18 Mini 850

You certainly don’t need us to tell you how fantastic Alec Issigonis’ legendary creation is – after all, the original ‘go-kart for the road’ has been a success on the tarmac, rally stage and race track for decades. What you may need reminding of, however, is that while the pinnacle that is the MKI Cooper ‘S’ has long since moved up a rung or two in the classic price guides, the original MKI 850 can still provide most of the fun without breaking the bank.

Okay, so it doesn’t offer the tuned A-series and the improved set-up of the Cooper – or even the 998cc cars that came after it – but the 850 (or, to be precise, 848cc) still has the same basic design. It not only provides a thrilling experience from behind the wheel, but also the same cheeky good looks and unmatched charm that carried the plucky little economy car right through from 1959 to the dawn of the 21st century.

Really good cars are £10-15k, so buy one now and have more fun than you ever imagined possible from a standard road car, before all of the early ‘exterior hinge’ models go the same way as anything with a Cooper badge on it.