1994 Rover Mini Grand Prix (No.1 of 35) |

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1994 Rover Mini Grand Prix (No.1 of 35)

This vehicle has now been sold - click ‘Register Similar’ below to get notified when we consign a similar vehicle.

Sold Price

£28,620

Mileage11,313
TransmissionManual
Engine1275cc
LocationGateshead

SOLD

1994 Rover Mini Grand Prix (No.1 of 35)

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Kristina Leikaite

Professional Consigner

Once in a lifetime opportunity to own a Mini Grand Prix (No.1 of 35) - previously owned by John Cooper himself.

In 1994, 35 limited edition Rover Mini Grand Prix's were created. This Mini was the press car and first registered to Mr John Cooper. Being the first example, and a prototype it was unique to the other cars with its 3 additional grey clocks. All the GP’s were equipped with a tuned 86bhp 1275cc engine boasting a top speed of 105 mph and 0-60 time of under 9 seconds. Full leather interior with walnut burr dash was fitted along with a Motalita / John Cooper signed steering wheel.

Stephen has enjoyed ownership of this Grand Prix (1/35) for the previous ~2 years, it’s been the centerpiece of his collection and he’ll be sad to see it go. He mentions the Mini may be common, but this is as rare as it gets, especially with its John Cooper heritage and ownership. The car is equipped with body-colored arch extensions and 12” Minilits, with quad spotlights, which really makes it stand out on the road and at any show.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Kristina after meeting Stephen the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

Originally owned by John Cooper, and then followed by a line of Mini enthusiasts.

Stephen is the fifth and current custodian of this Limited Edition 1994 Rover Mini Grand Prix - it is the first model of 35 ever produced. You'll find a plaque on the dashboard verifying this, along with a John Cooper Conversion certificate, signed by Mr John Cooper himself, this example was the prototype and press release model, with its grey clocks making it unique to the other 34 ever produced.

The car has not seen much use since Stephen purchased it, being such a rare car, and the centerpiece of his garage. He does mention though "whenever I get the chance I love to take it for a local drive, it sure does go too, with its nippy engine".

Stephen will be more than happy to answer your questions about the car in the comments below.

Stephen

Vehicle Owner

Stephen saved £5,040* when they
sold their Mini with us.

SELLING MADE EASY

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

This is a collectors' limited run, classic in shape with special 'Grand Prix' adjustments such as extended arches and quad spotlights making it rather special.

Wheels and Tyres

The car is fitted with 5Jx12 Silver Minilite’s wrapped with Yokohama A539 tyres. These wheels present in great condition on each corner - some very minor marks around the lug nut are preset if we were being really really picky.

The Yokohama's are dated 2005 with all tyres appearing in good condition with lots of tread left, due to the limited mileage covered.

Bodywork

The bodywork of this Grand Prix Mini looks in excellent condition, with all the panel gaps around the car look to align very well.

This limited run saw the addition of body colour arch extensions, 4-spot lights, and an alloy Daytona filler cap.

During our visit we didn't spot any obvious dings down the flanks of the car, everything looking crisp and sharp.

We have taken hi-resolution images and videos of the car for you to assess the condition of the bodywork for yourselves.

Paint

Finished in the classic British Racing Green with commemorative 'Grand Prix' decals. The paint appeared in great condition on our visit, and to a very high standard, with even coverage and colour across each panel.

Again, please take time to review all the images and videos showing the paint from different angles and reflections, to assess the condition for yourselves.

Glass and Trim

The glass on this example looks great and in line with the low mileage, we didn't notice any chips, cracks, or discolouration on our visit. The window seals look good too and in line with the rest of the condition of the car.

The chrome bumpers, grille, door, boot handles, and window surrounds all look in very good condition with a very small area of pitting on the fast flip alloy fuel cap.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

Inisde the Grand Prix had design flourishes such as soft beige leather seats and door panels, luxurious walnut door cappings and alloy door handles.

Seats and Carpets

The Grand Prix is covered in soft beige leather seats, that hold you comfortably, and have held their shape very well over the years as you would expect for the little use and mileage.

The soft leather continues to the door cards, deep pile carpets, and alloy door handles and window winders are also fitted. You can tell this car has been meticulously cared for over its lifetime by a line of enthusiasts.

Please take a look at the extensive media for a detailed view of the cabin.

Dashboard

Being the press release example and No.1, it is set apart from the other 34 with its grey coloured clocks, the others were fitted with cream coloured clocks. The dash is covered in walnut burr trim and given three extra gauges; a clock, oil pressure and voltmeter as well as a numbered brass plaque.

The dashboard in this Mini has no signs of any major damage or scuffs. With no warning lights displayed, the odometer showed a reading of ~11,313 miles on our visit.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

A 13" Cooper steering wheel is fitted signed by both John Cooper and Motalita with a black leather grip.

The original steering wheel presents in great condition in line with the very low mileage of this car, the walnut gearstick looks great too, with some very slight cracking appearing around the top.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

The GP was given many upgrades, much more than the usual 'go faster' stripes.

Engine and Gearbox

The Grand Prix received some serious performance tweaks, rather than just styling. The engine was ported, balanced, and fitted with a flowed cylinder head with: larger valves; new camshaft and valve rocker assemblies heavy dutch clutch assembly; revised timing gears; additional timing gears; additional oil cooler; Weber Alpha fuel injection management system; sports exhaust system and air filter system. All this fine-tuning resulted in the power being increased to 86bhp, torque increased by 20% and the 0-60 time dropped less than 9 seconds.

Stephen reports the car starts from cold with no issues and drives well with its smooth manual gearbox powering the front wheels. Take a look at the mechanical video to see the car starting from cold, driving around, and for a closer look underneath the GP.

Suspension and Brakes

As a performance-focused Mini, as well as the engine upgrades the car also received new adjustable shock absorbers.

Please view the mechanical videos and photographs to see close-up images from under the car.

The Drive

The stand-alone Mini City 1.3L which this car is based off was extremely fun and enjoyable to drive, but with the added John Cooper touch, a much more performance-focused sporty drive is offered. 24 more bhp offers much quicker accelerating times, and with the addition of the adjustable shocks, you'll be able to take corners which much more precision and control.

Electrics and Other

All of the electric items are said to be fully functional and operational, in line with the rest of the condition of the car.

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History and Paperwork

No.1 of 35 ever produced - this low mileage and relatively low ownership Grand Prix John Cooper Mini is UK RHD, and owned by the man himself, its a collectors' car.

This car is coming out of ~2 years of ownership with Stephen, he thoroughly enjoyed ownership of this rare car and using it on small trips having covered barely ~100 miles over his time with it. Just four former keepers are registered before then, the first owner being John Cooper himself.

Take a look at the media to see all the history included within the sale of the car, including the original conversion certificate by John Cooper.

Stephen will be more than happy to answer any questions you have about the car in the comments below.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
04.11.2021	MOT	11,294
24.09.2020	MOT	11,222
06.02.2020	MOT	11,190
07.09.2012	Service	11,171
01.12.2011	MOT	11,170
31.08.2011	Service	11,014
15.09.2010	Service	11,009
25.09.2009	MOT	10,944
25.09.2009	Service	10,994
25.09.2009	MOT	10,944
27.09.2008	MOT	10,704
22.09.2007	MOT	10,490
15.09.2006	MOT	10,231
02.06.1998	Service (MD)	2,164
14.03.1996	Service	1,493
19.07.1995	Service (MD)	921