Mini 1000 HLE

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BMC’s Chairman, Sir Leonard Lord, left a mixed legacy when he died at the age of 70 while still at the helm.

His reputation as a foul mouthed leader, driven by production at all costs, was well deserved, the resultant drive for volume ending in a number of BMC products going on sale well before they were ready. On the plus side, he had identified the need for a proper, modern small car to take over from the historically significant pre-war Austin 7 and is often quoted as saying “God damn these bloody awful bubble cars. We must drive them out of the streets by designing a proper miniature car”.

His persuasive manner encouraged the equally ebullient Alec Issigonis to join the company, the range of new cars from BL showing the way forward for the rest of the industry. Best known for his brilliant Mini, Issigonis managed to liberate over 80% of the car’s volume for use by its passengers. The tightly combined engine and gearbox unit was squeezed in at 90 degrees to the bodyshell and drove the front wheels, something that only Citroen had achieved with any degree of commercial success up until then. There wasn’t even room for the radiator to fit in its conventional place.

The public ‘got it’ immediately, buying them in their droves. The little Mini came to signify the changing mood in the country becoming what was probably the first truly classless car ever made in Britain. Pop stars, actors and royalty drove them, as did the district nurse.

This top-spec Mini HLE was delivered new in September 1982, arriving in the vendor’s hands back in 2001. Driven until 2008, it was put away in the garage from where it has recently been exhumed and given a thorough recommissioning by a local Mini specialist. Treated to a full service at the same time, it flew through its MOT which expires in September 2015 and shows no advisories.

The vendor believes that the 32,171 miles on the odometer is correct, but there is insufficient documentation to warrant this. Sitting on its sporty alloy wheels and Yokohama tyres, this Opaline Green car looks very smart with its ‘Clubman’ dials and stripy seats. Fun to drive and cheap to run, a Mini is as relevant today as it was when first unveiled in 1959 – now that’s clever!