By Colin Wood
Dec 25, 2020
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Mini,
Cooper S,
Paddy Hopkirk,
Monte Carlo
Among the various cars all geared up to participate in the 1964 running of the Rally Monte Carlo, one small car in particular stood out: a bright-red Mini Cooper S. Behind the wheel of that car sat Patrick “Paddy” Hopkirk, accompanied by his co-pilot Henry Liddon. A shock to pretty much everyone in attendance, the tiny Mini was able to win first overall at the rally.
Fifty-six years after that historic win, Mini has delivered the first of its limited “Paddy Hopkirk” edition Mini Cooper S to the very man who helped to cement the brand’s performance legacy.
Finished in Chili Red with a white roof, these limited Coopers are mechanically identical to the normal Cooper S, though does come marked with the No. 37 on both sides of the car–same as Hopkirk’s Monte Carlo-winning Mini.
As well, each car features an off-centered white stripe that not only features the “33 EJB” registration of the winning Mini, but also Hopkirk’s signature.
In a fitting gesture, Mini even delivered the first of the limited edition batch to the man himself, Paddy Hopkirk.
Awesome!
I mean, sure, it's a car ad, and the new Mini has little in common with the original, and all that. But it is still fun, and it is great to see a rally legend like Paddy Hopkirk enjoying himself and being honored in this way by Mini.
Colin, keep these stories coming!
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