Actual Hopkirk-Monte Carlo Mini Cooper S for sale

There are some victories in motorsport that transcend conventional celebration. Think of achievements like Mazda being the first Japanese manufacturer to triumph at Le Mans, a 911 winning on Dakar and that unforgettable 1955 running of the Mille Miglia for Mercedes. These are moments significant enough to become part of brand DNA, influential for decades after their occurrence. 

We’d add the 1966 Monte Carlo rally to that list as well, the event dominated by Minis. Various Coopers and Cooper Ses had been doing well on the world’s stages during the ’60s, light and nimble and perfect for twisty stages, but the ‘66 Monte was something very special indeed. Running the larger 1,275cc A Series by then, Minis locked out the podium. First, second and third were taken by driver and co-driver pairs in Cooper Ses. Well, that was until third place was disqualified for a headlight issue, which it’s always suggested was a move by the French motorsport authorities to spare the domestic manufacturers the embarrassment of a Mini mauling. It promoted a Citroen to third, let’s just leave it at that…

Nevertheless, the Monte wins became part of Mini folklore, with subsequent racers in similar colour schemes and even a Paddy Hopkirk special edition as recently as 2020. You’d be forgiven for thinking that this car might be a homage to the rally cars, a tastefully executed backdate of a later 1275. But no – this is one of the competition cars. The very Mini that was disqualified from third place in 1966, with Paddy Hopkirk at the wheel and Henry Liddon on pacenotes. 

A seriously special Mini, then – with an asking price to match. GRX 5D was one of the busiest works Minis back in the day, with Timo Makinen also racing it and event finishes to its name including the Canadian Shell 4000, Circuit of Ireland and the Tulip Rally. It’s a notable enough Mini rally car to have its history documented in a book, no less, ‘Works Minis in Detail’ covering all of its achievements. 

Exactly what this Cooper S has been up to of late isn’t clear – there’s a sticker in the window for a Mini meet in 2010 – but it’s been preserved in wonderful fashion. Check out the helmets, harnesses, stopwatches and pencils for a taste of how rallying once was. The body has been confirmed as a 1968-spec shell, and a host of other bits from back then have been retained. It’s a stunning bit of rally history. 

But one that could still be used as well, if the pics and up-to-date road tax are anything to go by. And the opportunities will be considerable; there aren’t very many Paddy Hopkirk-campaigned Minis around, after all, so any historic motorsport gathering would surely love to have GRX 5D along. Whether on road or hillclimb, it promises to be an absolute joy. There’s always the Monte Carlo Historique to think about, too…