A Mini that lay hidden in a tunnel under the Longbridge factory is to be sold with no reserve at Silverstone Auctions’ 27 July sale.
Used by workers to travel around the sprawling factory, the Mini was secretly dumped in the late ’70s after being damaged by a falling storage container.
It only emerged from hibernation when a former employee received permission to move it in 2012.
Despite having just 11 miles on the clock the car is in need of major restoration.
Silverstone Auctions MD Nick Whale said: “Without doubt this has got to be one of the most fascinating cars we’ve ever secured.
“It made international headlines when it was rescued from underneath the factory and has caused a fair amount of controversy in the Mini community, as some people would have preferred it was left in the tunnel as a hidden memorial.”
An early entry to the sale, the Mini joins a lot list that so far includes a 1965 Aston Martin DB5 (£275-325,000) and a 1942 Ford GPW 4x4 (£12-15,000).
