What to Know About baT Auction Success Story: A Rally-Ready Mini from Classicspotted
BaT member mlc brings us this Success Story about the 1993 Rover Mini Cooper 1.3i that he won from Classicspotted in a January 2025 BaT auction; he took delivery of the car in Greece, and used it to run the 2025 Tour de Peloponnese rally before shipping it home:
My wife Jenne and our son Sam won a hard-fought BaT auction for this 1993 Mini Cooper back in January 2025, while I was at work. I’m a car enthusiast and had been looking for a fun classic car for the whole family that wouldn’t break the bank. We all agreed that this car was perfect, except for the fact that it was in Greece…
During the auction, the seller—Antonis, AKA @Classicspotted—and a few commenters encouraged us to consider enjoying the car in Greece before shipping it overseas back home. We didn’t consider it an option at the time of purchase, but after communicating with Antonis and grieving our upcoming empty-nester status, Jenne and I stepped outside of our comfort zone and secured our entry for the Tour de Peleponnese car rally.
When October finally arrived, we flew into Athens two days before the rally started and enjoyed exploring the city. Antonis and his wife, Athena, met us for dinner on the second evening, and we had a lovely time getting to know each other. The following morning, we finally met our Mini Cooper! We drove it from Athens to the rally starting point near Ancient Olympia.
The Tour de Peloponnese was a six-day event. In short, each day involved a morning drive, a lunch stop, and an afternoon drive toward the day’s final destination hotel. The routes were curated to include sites, towns, and roads of interest. And at various points, competition stages were set up. At these stages, we crossed checkpoints at the “perfect speed” with guidance from our rally manuals.
The rally itself was extremely well organized. Our fellow participants were very friendly and came from all walks of life. Many of the cars were especially interesting since they were models never sold in the USA. The scenery was jaw-dropping and the roads were fun, with sparse traffic. The food and accommodations were magnificent, too.
We loved driving our classic Mini! The way it clacked and darted along the twisty rural roads of Greece reminded us a lot of Cedar Point’s Mine Ride—a gentle and beloved Ohio roller coaster. The car was quite comfortable, and surprisingly peppy with its 1,250cc engine and short gearing. We popped a spring in the driver’s rear drum brake on the fifth day, but our tour mechanic stabilized the problem roadside. We completed the tour without further incident.
The enthusiasm and kindness Antonis showed us were shining examples of all that is wonderful about the Bring a Trailer community. Without him, none of this would have been possible. My wife and I have memories that will last a lifetime, and we brought the ultimate souvenir home from beautiful Greece.
Thanks for taking such great care of your buyers, @Classicspotted, and thanks to mlc for telling the story. We’re glad to see you took the opportunity to enjoy the Mini in Greece and on a rally, to boot. We’ve included your photos in the image gallery below for everyone’s viewing pleasure.
If you have a Success Story about a car you’ve bought or sold on BaT, please send a few lines and pictures (or a video) to community.content@bringatrailer.com, and we’ll send you a $50 credit to the BaT Gear Store when your story posts to the site.
We love to hear from satisfied BaT buyers and sellers, and a Success Story feature is a great addition to any car’s history when you’re ready to sell.
Photo Gallery
