Single family ownership since 1967
1966 Austin Mini Cooper S 1275 'Downton' Sports Saloon

• Owned by one family since 1967 with only two registered keepers
• Tuned in period by Downton Engineering Works
• Used to win the BTRDA Flather Star Autotest Championship
• Original condition

To many - its designer Alec Issigonis included - the notion that the Mini might have a future as anything other than basic transport was anathema, and the idea of a high-performance version was laughable. One man though, saw it quite differently. Racing car manufacturer John Cooper already knew quite a bit about tuning BMC's A-Series engine - he was running the company's Formula Junior effort at the time - and a test drive in a prototype Mini convinced him of the car's competition potential. The result, launched in September 1961, was the Mini Cooper. Its prodigious roadholding and excellent power-to-weight ratio enabled the Mini Cooper to compete successfully with larger-capacity rivals, and on tight twisting circuits the car was often a candidate for outright victory. The marque would culminate with the introduction of the 1275 S in 1964.

First registered on 1st October 1966, this Austin Mini Cooper S was acquired from the Austin Motor Company at Longbridge in July 1967 (at 5,609 miles) by the vendor's father, Ian Mantle, on behalf of Mantles Garages Limited, their family business. Ian, who was a leading rally driver and autotest competitor in his day, used this car to win the BTRDA Flather Star Autotest Championship, and he captained the England team in the Ken Wharton International Autotest events broadcast on the BBC TV's Grandstand in the late 1960s.

The Mini was originally registered as 'HOF 240D'; the number was subsequently changed by Mantles Garages Limited to 'ETM 751D' and later to 'AGS 186D' following the removal of a private plate 'TSN 8'. The keeper's name was changed to that of Ian's son, who acquired the car from the company in August 2019.

Finished in Tartan Red with a black roof, the car benefits from a Stage 2 conversion by Downton Engineering, Daniel Richmond's Wiltshire-based company being arguably the greatest 'A-Series' tuner of all time (see bill on file). Further engine enhancements were carried out by Oxford Engineering Services in 1978 (see file), while other specification highlights include a full width dashboard and Minilite-style wheels. (The original steel wheels and hubcaps are included in the sale.) The car is presented in original condition and has covered some 64,900 miles from new. Having owned the Mini for almost 60 years, the Mantle family has decided that the time has come to part with this much loved car, which has an interesting and unique history.