1999 Rover Mini 1.3 MPI 
 
This is my little sisters Mini, she’s been her daily driver throughout the last six months.It is the ultimate specification of classic Mini, the most powerful and reliable, the most adept to modern roads and modern safety standards, my sisters safety being the key reason I paid extra for this model (more about the model below). 
 
It’s also beautiful, uniquely finished in Duck Egg blue x Old English White, finished with all new chrome-work, sitting on thirteen inch deep-dish alloy-wheels, wrapped in recently new tyres and surrounded by wide sport-spack-style arches. Behind the wheel you have the sought after Burberry style leather seats, surrounded by new Newton Commercial carpets and door cards, a brand new Burr-Walnut dashboard. 
 
Most importantly its been restored. Prior to my sisters ownership she had a new clutch and head-gasket, new seals and bushes and thousands of pounds spent During my sisters ownership, we a classic Mini Specialist, have spent further thousands, new sensors to include the expensive oxygen sensor, all new brakes (new servo, master cylinder, lines, callipers discs and pads). Upgrades include her Fletcher stainless steel exhaust and K&N air induction system. 
 
She will be supplied to you with 12 months MOT and no advisories, with a HPI clear certificate and a humongous history folder, having been recently comprehensively serviced to include her engine, brakes, cooling and electronics. 
 
Whats she like behind the wheel, incredible, she combines an extraordinary power to weight ration (63bhp x 650kg) with the legendary Monte Carlo rally-winning handling to deliver a terrific and/or terrifying drive. It’s all about the corners. 
 
What improvements could be made? Approaching thirty years old she isn't brand new, albeit a beautiful example. Her drivers seat bolster is worn and the foam is distorted (relatively easy job). At high revs, you can't jam her into second gear because you will hear a noise (standard worn second gear synchro), albeit it rarely pops out. Some age related imperfections, the paint on her scuttle panel has cracked in three places.
 
The Ultimate Specification
 
The final generation of classic Mini’s had the ultimate specification, that same A Series Cooper engine, the same iconic rally winning handling, but everything else was far advanced. So far advanced that the purchase price rose by 63% to fund the changes (1995 vs 1996). 
 
These models had more power, more reliability, they were much safer and much more luxurious, they were evolved for use on modern roads, no longer were they confined to 1950’s engineering.
 
(a) Power 
 
The most powerful engine, taken from the high performance Cooper, upgraded with injection systems and modern technology, always in tune, your power optimised. 
 
(b)  Reliability 
 
Everyone and their parents, seemingly fondly, remembers breaking down in a Mini, sometimes it was the distributor or the coil, other times the carburettor or the cooling system. All of the above were replaced with modern technology, you no longer had to worry about breaking down, or the drizzle.
 
(c) Safety 
 
Transcending its spam in a tin-can reputation, Rover proudly declared the classic Mini the safest small car on the road. It now had an air bag, it had side impact safety crash beams, it had SRS and special seatbelts. You and your family could feel safe driving.
 
(d) Luxury 
 
Inside the materials evolved, you sat on leather, you were faced with a Burr-Walnut dashboard, everything was higher quality.
 
But it wasn’t just about power and reliability, safety or luxury, it was about bringing the Mini into the modern age, no longer was the Mini based on 1950’s engineering. When the original Mini was designed the M1 didn’t exist, radical changes were needed to bring the Mini into the modern age.