A Spanish variant in excellent condition with luxurious leather interior.

SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: Automoviles de Turismo Hispano Ingleses

Origin: Landaben, Navarra, Spain

Motor: MG 4-cyl., 4-stroke

Displacement: 1275 cc

Power: 70 hp

Length: 10 ft.

Identification No. 01848

Sir Leonard Lord, head of Austin Motors, had a pet peeve: “Damn these awful bubble cars. We must drive them off the streets by designing a proper miniature car!” He then selected Alec Issigonis, a gifted and individualistic designer, to do the job.

The car, first released as both the Austin Seven and the Morris Mini-Minor, soon became universally known as the Mini. At 10 feet long, it was incredibly small, yet it could hold four adults and their luggage. Its transversely mounted engine drove the front wheels. Suspension was independent all around via rubber cones. It was a marvel of space utilization.

The Mini would go on in the next four decades to become one of the world’s best-known, best-loved cars, and it would be at the heart of a technical and social revolution.

The museum example was produced in Spain under license by the firm Authi. This company began by building the Morris 1100, the MG 1100, and the Morris Countryman before moving to Minis. This luxurious Mini 1275 features a sumptuous pleated leather interior. In 1976, the state-owned SEAT took over the plant to build SEATs and Lancias before Volkswagen began building their Polos there. Offered in excellent and very presentable condition, this is certainly one of the rarest variants of the Mini available in the North American collector car market.