2013 Mini Inspired by Goodwood

Finished in Diamond Black and Cornsilk leather, ‘M111GWD’ (d’ya see what he did there?) is one of the fabled MINI ‘Inspired by Goodwood’ editions, an everyday Rolls-Royce you can park anywhere and lap any racetrack in the world in.

And what a treat they are when you do find one because their discreet coachwork hides one of the most sumptuous interiors of any car, regardless of price. With burr walnut, cashmere, lambswool overmats, and a combination of full-grain and tipped leather, the MINI’s advantage over rivals like the Aston Martin Cygnet is that the car it is based on is so good. (The fact it wasn’t a cynical exercise in emission dodging helps too, of course…)

And this is a lovely example: with just two previous owners, fewer than 10,000 miles on the odometer, and an MoT record that’s never had an advisory, this wonderful MINI Inspired by Goodwood also boasts the highly desirable manual gearbox, one of only 19 car so equipped.

Understandably, the seller fell in love with it when he first saw it back in 2015 and wasted no time in putting it to his garage. He’s only added a handful of miles to the odometer in the decade he’s owned it, and it eventually went into semi-permanent storage where it remained until recently.

Now freshly recommissioned and with 10,000 miles coming up on the odometer, he felt now would be a fitting time to sell.

The ceramic-coated Diamond Black coachwork looks terrific – and being a black car that’s no mean feat because any problems, any at all, are going to stick out like a vegan at a MAGA rally.

That expensive Rolls-Royce paint shines beautifully and the flawless panels, which still boast mm-perfect shutlines, are free of ripples, dinks, and dents – not that you’d expect to find any given this example’s careful curation and low mileage.

The smaller details stack up too because the all-important ‘Inspired by Goodwood’ badges are present and correct, the lamp lenses are free of cracks and chips, and the window glazing is all good.

The rear view – and given the chassis is that of a Cooper S this is all most of ‘em will see – is as well-judged as everywhere else thanks to twin exhaust pipes, a roof-mounted spoiler, and a rear diffuser.

But don’t be misled because it’s also a stealthier car than you might think because BMW opted to delete the bonnet-mounted air scoop and the usual boot badges; talk softly, and carry a big stick, eh?

As for the unique 16-spoke, 17-inch alloys, they are not only free of scuffs, scrapes and other kerbing, but the tyres they’re fitted with are matching Bridgestone Potenza RE050As.

Plus, the MINI’s last service in February 2025 showed all four tyres had 4mm of tread left on ‘em. The tyres are all date-stamped 2112 too, so they’re almost certainly the ones the factory fitted. How’s that for originality?

As for flaws, apart from the usual (albeit tiny) stonechips to the front end, our man with the magnifying glass also spotted a few tiny white speckles in the paint across the exterior, a couple of very light marks on both mirror caps,
a few light scratches and two very small scuff marks on the offside of the rear bumper, some light pitting to some of the chrome trim, and some chips in the paint on the edge of the driver’s door, a few of which have been touched in.

There are also some very light scratches to the exterior plastics plus a couple of light bird poo stains in the bonnet and roof, although we think the latter could probably be removed with a session with a clay bar followed by a good polish.

If the outside is discreet, then the designers at Rolls-Royce let loose a little inside, raiding the corporate parts bin of luxuries such as cashmere, Connolly ‘Cornsilk’ tipped and full-grain hide, and burr walnut – and they even went to the trouble of using a Rolls-Royce font for the ‘Inspired by Goodwood’ lettering.

And that Cornsilk Connolly leather is used extensively, with the tipped variety being used in conjunction with full grain to swathe the door cards, centre console, dashboard, instrument surrounds, air vents, side pillars, and seats.

And that attention to detail in using full grain leather on the seats is evident the moment you sit in them, almost certainly sighing in satisfaction as the rest of the world fades away, taking your problems with it.

The headlining and sunvisors (including those at the side) are made of cashmere – and how often do you get to say that about a car in the MINI’s class?

