Saudi Prince’s Unusual MINI by Tickford to be Auctioned Off

A Saudi prince’s one-of-a-kind MINI is up for auction. The hatchback was built by Tickford as a one-off. It features a front design with twin headlights and interior trim like the Aston Martin models. The Recaro seats are upholstered in expensive leather and the trim is made of walnut veneer. The preliminary price of the hatchback is 60-80 thousand pounds.

Tickford (also known as Salmons & Sons) has built many amazing cars in its two-century history. For example, the Frazer-Tickford Metro hatchback, created when Tickford was owned by Aston Martin and was actually its engineering wing. Or a quirky MINI 1000 HLE for a Saudi prince. The modification of the car allegedly cost 50 thousand pounds, which in today’s money is a breathtaking 150 thousand pounds.

The headlight stacks, grille cover and front spoiler contribute to a quirky look. Conceptually, the MINI by Tickford resembles the work of another British workshop – Harold Radford & Co Limited. But if Rutford’s Minis could be described as tiny Rolls-Royces, Tickford’s were compact Astons. The saloons were upholstered in expensive leather with walnut veneer.

Inside, the MINI 1000 HLE by Tickford features Recaro seats and a Clarion audio system. And since the car exists in a single copy, it is expensive: according to preliminary estimates, we are talking about 60-80 thousand pounds. At the same time, for all this time MINI has traveled a little more than 13 thousand kilometers, and the history of the unique hatchback is confirmed by archival documents from the Tickford Register and Aston Martin Heritage.