This Rotted 1965 Mini Cooper S Makes £20,000 At Auction

A RUSTED and old Mini Cooper S fetched a whopping £20,000 despite its condition. Here’s why the pint-sized motor is worth so much.

A knackered Mini Cooper S sold for a staggering sum of auction.

The rusted and ruined motor fetched a whopping £20,000 when it went on sale, despite its condition. It has been sat in a garage for 40 years and left to rot.

The roof of the garage had previously collapsed which damaged the car, which needs a new body, engine and full restoration. The 1965 Mini is an iconic vehicle and has actually become sought after recently among collectors.

In fact, certain examples of well-maintained models in good condition can sell for over £50,000.

Famous owners of the car include Twiggy, Enzo Ferrari, Mick Jagger, and The Beatles.

The car, discovered in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, was auctioned off without a reserve by Mathewsons.

It was expected to sell for between £3,000 and £10,000 – but a huge level of interest resulted in the old banger selling for £20,000.

Derek Mathewson, from the North Yorkshire auction house, said: “It is unusual but was not tremendously surprising.

“The Mini had been parked in the garage of a 1930s home for the past 40 years.

“Over the years the garage roof had collapsed and the Mini essentially became a shed within a shed, with the boot and rear used to store kindling

“But despite the condition, it is a genuine Mini Cooper S which is why there was so much hullabaloo.

“It probably has a few salvageable panels but it will need a completely new shell which I am told will cost around £11,000.

“When it came to auctioning the Mini it was an unknown quantity. Most thought it would be worth around £5,000. I thought £10,000 plus, but I didn’t know how much plus.