Mini inventor’s lost car goes under the hammer Prototype model of the ‘Mosquito’ sells for thousands
APROTOTYPE model car that played a key role in British motoring history has been auctioned for thousands.
The model of the Morris Mosquito, built at the company’s Cowley plant, in Oxfordshire, realised £6,300 at Hansons Auctioneers sale in Etwall, Derbyshire.
The Mosquito, designed by the Mini’s inventor Alec Issigonis, never made it into production.
Unhappy with the shape, Morris boss Lord Nuffield described it as “looking like a poached egg” – and Sir Alec restyled and rebranded it.
The Morris Minor was born and after making its debut at the 1948 Earls Court Motor Show, it became one of the world’s most popular motors.
The Mosquito prototype is believed to be the only one in existence. It was snapped up by Mark Harvard, boss of Canterbury Convertibles, a firm that specialises in restoring Morris Minors.
“I’m a member of the Morris Minor Owners’ Club and have been restoring them for 35 years,” he said.
“I’d seen the prototype model on display before and even had my photograph taken with it.
“It was something I very much wanted to own. I plan to lend it to the Morris Minor Owners’ Club so that it can be exhibited at their events annually. A Morris Minor Convertible was the first car I ever owned at 18.
“I saw one advertised Rusty’ in the Kent Courier and bought it.
“Today, due to my business, at any one time I usually have about eight of them for sale. It was when I was restoring one of my own Morris Minor Convertibles many years ago that I realised there was a need for a firm that specialised in restoration.”
The Mosquito was not the only prototype to cause a stir at the auction.
A 1956 large-scale, pre-manufacture model of the much-loved Mini sold for £850 to the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire, which boasts the world’s largest collection of historic British cars.
Stephen Laing, curator of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, said: “We are delighted to acquire another piece of Mini his- as ‘Mr in 1974 tory for the museum, joining our unrivalled collection, which includes the very first Morris MiniMinor and the last Mini to be made, as well as an extensive collection of archive material from its designer, Sir Alec Issigonis.”
The models were sold by David Daniels, 82, of Swanmore, Hampshire, whose father, Jack, worked with Sir Alec as a development engineer.
Such was Jack’s contribution to the motoring industry that his death in 2004, at the age of 93, warranted obituaries in The Times and Daily Telegraph. The Daily Telegraph said that, without Daniels, Issigonis would never have brought the Morris Minor or the Mini Minor onto the road.
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons, said: “I’m delighted these important pieces of British motoring history will stay in the UK, preserved for posterity.”