The Austin Mini Cooper Mk1 emerged in 1961 as the high-performance brainchild of racing legend John Cooper, who recognised the untapped competitive potential of Alec Issigonis’s revolutionary economy car.

While Issigonis was initially sceptical about turning his ‘people's car’ into a racer, the collaboration resulted in a machine that defied its diminutive stature.

The Mk1 was fitted with a spirited 997cc (and later 998cc) engine, front disc brakes, and a remote-shift gearbox, but it was the 1963 introduction of the Cooper S that truly cemented its legacy.

With its ‘wheels at each corner’ stance and exceptional power-to-weight ratio, the Mk1 famously humiliated much larger, more powerful V8 competitors on the rally circuit, most notably securing a legendary victory at the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally.

By the time production shifted to the Mk2 in 1967, the Mk1 had transformed the Mini from a budget commuter into a global cultural icon and a giant-killer on the track.

We are delighted to ...