BMC Mini Cat by Zagato

There is little documentation on this one-off Zagato creation, which is based on the BMC Morris Mini. Ercole Spada is credited with the design, and construction was handled by Zagato, as expected.

In a 1961 press release, Anthony Crook Motors Ltd., the sole UK concessionaire for Zagato Milano at the time, announced that the car would be appearing at the 1961 Earls Court Motor Show.

It was reportedly built for Ing. V. Piatta, who wanted to explore the potential of the Mini Minor chassis as the basis for a true grand touring car.

Only one example is thought to have been produced — it was displayed at Earls Court.

In 2007, Dutch Mini historian Jeroen Booij discovered the aluminium-bodied prototype, which had covered just 4,107 km, stored in a shed in Milan.

The owner refused to sell, and over the following years the car passed through several hands. Eventually, it was dismantled for restoration and later resurfaced with a classic car dealer in Moncalieri, Italy, who offered it on eBay as a project. Despite heavy interest — 30 bids and a final offer of US$22,200 — the reserve price was not met.

As of late 2014, the dealer was no longer listing the car on its website, suggesting that it had either been sold privately or was undergoing restoration. Significant work was required to return the vehicle to its former condition.