1968 Mini Cooper (RHD)

The car that epitomised the 60s and lead the automotive fashion revolution was anautomotive legend of that era, and that’s the Mini. Admired for its shape, size and precocious talent on a rally stage or a race track, this Arrive Drive Mini Cooper S has been rallied by current World Rally Championship works Ford driver Jon Armstrong. Jon was runner up in the Junior World Rally Championship and was European Champion in WRC3 in 2023. He knows a thing or two about rally cars and this is one of his favourite rally legends of the 60s era – and its available to hire with his ringing endorsement!

The Mini Cooper joined the HERO-ERA Arrive and Drive fleet three years ago. This is a 1968 1293cc Cooper S which was sampled by 2021 Junior World Rally Championship runners up Jon Armstrong and Phil Hall, they absolutely loved this little car revelling in it’s lively, nimble performance as they threw the car around on a HERO Challenge event.

The little ‘buzz box’ burst onto the competition scene in 1961 after the ingenious engineer John Cooper convinced designer Sir Alec Issigonis and BMC that the revolutionary car could go from shopping car to competition car on the track. It raced in the British Saloon Car Championship and eventually the World Rally Championship.

The Arrive Drive car is in the striking works red and white colours, so you think team drivers Timo Makkinen, Rauno Aaltonen, and you can imagine Paddy Hopkirk famously winning the Monte Carlo Rally in the Mini Cooper S in 1964. At the time there was a huge live variety show on UK terrestrial TV on a Sunday night called ‘Sunday Night at the London Palladium’ with over 20 million viewers. Right after the prize giving on Sunday morning in Monte Carlo, the winning Mini plus Paddy Hopkirk were in transit to London and an appearance at the prestigious show. The winning Mini and its victorious driver arrived just in time to be take their places on the glittering revolving carousel at the end of the show in front of millions of viewers throughout the UK. Sales of the Mini were already good, after the big show, sales went though the roof!

By having a competition bred Mini based on such heritage on the fleet, it means the list of cars is complete and there is a choice of car for all tastes and terrain.

The upgraded road version, the Mini Cooper, was born in 1961 but not before the little bomb had proved it’s incredible handling, winning the very first RAC Special Stage at Monument Hill in 1960. In its original 850 cc engine format, the little ‘buzz box’ with its front mounted engine over the driving wheels, enjoyed great handling over the rough and slippy stages.

Even with less than forty bhp the Mini blew the opposition away in what was to eventually make the Mini part of rally folklore.

Now you can hire the famous fun machine and enjoy the benefits of superb handling and manoeuvrability, it just sticks to the road like glue, whether on the loose or tarmac. In this Arrive Drive road rally prepared 1968 1293cc Mini Cooper S with 85 bhp, you could blow away the rest of the field on the RAC Rally of the Tests!

That’s exactly what Steve Entwistle did in 2019 in a very similar Mini Cooper S. Another Cooper S owned by father and son HERO-ERA Champions Harry and Dick Baines won the London to Lisbon Rally in 2022.    

With a 50 litre fuel tank the Mini can go a good rally distance propelled by the 1293 engine with four speed gearbox. The front disc brakes and drums at the rear give the car has great stopping power too.
Compact and quick, the Mini Cooper S would be equally happy competing on a one day HERO Challenge as it would on the ultra-competitive RAC Rally of the Tests.

• Dashboard: Striped-down, rally-prepared layout featuring a center/driver-focused pod with tachometer, toggle switches (fuel pump, washer, fog/spot lights), and a passenger-side Brantz 2 tripmeter for navigation.

• Ease of Entry: Relatively upright door aperture allows easy entry, though maneuvering around internal roll cage bars requires extra care.

• Comfort Factor: Purpose-built red bucket racing seats paired with Sabelt multi-point harnesses provide maximum lateral support and hold for rally conditions over long-distance comfort.

• On-board Space:

  • Cockpit: Compact, functional cabin layout optimized for driver and navigator, dominated by the sports steering wheel and safety gear.

  • Boot: Limited dedicated boot capacity, typical of the Mini footprint, often utilized for spare wheels or essential rally tools.

  • Behind Seats: Extremely tight space behind the racing seats, largely occupied by safety harnesses, rear structural bars, or additional rally gear.