John Cooper sold his own modified Minis under the ‘Mini Cooper’ name from the mid-1980s, before Rover’s acquisition of the rights to the name made it possible to officially re-launch the model in September 1990.

The new Mini Cooper was based on the Mini 30, the most luxuriously equipped Limited Edition Mini to date, but fitted with the 1,275cc engine rather than the 30’s 998cc unit.

John Cooper’s involvement did not end there however.

In March 1991 his Rover-approved Mini Cooper ‘S’ conversion kit went on sale, a package that boosted power from the stock 61 to 78bhp.

Suspension improvements included adjustable shock absorbers and low-profile tyres.

Independents had been producing them for a long time, but it was not until 1993, 34 years after production had commenced, that there was an official soft-top Mini - the Mini Cabriolet.

Developed jointly by Rover and coachbuilder Karmann, the Mini Cabriolet was built at Longbridge and based on the existing Mini Cooper 1.3i saloon.

This...