You can probably tell from the above picture, this is no ordinary MINI.
You’d be right – it’s a one-off MINI that was commissioned by a Saudi Arabian prince.
What makes it really special, though, is that it was built by Aston Martin’s coachbuilding subsidiary Tickford.
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Not to make a mountain out of a molehill, but it’s quite possibly the most unique and desirable MINI on earth.
The ‘1984 MINI 1000 HLE by Tickford’ was recently listed for sale via Bonhams and, according to the listing, it apparently cost the prince £50,000 for the Tickford upgrades alone.
That’s not including the cost of the original MINI itself.
That equates to around an eye-watering £150,000 ($186,000) in today’s money, and that’s basically supercar money.
A true ‘unicorn’ in terms of MINI conversions, the Tickford’s signature feature is the stacked headlight arrangement.
Other notable features are the blanked-off grille and the front spoiler, creating an imposing and distinctive look.
The interior features Recaro seats trimmed in luxurious Aston martin leather and an Aston Martin burr walnut dashboard.
This being the 1980s, it also boasts a Clarion sound system and speakers.
It was specified in left-hand drive as the intention was for it to be used in Europe.
The listing doesn’t state whether Tickford made any modification to the MINI’s engine, but it does say that the car covered only 13,065 km (8,118 miles) from new.
If the engine hasn’t been tinkered with, that means its the original 998 cc four-cylinder naturally-aspirated mill with an output of 41 hp when it was new.
One-off MINI price
The one-off MINI was listed for auction via Bonhams prior to its sale event last weekend.
It’s not clear if the car sold, but the listing states a price of between £60,000 and £80,000 ($74,000 – $111,000).
If it did sell, someone’s got their hands on a unique piece of British automotive heritage.
