1990 Rover Mini Cooper RSP

‘H457 UGN’ is a Mini Cooper RSP.

A what?

Rover Special Products (RSP, get it?) launched a special edition of the Mini Cooper on the 10th of July 1990 to commemorate the first anniversary of the reintroduction if its iconic model, the Mini Cooper having been killed off in a fit of corporate stupidity a couple of decades earlier.

Stupidity? Oh yes, because John Cooper himself had been selling conversion kits for the 998cc Minis for years, so when Graham Day, the MD of Rover, asked him what he thought they should so next, the answer was obvious: throw in the Metro’s 1275cc engine and the interior from a Mini 30 and sell it as the Cooper RSP. (CAR Magazine of April 1987 has a very good interview with the late Graham Day about his plans for the firm when he took over.)

This is one of only 1,650 built – 650 went to other markets with the rest staying here – later iterations of the Cooper line had some of the nicer bits left out to save money, making this, the first Mini Cooper since 1971, being the pick of the bunch.

This one, number 27 of 1,050, has been in the seller’s care since 2011. He bought it from Dean’s Minis, an independent specialist, who said of it: “Hard to know where to start with this one, since in my 35+ years a Mini Specialist, this is possibly my favourite Mini. I have known this Mini for over 20 years, I have owned it and sold it 2-3 times. I have serviced, MOT’d and looked after this Mini for those 20+ years.”

Quite the recommendation, eh?

As is the fact that the seller has spent more than £20,000 on it since 2011. Which was money well spent because despite having just rolled the odometer over, it’s racked up a clear run of advisory-free MoTs from 2016 to the present day.

“Occasionally the production line has a good day and the stars align, and there’s certainly something special in its DNA” is how the seller describes the magic behind his car – and he’s put that magic to good use in recent years by taking part in The Legendary Grand Tour, a convoy of 250 Minis on the north Devonshire roads raising money for children’s Hospice South West.

And, he’s only selling his much-loved Mini Cooper RSP because he can no longer drive it as much as he used to. 
 

The front of the Mini was restored in 2018 using Heritage panels that included new inner and outer wings, scuttle, apex panels, front panel, and bonnet. A replacement front subframe was also fitted.

This work built on the restoration of the rear bodywork in 2013, during which new metal was let in to replace the rear panels, both lower wings, wheelarches, boot floor, and valance.

Repairs were also made to the sills and floor in 2015, and throughout this work extensive use was made of products such as Waxoyl and POR15: This was not a quick blowover to disguise problems; it was an in-depth restoration to preserve the car for another few decades and the invoices are on file to prove it.

The result not only blends seamlessly with the original bodywork behind it, it also still looks great with a healthy shine to the Flame Red paintwork (paint code RWU, which denotes a Flame Red car with a White Diamond roof) – and this is noteworthy given the propensity of red to fade over time.

Chrome bumpers and radiator grille, twin white ‘go faster’ stripes across the bonnet with John Cooper’s signature, pinstripes along the flanks, twin spotlights, and ‘Mini Cooper’ decals on the rear wings and boot lid take us straight back to the sixties, an era during which the Mini Cooper reigned supreme.

Not forgetting, of course, the iconic 10-inch Minilite-style alloy wheels whose extra width requires subtle wheelarch extensions. They’re slightly scuffed and lightly stained with brake dust, and whereas this might look scruffy on some cars, it reminds us of getting out of a car after a fast dive, the smell of brakes in the air and the car pinging as it cools down.

It's that sort of car.

A full set of Falken Sincera tyres were fitted in 2018, and we will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

The Mini is also fitted with a smoked-glass sunroof. This opens and closes as it should, the rubber seal is in good shape, and as our vendor tells us is 'leak-free'.

The lamp lenses are free of cracks, chips, and other damage, the decals are bright and intact, and the window glass is all good.

As for flaws, the chromed bumpers would benefit from an a few minutes of elbow grease and Autosol, there’s a chip on the rear numberplate lamp assembly, and a scratch at the top of one of the rear wings from the opening window. 
 

The half-leather interior belies its age and mileage by way of firm cushions and nothing more than light creases to the face material. They recline and pivot forward as they should, and have ‘John Cooper’ tags stitched on them.

Their central fabric matches that used on the door cards and rear quarter panels, while the black leather adds a suitably upmarket feel. The red piping echoes the coachwork as well as the colour of the chunky leather-covered steering wheel.

