Footnotes

• This is one the final half dozen 'Works' Group A Rally Minis from the pre-BMW era. For most appropriately, one of the 200 'Monte Carlo Edition' Minis manufactured at Longbridge in 1994 to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the iconic model's first win of the world's most famous car rally was employed as the basis for the Rover France 1995 Monte entry for 1973 winners Jean-Claude Andruet and Michele 'Bichet' Petit. FIA regulations-compliant preparations were entrusted to Carbury Automobiles in Valence, the Rover dealership owned by Philippe Chevalier, a former Monte Carlo Rally competitor in a Mini.
  After much pre-event media interest however, the high profile 'Number 32' failed to finish, ending up on its side and subsequently retiring with damaged rear suspension. In much the same state as rallied, the Mini remained in Andruet's hands until 2000, when it returned to the UK where, following much storage, it was eventually acquired by the vendor. Following correspondence between the Mini Cooper Register and the DVLA, the car, which was first registered in France in 1995 before the rally, was issued with an Abingdon Competition Department appropriate 'GRX' registration in August 2009.
  A most sympathetically executed and image-recorded refurbishment has since taken place, there being fully detailed bills on file from model specialists Autobits for mechanical parts and Somerford Mini for panels. Claimed to be structurally sound from having been Waxoyled from new, the left-hand drive car's traditional red paintwork with white roof has been retained, as have the surface-scuffed mirror and nearside window from the 1995 MCR. Indeed, the livery from that event is authentic right down to the scrutineer-pass sticker.
  The 1293cc capacity SPI engine with Richard Longman cylinder head, competition camshaft with original profile replicated by Piper and Weber Alpha ECU is protected by a sump-shield. A Jack Knight four-speed 'dog' box has straight-cut close ratio gears; tie-bars are rose-jointed, shock absorbers adjustable Spax. The full set of roll-bars by Custom Cage were incorporated into the bodyshell during the pre-Monte build in 1994. Wider and more accommodating bucket seats are more recent, while the navigator has electronic trip and foot rest. In the boot are a long-range fuel tank and two spare 13in diameter alloy wheels; on the bonnet, four extra lamps in a pod. Apart from a set of 389 BHV 95 French plates for display purposes, also included is the pair of Motordrive seats in red originally tailored for Andruet and his co-pilote, together with their damaged door skin from the 1995 rally and a supply of spare decals for that event.
  Extensively featured in both words and pictures in 'The Last Works Mini' book by Brian Purves and Tim Brenchley as well as 'Mini au Rallye Monte Carlo' by Frederick Reydellet, the now L5 GRX registered, ex-works car has been much shown and only occasionally hillclimbed during the last couple of seasons, and is ready for more speed, stage rally or touring events. Due to the low overall gearing, we are advised that the approximately 7000 kilometres displayed equates to a total mileage of only around 3500 from new.
  

Saleroom notices

• While the two spare wheels referred to in the description are not present, the car does have the correct 13in diameter Minator alloys shod with Michelin TB20 rally tyres as fitted for the Monte.