engine bay, there isn’t a single clip, bracket, sticker, plate or label out of place and even oils and fluids added at the Longbridge plant remain! The car is fully operational and drivable, yet for obvious mileage preservation purposes, we have resisted the urge to take a drive!

WHEELS, TYRES & BRAKES
The original 13in sports style alloy wheels which were standard on the Cooper Sport 500 are as new, so too are the centre caps. The factory fitted Dunlop SP Sport 3000 175/50/R13 tyres remain fitted with no degradation. The unused spare wheel and Pirelli Cinturato CN54 tyre with factory chalk marks rest alongside the original jack and Mini pouch in the immaculate boot area which still displays factory date stickers! Even the foam shroud remains around the rear number plate light cable which was lost on most cars within days or even removed on PDI! The servo assisted brakes incorporating front discs and rear drums retain factory linings and consumables.

HISTORY FILE
The build date of this example is recorded on the Cooper Sport 500 Register as the 20th of September 2000 and is the 266th last VIN allocated to a Mini. Number 235 in the register, this car is one of just four known examples to remain unregistered. Source of information is the Rover Mini Cooper Sport 500 Register, (coopersport500register.com), whereby Registrar Andy Mynott confirms that although the records state five cars are known to be unregistered, one of the five has since been registered with the DVLA and the website is to be updated.

Number 235 was supplied new by Rover Main Dealer, Quicks of Coventry, and the new vehicle order form made out to a Mrs Maureen Hartley confirms the purchase price of £10,995. Such was the hype and fanfare around the final 500 cars, demand far outstripped supply and negotiation on price was out of the question! A speculative purchase, the car was not to be registered and this has remained the case. Having covered just 8 miles from new the car was offered for sale in 2015 when it was sold by a classic Mini specialist to a private collector, Mr Trevor Townson, who has owned to car ever since and had it carefully stored in an air chamber. Collectors and enthusiasts alike will be pleased to see
documentation such as the Mini Assembly Classic Final Audit Sheet, build specification print-outs and PDI documentation. Further foresight upon initial purchase of the car saw the first owner obtaining now highly collectable items such as the official Launch Press Information packs, special edition brochures and postcards. Also retained with the car are the Special Edition Gift Boxes with all items stored in the stylish Mini corrugated card boxes as well as the authenticity certificate ‘Certifiable Fun’ signed by John Cooper, Designer and Mini Driver and Kevin Howe, Chief Executive of MG Rover Group.

The ultimate blueprint for anyone wishing to restore or recreate another 500 to 100% accuracy. A fascinating car.

Genre

Original