According to the book 'New MINI' by Graham Robson the first few pre-production Mini's were built in January 2001 and the first production car on 26th April 2001. The MINI One and Cooper officially went on sale 7th July 2001.



Y96 OBL above was an early press car registered 08 06 2001 and last taxed 30 09 2008. Another one of the early press cars Y286 OBL red Mini was registered 23 05 2001 but was last taxed April 2005 according to DVLA website. (Several photos of it in Graham Robson's book.)

I have seen various spyshots from back in 1999 of some of the disguised new MINI prototypes (registered as Rovers) testing with N & P registrations.

The DVLA website search gives the following details on these first MINI's :-
N735 FYB - Rover MINI - First registered 11 Sep 1998 - 1589cc - White - last taxed until 1 Mar 2000. (see in video below)
N279 NWS - Rover - First registered 11 Sep 1998 - 1589cc - Green - last taxed until 1 Sep 2000. (Export)
N216 FYA - Rover - First registered 21 Jan 1999 - 1588cc - Grey - last taxed until 28 July 2000.
N952 OMR - Rover - First registered 13 Oct 1999 - 1588cc - Black - last taxed until 01 Oct 2000.
P375 YAE - Rover - First registered 13 Sep 1999 - 1588cc - Black - last taxed until 01 Jan 2002.
P489 AHR - Rover - First registered 15 Nov 1999 - 1588cc - Black - last taxed until 01 Nov 2000.

One Rover R50/53 prototype did survive and was sold on ebay a couple of years ago.



^This is said to be the first production MINI No.1 (unregistered)

 

First R50 Body Built in 1999

Early R50 Built at Longbridge (Methods Build 1999)

New Rover MINI comes to Longbridge.
That was the Plan, although in the end it never happened........

The general BMW plan for the Rover Group was that Cowley, renamed Oxford would produce the large cars, with Longbridge, becoming Birmingham which would produce the small and medium.

Rover Birmingham (Longbridge) needed to undergo major restructuring to prepare for the launch of R50 (new Mini) in the year 2000. In order to create a world class manufacturing facility for the production of the new Mini, Rover needed to replace existing old buildings with new factories, designed to accommodate modern machinery and equipment.

More details of the original Factory development plans for R50 MINI production here:
Longbridge New Mini R50

 

The New R50 MINI as featured in 'The Engineer' magazine back in October 2000:

 

R53 MINI Cooper S Prototype photos

 

John Cooper unveils the new MINI Cooper

 

Photos of what could be the oldest and only pre-production prototype Rover R50/53 MINI left in existence as recently discovered, since being dry-stored in 1999, unless of course you know different......spot the differences?













Originally Posted by Blue Mk2 on the Mk1 Forum
I was working at longbridge in 1997/8 and was asked if I wanted to look at one of the new minis in 'methods' building, It was very interesting and the spec list read from something out of a bmw 7 series options list!
you have to remember that the New MINI was a risk and a lot of people thought they'd never sell a 12k mini to anyone! 200,000 a year proved that wrong but at the time...
I seem to remember that early cars had the indicator repeater green light in the stalk , now where have I seen that before?
it quickly got deleted (shame) and just the alarm was on the other stalk , I think,
anyhow we built the first R53 s with battery in the boot etc and with hand mod'd bonnet as per photo above and by the following Wednesday there was a picture in Autocar !
there was also an R3 Rover 200 with 'S' running gear which used to fly around
what are your plans with it , I cant imagine there are any others and process is to scrap em , maybe they forgot about this one!

 

John Cooper pictured below at Gaydon with a classic Mini Cooper MPi and an early prototype of the New MINI Cooper in August 1998 both with the Rover style winged Mini badges.

 

Who owns the oldest MINI?
Who owns the oldest MINI? - Page 2 - The Mini Cooper Register Forum