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:

"Nobody can deny coachbuilder, Harold Radford, his permanent position at the summit of bespoke ‘tailoring’ of Minis in the ’60s and 70s," he said. "Today, the BMW Mini has generated an explosion in aftermarket accessorising, but we are showing how coachbuilding and contemporary design skills can answer the demand for individual expression at the highest level, just as discerning Radford coachbuilt Mini owners found 40 years ago."

Every new Radford coachbuilt Mini is hand-crafted to specific customer preference. And, as choice is limitless, Marc Eden’s company has produced ‘style profiles’, which enable customers to specify a bespoke car that will precisely match their character and mood.



Eden has taken the wraps off an example of a Radford coachbuilt Mini that showcases the company’s skills. Moulded very much for an individualist who is seeking to combine luxury with ultra-performance, the Mini, based on a Cooper S, sports an uprated, supercharged engine developing 65% more power - a stunning 265bhp - adjustable, lowered suspension, uprated AP brakes, magnificent Michelin-shod 18" Konig alloy wheels, colour coordinated bodywork, and a sumptuous, fully re-trimmed red/charcoal Alcantara interior with deep pile carpets, additional instrumentation, and more interior refinements.

As an indication of pricing, a Mini coachbuilt by Radford to this specification would cost in the region of £30,000, dependent on factory specification, although Eden remarks that as all cars are tailored exactly to customer preference, no two cars are priced the same.

For further information please visit www.radford-coachbuilders.com

Text: Classic Driver
Photo: Radford