The Mini Clubman so famously rescued from the Longbridge tunnels in 2012 – making it the final ‘new’ example of its type to leave the factory – will be going on sale at Silverstone Auctions on 27 July. The car, which has an interesting history goes to auction, and its owner, Steve Morgan has confirmed it’s being sold at no reserve.
The car, which became a bit of an icon in the aftermath of the failure of MG Rover in 2005, had lived in the tunnels from new after being damaged at the factory. Standing in dank water and away from sunlight for at least 30 years, the car was something of a lone and rather sad survivor – a time capsule reminder that beneath the factory is an intricate network of passages that saw so much action. They served to protect the factory workers from German bombers during WW2 and ended up becoming something of a storage-cum-hiding area in more recent years.
The car was rescued from the tunnels in November 2012, and its owner Steve Morgan vowed to restore the car to its former glory, a decision that caused controversy within the Mini fraternity – igniting the old ‘restore or not to restore’ debate. He said, ‘after much soul searching and with a heavy heart, I have come to the decision that the tunnel Mini deserves a better future than the one it has at the minute. I really haven’t got the time to restore it, and I would really like the car to go into a collection or be restored by a real enthusiast.’
There are no lot details from Silverstone as yet, and as soon as we get more, we’ll let you know.
classics.honestjohn.co.uk/news/auction-news/2013-05/‘longbridge-tunnel’-mini-goes-to-auction/
The car, which became a bit of an icon in the aftermath of the failure of MG Rover in 2005, had lived in the tunnels from new after being damaged at the factory. Standing in dank water and away from sunlight for at least 30 years, the car was something of a lone and rather sad survivor – a time capsule reminder that beneath the factory is an intricate network of passages that saw so much action. They served to protect the factory workers from German bombers during WW2 and ended up becoming something of a storage-cum-hiding area in more recent years.
The car was rescued from the tunnels in November 2012, and its owner Steve Morgan vowed to restore the car to its former glory, a decision that caused controversy within the Mini fraternity – igniting the old ‘restore or not to restore’ debate. He said, ‘after much soul searching and with a heavy heart, I have come to the decision that the tunnel Mini deserves a better future than the one it has at the minute. I really haven’t got the time to restore it, and I would really like the car to go into a collection or be restored by a real enthusiast.’
There are no lot details from Silverstone as yet, and as soon as we get more, we’ll let you know.
classics.honestjohn.co.uk/news/auction-news/2013-05/‘longbridge-tunnel’-mini-goes-to-auction/
