Previous Cars

2000 Mini Cooper S - SOLD AT RUSSO AND STEELE MONTEREY 8/16/2012

This is truly a one-of-a-kind Mini Cooper.  This car was one of the last Mini’s built.  BMC had already been purchased by BMW but they licensed the Rover group to make  a final run of  cars in 2000, with the last car completed in October going directly to the National British Museum.  This car rolled off the line in May of 2000 and was used as a factory car before getting lost in the shuffle of the companies changing hands.  In late 2007 the company cars, there were twelve of them, were discovered by BMW on a plant inspection and subsequently auctioned.

 

This car was one of a lot of 6 cars bought at the auction by River House B.V., an European company, that was readying the cars for resale to the public. I purchased the car in December 2007 from River House and because of smog issues and numerous other import problems the purchase was routed through their U.S. partner Mini Obsession in Pennsylvania.  The car arrived with some paint chipping and a broken rear window from the transport which was subsequent repaired.  The rear window is the only non-factory part on the vehicle.

2100 miles were on the odometer upon delivery and it is just above 4000 now.  The car has been a delight to drive and is probably one of the lowest mileage classic Mini Coopers in the world.

2006 Aston Martin DB9 Volante

I bought this car new from Cole European and traded in the 2002 Aston Martin Vanquish because I wanted a convertible.  The car was special ordered with a Vanquish paint color and ivory interior, had a 6 speed manual — didn’t want the F1 paddles that I had in the Vanquish just a real clutch and real stick.  I had a great time with the car but it was just too smooth and too fast to really be any fun around town.  About this time I got the bug for the older cars you can really drive and have fun with at lower speeds and just felt the time was right to move on.  I think I traded the car in a Cole European on a Land Rover.