As I write this, I'm just wondering how to wedge all the family gear into the car for the MINI United weekend at Silverstone. Handily though, the man from MINI has just knocked on the door with the keys to a new One Clubman so there's a fighting chance that there may still be room for people too.
As the world celebrates half a century of the MINI, those classic ’50s examples do seem as if they're from a different age, which in truth they are. The new MINI though, seems to be ageing remarkably gracefully, something which was proved when we met up with Roger Wall and his 2001 Cooper.
They don't come much earlier than Roger's example - so early in fact that he placed his original order in a Rover dealer where they probably still had Montegos in the showroom - but compare it to a brand new Cooper and it really doesn't feel or look its age. It certainly doesn't feel as if it's just a couple of years away from qualifying for the new government scrappage initiative, but then the less said about that controversial issue the better, especially within earshot of classic enthusiasts.
MM readers of course can take comfort in the fact that their cars hold their value too well to be suitable for the scheme, which means in years to come there should be no shortage of mint original cars. Read this column in another 50 years and find out whether I'm right...

Paul Wager

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