2000 Rover MINI 'Balmoral'

The Mini Balmoral is one of a long of special editions that capitalize on the Mini’s Britishness - think models like the Chelsea, Ritz, Mayfair, Piccadilly and Park Lane – and is largely distinguished by its funky cloth seats.

We understand the Balmoral was a Japan-only edition. Imported from Japan a year ago, it was first registered on the 1st of June 2000. The vendor used to work out there and was keen to find a good Mini to use out there before bringing it home, which is exactly what he did – and he’s only the car’s second owner.

Unusually for a Japanese import, it comes with a fair bit of paperwork including the service history booklet and what looks to be every one of its bi-annual Shakken (MOT test) sheets - and the kilometers that have been recorded are consistent with those shown now, giving strong credence to its current odometer reading of just 33,000 miles.

Fitted with an automatic gearbox, it is utterly free of rust and its overall condition can only be described as excellent. It drives beautifully too and is only being sold because the owner is moving house and needs to downsize his collection – and, he’s happy for you lot to decide its value so is offering it with no reserve.

Finished in Old English White (paint code NNX) and complemented with a ten-inch steel wheel conversion and plenty of chrome, the Mini’s iconic lines are shown off to perfection.

The owner is a bit of a perfectionist, and asked his favourite garage in Japan to sand the Mini back and then respray it to get rid of some peeling lacquer and other imperfections that bothered him. The result is what you see here. Lovely, isn’t it?

The shutlines are good too, as is the door alignment. Sure, it has the odd stonechip and minor mark but the only thing of any real note is some orange peel to the finish. Given how good the rest of the coachwork is, we can see the new owner might want to have it machine-polished to cut it back a bit, something we think would lift the Mini’s paintwork.

As is usually the case with Japan-market cars, there is no rust of any consequence; not only do the owners there tend to maintain their cars to a very high standard, but the lack of road salt in the winter preserves them in a way that still stuns us whenever we get one in.

The external mirrors are bullet-shaped items fitted to the front wings, which makes for a much better aesthetic.

The chromework is very good indeed, with barely a patina and it all looks straight, too; someone has clearly treasured this Mini over the years – and what wasn’t as good as he would have liked was replaced, so the hubcaps, front grille, and wipers are all new. There is some pitting on the odd area like the offside headlight surround but most of this should polish out – and if it doesn’t then one of the many joys of running a car like this is that replacement parts are cheap and easy to fit.

Those tiny steel wheels are a modification made in Japan. They are nicely finished in the same Ivory White as the bodywork, and are set off by traditional chromed hubcaps. They’re shod with Bridgestone SF248 tyres, all of which have good tread as they have been fitted new within the last year or so.

The half-leather seats are Dark Stone Beige (trim code SMJ) on their outer edges with a funky faux-tartan cloth centre (Balmoral is in Scotland, get it?). They’re in great shape overall but the driver’s seat does have some minor cigarette burns to the fabric and both front seats have some rips/tears to the outer edge of the backrests. Both seats will need some localised repairs but this would be a straightforward job for a professional trimmer.

The rest of the interior is very good indeed. Three-spoke steering wheel might look a little incongruous but that’s the price you pay for increased safety via an SRS air-bagged wheel. The dashboard is an aftermarket item that the car’s only Japanese owner fitted, so is a little more modern than we are used. Both are in fine fettle, and the carpets are in pretty good shape too, as are the door cards and headlining; not perfect, but better than average.

The Mini still has the Japanese sticker alongside the gear selector, and the roadside flare in between the seats. It also has a Rover-branded stereo fitted to the right of the steering wheel but that looks to be a bit of a rough and ready job, and might need sorting out properly.

The boot is clean and solid and home to the new battery and spare wheel. There is a tiny amount of superficial surface rust on the floor but this would be easy to catch and isn’t even close to being a problem just yet.

More serious problems? Well, the top of the dashboard is a bit wobbly, the headlining is a bit grubby in a couple of places, and the speedometer is still in km/h. But, these very minor issues aside, there’s nothing in there to worry about other than the wear to the front seats.

The engine bay is a little grimy but it is orderly and looks like it should clean up well, a job that would probably be worth doing given how clean and tidy the rest of the car is.

We’ve driven it and can confirm that it’s as much fun to drive as any Mini, and that automatic gearbox actually makes for some lovely nip ‘n’ tuck driving in traffic. It also gives the footwell more room, which might be a consideration if you’ve got big feet…

The underside is solid, but the lack of underseal (which is, of course, largely unnecessary in most of Japan) does leave it vulnerable to the British way of combatting the snow and ice so you might like to consider having it professionally rust-proofed this summer.

Oh, and we think we can see some adjustable dampers hiding under there, which would be lovely, would it?

The Mini’s MOT certificate expires in September 2020, and was gained first time and without a single advisory point. The Mini has a sheaf of Shaken tests from its time in Japan, plus a service history booklet and an invoice for its MOT, service and a new battery here in the UK. The Shakken sheets do record date and mileage (in very faint pen!) and do appear to confirm the mileage, there is even a stamp for the car’s first Japanese service.

It also still has its original owner’s handbook, the OE book pack and storage wallet.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this paperwork.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

Retro-classics like the Mini have a loyal following for a reason – and that reason is that they offer all the fun of classic car ownership with almost none of the drawbacks. They’re great to drive, decently reliable, and safer than the 60’s original - and the automatic gearbox in this one would make it the ideal city commuting car.

As to value; who knows? The vendor is a sensible chap, so he’s willing to let you lot decide its value; we think the final hammer will fall when the numbers read somewhere between £6,000 and £9,000 but it’ll sell for from the very first submission, so why not pop in a cheeky little bid? After all, interest rates are only going one way for the foreseeable future - and that sure as hell ain’t up.

In the meantime you will be the proud owner of an iconic classic car that should give faithful transport for the discerning driver who isn’t prepared to compromise on reliability, style or safety to get it.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.