The headlining is clean, taut, and undamaged. The updated carpets are free of wear holes and stains, and the Mini comes with its original carpets stored safely in a box, so if you wanted to reinstate them, you could.

Storage is surprisingly good with pockets in the front doors and alongside both rear seats, a wide ledge in front of the passenger, somewhere to store your cigarette ash, and a good-sized boot – and that’s despite it hosting a full-size and matching alloy spare wheel and the tool kit.

The floor lining in the boot is a little damaged, but we don’t imagine buying a replacement would be expensive. However, the paintwork on the inner wings is scuffed and scratched too, so it might just be easier to chalk it up to the car’s developing patina and leave well alone?

Other signs of wear ‘n’ tear are minimal; the Cooper steering wheel has lost a bit of colour along the rim, the gearknob is slightly worn, and the carpet is peeling away in the passenger’s footwell.
 

The Mini’s service history is fulsome, with the following on file since the seller bought it:

•    08.08.2012 and 88,566 miles – service by Dean’s Minis plus much more at a cost of £670
•    04.04.2013 and 90,095 miles – work including fresh engine oil and coolant following extensive work by Dean’s Minis
•    31.07.2014 and 92,764 miles – service by Dean’s Minis
•    19.06.2015 and 94,026 miles – service by Dean’s Minis
•    01.10.2018 and 96,953 miles – service by Dean’s Minis
•    31.07.2020 and 97,674 miles – service by Dean’s Minis
•    05.08.2021 and 98,906 miles – service by Dean’s Minis
•    05.08.2021 and 98,906 miles – service by Dean’s Minis
•    20.07.2022 and 62 miles – service by Dean’s Minis
•    22.08.2023 and 1,505 miles – service by Dean’s Minis
•    14.06.2024 and 1,941 miles – service by Dean’s Minis
•    13.06.2025 and 3,394 miles – service by Dean’s Minis including servicing the ignition system at a cost of just over £500

And even this little lot doesn’t really scratch the surface.

This is Dean’s Minis again: “He bought it from me in 2011, and it has returned each year for a service and MoT plus, at times, for engine bay detailed, bodywork overhaul and anything it needed. The owner has spent in excess of £20,000 maintaining … his RSP over the past 14 years.”

In all, there are more than 100 pages of invoices on file, including some for a recent top-end refresh and to have the gearbox rebuilt, so why not make a brew and enjoy browsing one of the most complete service history’s we’ve seen in a while?

As you’d expect, the Mini starts and idles very well. It revs nicely too and has a surprisingly fruity exhaust note for such a modest engine.

The seller also says it has “never, ever let me down” and that “it is lovely to drive!”

The engine bay is clean and nicely presented, while the underside is a fetching combination of red paint and underseal. Both, therefore, fulfil their role very well, even if the rear subframe would benefit from a couple of hours of your time with a wire brush and some rust-killer. 
 

The Mini’s MoT certificate, which is valid until June 2026, was issued with no advisories, just like every single one since 2016.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and it comes with three sets of keys, a large number of expired MoT certificates, and a huge quantity of old invoices on a USB stick along with some photos of the restoration of the bodywork.

It’s also still got the original owner’s manual, while the dashboard still features the factory Philips radio-cassette player.
 

We can’t put it any better than Dean’s Minis: “Everyone seems to worry about mileage on cars but in truth ownership and maintenance is far more important. This Mini has covered 103,394miles in 35 years [and] that's not a great deal, 15,785 miles driven in the last 14 years when the maintenance has been 2nd to none. The engine is very strong and runs perfectly.”

Hear, hear; buy a delivery-mileage example and it’s going to sit in your garage because you’ll be too scared of depreciation to use it. Buy this one and you can have all the fun of owning and driving a Mini Cooper while it will still probably keep most of its value; that’s having your cake and eating it.

We suspect this little slice of fried British gold could be yours for between £6,500 and £8,000 – and because the seller is such a nice chap, he’s happy to offer it with no reserve, so it is going to sell no matter what.

You see, for him it’s not about the money, it’s about ensuring the Mini starts its next chapter in the right hands, and if a ‘no reserve’ sale helps it find a new and similarly enthusiastic owner, then he’ll have accomplished the final stage of curating his beloved and much-loved Mini.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.