A battered 1990 Rover Mini, made famous by a starring role on Top Gear, is currently up for sale.
Offered online by Iconic Auctioneers, the Mini Cooper was used by Chris Harris during the BBC TV show’s Ethiopian special challenge.
Still wearing the battle scars collected on its epic adventure, the Mini has now returned to the UK and is looking for a new owner.
The timed online auction for this small piece of TV history is already live. Bids can be placed until 7pm on Thursday 28 August 2025.
A real Mini adventure
Filmed for the first episode of Top Gear season 27, the G-registered red Mini arrived on TV screens in June 2019.
It marked the start of a new era for Top Gear, with acclaimed journalist Chris Harris joined by Freddie Flintoff and Paddy McGuiness to present the show.
The trio were each given £4,000 to purchase an example of the first car they owned, before embarking on a journey through Ethiopia.
Harris bought the Mini Cooper, noted as being in respectable condition before it was subjected to the abuses of a Top Gear challenge.
As seen on screen
Although the exterior of the Mini is in need of some obvious attention, it is still said to start and run.
Unsurprisingly, it does not have a current MOT certificate, but it retains the registration number used during filming for Top Gear.
Rob Hubbard, managing director at Iconic Auctioneers, said: “Cars with genuine screen provenance always capture attention, and this plucky Mini will be familiar to many Top Gear viewers. It is a fun, attainable piece of television and motoring culture, and we are pleased to present it in our timed online auction.”
Taking into account its on-screen history, Iconic Auctioneers has given a guide price of £8,000 to £10,000 for the now-famous Mini.
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