The Mini has been a popular car on our British roads for many years with both young and old driving them. You either love them or hate them but they are undoubtedly here to stay.

It is interesting that, when BMW took over the production of the Mini, we started to see an increasing number of the classic models on our roads dating back 20, 30 and more years. These older models do fetch very good prices on the open market and have become sought after classic cars.

We have recently heard of an old Mini selling for a record price at an auction and the figure is much higher than had been expected. The Mini in question had been kept in a garage for 20 years without any care and attention. It did not have an MOT, the paintwork was faded and the engine didn’t even work.

The Mini Cooper S had an estimated price of £8,000 yet it eventually went for £31,000. The new owner wished to remain anonymous. The car was built in 1966, has had three previous owners and done 75,000 miles so it has been well used. In fact, the last owner purchased it in 1968 and used it for twenty-five years before garaging it in 1993.

The auctioneers were of the opinion that the reason the sale price far exceeded its estimated price was because of it being so original. All the things in the car were original including the 1275cc engine and its two-tone paintwork and interior trim. It is a rarity for a Mini like this to come up for sale and they believe that there are probably less than twelve such cars in existence anywhere in the world. The Mini Cooper S is a particular sought after model.

It is estimated that a couple of thousand pounds will need spending on it to get it back on the road so, once this happens, will it be worth more than £31,000 – perhaps the new owner thinks it will.