22 May 09
Steve McQueen: 1967 Mini Cooper S
What on earth was Hollywood's hard man Steve McQueen doing owning a Mini? Especially since the man lived in America, the land of the muscle car. The reason was simple - McQueen was a car nut.
By the time he bought his '67 Mini, the British city car had already conquered the infamous Monte Carlo Rally and was about to embark on a victorious career in the British Saloon Championship that would, a year later, nab the championship beating both Jaguar and the American Ford Galaxie.
Naturally, he couldn't help but tweak his Cooper. He painted it a dubious shade of gold, added a full-length Webasto roof, fitted wider wheels and leather bucket seats. Doubtless he tweaked the 1275cc engine to give his standard car a little extra poke.
Marianne Faithfull: 1967 Radford Mini de Ville
The Mini was the only car to be seen in during the Sixties even if, sometimes, you didn't actually want to be seen in one.
Singer Marianne Faithfull was caught on camera arriving at the Law Courts to support her, then boyfriend Mick Jagger, who was appealing against a prison sentence for a drug conviction.
Of course back then, if you were rich and famous owning any old Mini wouldn't suffice and Faithfull's Mini was about as desirable as it could get - it was completely rebuilt and re-trimmed to Rolls Royce standards by coachbuilder Radford.