Of course, burr walnut is sprinkled liberally around, not that the rest of the cabin is comprises nothing but hard-edged wood because the overmats are of the finest lambswool and the boot has a stitched Cornsilk leather mat. Yup, the MINI even boasts Connolly leather trim on the floor of the boot, all the better to prevent your Louis Vuitton luggage getting marked.

Other nice touches are ‘MINI Inspired by Goodwood’ sill plates and a plaque on the centre console confirming that this is one of a thousand cars built.

They factory also took care to make sure the rich folk who bought ‘em had every modern convenience at their perfectly manicured fingertips including heated front seats, parking sensors, and extended interior lighting as well as the usual suspects like cruise control, cupholders, air-conditioning (which blows ice-cold following a recent re-gas), a leather-trimmed, multi-function steering wheel, and electric windows and mirrors.

As for entertainment, in the unlikely event you get bored of the R56’s class-leading chassis (complete with switchable driving modes) you can turn on the MINI’s entertainment centre and take advantage of its many features including MINI Connected, a sat-nav, Bluetooth connectivity, a DAB radio, and a Harman Kardon speaker system.

As for its condition, our man reports: “the interior is excellent with only the lightest of wear marks to the door cards and seat leather.”

The invoices on file reveal the following routine maintenance:

• 10.02.2025 and 9,956 miles – a recommissioning service including new sparkplugs, fresh brake fluid, a re-gas of the air-conditioning, and a new fuel pressure sensor by Jo Darby Cars, an independent BMW and MINI specialist
• 14.03.2020 circa 9,200 miles – service by Cranmore GT including fresh brake fluid and a ceramic coating to the paintwork
• 07.06.2016 and 6,370 miles – service by MINI Nine Elms
• 17.06.2015 and 4,259 miles – brake fluid service by MINI Nine Elms

DMS also remapped the MINI in October 2018, with the aim of improving the car’s flexibility rather than adding big numbers at the top of the rev range.

The seller tells us that he had used DMS to re-map his Cayman twenty years ago and felt they were the people to give the MINI a bit more low-end torque. He’s been delighted with the result, saying that pick-up in second gear out of tight corners is vastly improved. We salute his restraint; more low-down torque always makes a car better to drive – and generally faster in real-world conditions too.

Of course, given all this attention it starts and idles well, revs as it should, and does it all with a suitably fruity exhaust note.

Cosmetically it is excellent, although we did find broken plastics clips on the battery cover. #firstworldproblems, eh?

As for the undercarriage, it’s in exactly the sort of condition you’d expect to see on a car of this age that’s covered so few miles. In other words, all the new owner is going to have to do is to continue to maintain it; no work is needed other than that.

The MINI’s MoT certificate, which is valid until October 2025, was issued with no advisories. Not that that’s too much of a surprise because it has passed every MoT it’s ever taken with a clean sheet.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and it comes with two key fobs, the MINI Inspired by Goodwood brochure, the book pack and wallet, and the invoices we mentioned earlier.

If you merely want to get behind the wheel of a 2013 MINI Cooper S there will be far cheaper ways of doing it than by buying this one.

But, here’s what the manufacturers themselves have to say about the MINI Inspired by Goodwood.

“Drawing on materials utilised in the craftsmanship of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the MINI inspired by Goodwood makes extensive use of leather, cashmere, lambswool and walnut veneer.

Due to the precise craftsmanship and attention to detail it is largely assembled by hand at the MINI factory in Oxford.

This unique MINI is in Rolls-Royce Diamond Black metallic paintwork which makes a striking contrast with the lighter tones of the interior in Rolls-Royce Cornsilk Beige.”

So this is much, much more than a MINI Cooper S. Yes, it’s got that legendary car’s performance, but it’s also got the same luxury cabin as a modern Rolls-Royce in a city-friendly package that is as much fun on a track or autobahn as it is Knightsbridge.

It also comes with the personalised numberplate you see, an advisory-free MoT record, and a ridiculously low mileage.

All of which makes our estimate of between £22,000 and £30,000 feel like solid value given that this might just be the best MINI Inspired by Goodwood on sale today.

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