From a tiny, cheeky, bizarre looking ‘people car’ invented by design genius Alec Issigonis in the early1960s, the Mini was developed into one of the major sporting sensations of this century. Its capability of embarrassing much bigger machinery in races and rellies captured the imagination of the people like no car before or since.
The Cooper Car Company Ltd., owned by John Cooper, was formed in 1947. In 1961, after official collaboration with the BMC, the first Mini Cooper was announced. This sporting version recognized by its II horizontal grille bars, had a twin-carburettor engine giving 55bph and a top speed of 85mph. Later Cooper ‘S’ variants featured the famous 1275cc. 75bhp engine which had a top speed of 100mph. By the time Cooper’s agreement with MBC lapsed, in August 1971, 145, 493 Cooper Minis had been built the last in July 1971.
During the 1960s, the Mini Cooper dominated the international rallying scene and the Monte Carlo Rally was the most glamourous event of the year. This superb 2-piece set features possibly the most famous Minis of all time, Mini Cooper S 33 EJB, driven to victory by Hopkirk and Lidden in the Monte Carlo Rally of 1964 and Mini Cooper S AJB 44B, driven to victory in the Monte Carlo Rally by Makinen and Easter the following year in 1965.
Each model is made to exact 1:43 scale and produced in England by Lledo PLC. This is to certify that this Monte Carlo Rally Minis Set comprising of two Rally Mini Coopers is one of a special limited edition of 3,000 sets only. Each set is individually numbered.
No comments:
Post a Comment