From Classicdriver.de
>Rare, opulent, with unique celebrity status, the original Radford coachbuilt Mini was the ultimate motoring designer label of the ‘Swinging Sixties’. And now it’s back.
>All four of the Beatles had Radford coachbuilt Minis, and Peter Sellers bought one as a present for Britt Ekland – the couple famously pictured at Harold Radford’s main London dealer with Sellers at the wheel of the car, driving out of a giant birthday cake. Today, the Radford fame is rekindled in the new BMW Mini via exclusive coachbuilt conversions, the cars individually created to customer preference, echoing the same Radford craftsmanship and unique luxury status as before. Marc Eden, Managing Director of Harold Radford Coachbuilders (London) Ltd, explains that his company reflects the contemporary accent on design and styling while encapsulating the classicism and craftsmanship of British coachbuilding:
You can read more below:
[ Famous coachbuilding name returns with a new spin on mini luxury ]
Thanks for all those who sent this in and the Carcounsel for being first.
Wow! 50K!? Does it come with a driver?
Wow, something about that seems enticing, even with that kind of price-tag.
Yea, 50K is pretty steep. You’d think it would come with AWD or something 😉
I love the 3 gauges in the <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/picture.php?s=14&p=4885_1120572007.jpg" rel="nofollow">center console</a>! Wonder what it would cost to do that to a regular MINI?
I guess now that I have modified my MINI, I can put my initials all over it and put it on Ebay for 50K too.
The steering wheel is on the wrong side of the car.
50K and no auto air (they may be on to something). I like the dual exhaust–looks like they took them of a Pontiac.
They really were coach built – no two were alike, and that includes many hand-made parts, like electric door mechanisms, and convertible top hardware. There wasn’t off the shelf replacement stuff if you ran into trouble. One guy who restored one found a rusty little pile of levers, pins and bits in the bottom of the door, realized it was the window hardware, and spent a fair amount of time re-inventing the dang thing. They were really famous for the real reed wicker panels on the outside. It was the groovy car to have among the fab crowd.
BCNU,
Rob in Dago
I love the chrome mesh in the aero grill!!!!
Anyone know if that a custom paint job? Love the shine!
That’s what I’m talking about!!!
That is absolutely beautiful.
$50,000 for a MINI <em>exactly</em> the way you want it with that much horsepower on arrival isn’t bad at all, I don’t think. Grab a Cooper S new, get it sooped up to 265 bhp, modify it inside and out to the degree of custom work that they’re talking about and you’re going to spend that much anyway. Granted, it’s still $50,000 for a MINI, but if you’re looking for that level of custom work on any car, you’re going to pay for it. And to get it done at a boutique kind of shop like this with heritage with the Mini, that’s worth something right there.
As for their demo car, I’m not crazy about the red shag downtubes, but I do LOVE the 3 guages in the center console. Not a fan of the body-color wheel arches, but I LOVE the chrome AERO grill and the big lights. The wheels are pretty slick too and the finish is super shine. Not my bag, but I can appreciate it. Pretty blinged, but not over the top.
wow…sure is shiny!!
I’m more of the club racer type, so it’s not for me…
If I wanted to cruise down ocean ave, I’d have to roll a ferrari or something….and the 50K would make a nice down payment!
I think I’ll drop my PIAA’s down from the upper grill area like those.
Yeah that’s been my dream set-up for years. Some (p)hat hella’s on the corners of the lower intake.
Does the MINI Miglia Stage 4 come with a factory blessing? Now we are talking some real preformance.
<blockquote>The steering wheel is on the wrong side of the car.</blockquote>
No GSKChicago. It’s on the right hand side of the car!
I’m working on some brackets this next week. I guess my biggest fear is road debris damage and stability. Don’t really like what’s out there for this set up.
It’s what ever side works for you, I think neither side is right or wrong.
Man, that is my ideal setup. Thats about what it would cost me to do it myself anyway.
What has this got to do with the old Harold Radford Co fro the 60’s? nothing
Hey Mike – what’s you’re point? I don’t get what you’re getting at. BTW – take a look at this old Radford picture: <a href="http://asofherts.org/reports/reports.php3?article=310" rel="nofollow ugc">http://asofherts.org/reports/reports.php3?article=310</a>
One might argue that this 1966 Radford conversion has a surprising amount in common with the new MINI 😉
All stories must be read ‘in context’. True, £30,000 (or over $50,000) might seem like a lot of money for a very nice Mini. However, in the UK, a nicely specced Cooper S Works with a few extras is going to cost you around £28,000. So, in that context, £30,000 (or approx $50,000) isn’t that exhorbitant. For a bespoke car with much more power.
You really have to come live in the UK for a few years to understand these kind of figures. If the car came to the USA, I dare say it would be cheaper, as the base donar Cooper S would be cheaper. We pay £14500 for a base Cooper S ($26000 US). How much does it cost in the USA for a basic Cooper S (No Options whatsoever)?
Come live in the UK. Where a small home in some area will cost well over $600,000. Thats if your lucky. there are of course cheaper areas.