Mini Cooper Sport

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By the late ‘80s, nearly 30 years since its debut, the remarkable Mini had gone into something of a sales decline, losing market share to more practical hatchback alternatives from the likes of Renault, Fiat and VW.

In a bid to improve sales, Rover Group used its RSP (Rover Special Projects) division to breathe some magic back into the car, launching the Rover RSP in 1990 – the first of the reincarnated Coopers. This turned out to be a master-stroke which brought about a genuine revival of interest in the Mini, particularly in Japan. The new Cooper had a 63bhp 1,275cc carburettor engine and an even better fuel-injected version was introduced in 1991.

When BMW took control over the Rover Group in 1994, the Cooper stayed in production and build quality went up along with more luxurious interiors trimmed in leather and equipped with a driver airbag. The last Mini Cooper was built in October 2000 and all are increasingly collectable today.

Put a private plate on this April 2000-registered Mini Cooper Sport and all but the keen enthusiast would be hard-pressed to date it accurately. It is not just the timeless nature of its design, it is also the fact that this car is very tidy. It has obviously led a sheltered life and the MOT history supports the recorded mileage of just over 52,000.

Surprisingly, there is little service history with this car but the condition speaks for itself and the 1,275cc engine and gearbox are known to clock up much higher mileages with few problems. The rest of the running gear is equally durable, accessible to the home mechanic, and should give no cause for concern. We are told that it has proved very reliable during the current 5-year ownership and has an MOT until 28th May 2019.

This 19-year old Cooper Sport is a little fire-cracker and must will appeal to anyone looking for a fun daily-driver as much as it will to those looking for a practical classic.