Immaculate 1968 Mini Cooper owned by Paddington Bear TV producer with only 21k miles heads to auction – here’s how much it could set you back

Check out this classic car going up for auction next month that’s sweeter than a marmalade sandwich.

It’s a pristine 1968 Mk2 Mini Cooper that’s barely been used in its 55-year life and has covered a measly 21,000 miles since it rolled off the Longbridge assembly line in Austin.

It will be offered to the highest bidder on August 25 – and potential collectors considering picking up their paddle should consider the original owner.

It was first supplied to Paddington Bear’s TV producer and the auction lot even includes a stuffed Paddington made by Jeremy Clarkson’s mother, Shirley.

The first owners of the Snowberry White and Black Cooper were Graham Clutterbuck and his wife Vanna.

Like Paddington, Clutterbuck was the producer of other iconic children’s TV shows, including The Wombles and Moschops.

After Graham’s death in 1988, Vanna kept the Mini under the family name and owned it for a total of 42 years.

But at the time it was used relatively sparingly, especially as it spent the first four decades of its life in London.

The car was kept at the couple’s home in the cosmopolitan W1 Curzon Street and later at Chester Square in Mayfair.

According to the auction house that sold the stunning Mini, it was “used for running around, running errands, even a European jaunt to Rome across France, and, according to Vanna Clutterbuck, would often give author, Michael Bond CBE, and his creation Paddington Bear a lift through swinging London!”

The charming Mini and its fascinating provenance link to Paddington Bear and the Wombles is likely to appeal to many collectors.

The target presale price is £25,000 to £30,000, although it could be even more.

Classic car valuation experts at Hagerty say an immaculate car with a similarly low mileage, but without the famous connections, would be worth up to £38,000.

“Classic cars of this vintage often benefit greatly from such longevity and are therefore special, often in unrepeatable condition, having been spent with great care and love due to such a strong association,” says Silverstone Auctions.

The Mini is sold with the Clarkson Knitted Bear and an associated BMIHT certificate showing it was manufactured on April 25, 1968.

When displayed in a London showroom, the car caught the attention of Mrs Clutterbuck, who was a commercial artist at the time.

Graham and Vanna bought the Mini in May 1968.

In an April 2010 letter also attached to the lot, Vanna outlines how she even asked for additional features to ensure the safety of the vehicle in the capital, despite the fact that it was parked overnight in a garage.

“I’ve always loved Minis and have owned several, traveling all over Europe, mainly back and forth from Italy and France,” she explains in the 2010 letter, when the vehicle was sold to the current seller.

‘I bought this beautiful Mini Cooper Mark II new at the end of May 1968 from the Austin dealership on Berkeley Square.

“I asked them to install two special safety switches to prevent the engine from starting and to prevent the car from being stolen.

“One switch is under the dash and the other is very low at the bottom of the steering column.”

It comes with a huge amount of original paperwork, helping to confirm its history and ultra-low mileage.

In fact, Vanna says the only MOT certificates missing from the first 42 years are those from 1971, ’72 and ’73.

The condition of the Mini is completely original, it has never been restored.

The auction lot adds: ‘The panel opening, interior and carpets, floorboard stamping and fit and finish are all factory original’.

The Mini is described as ‘a real-time machine that harkens back to 1960s London and the birth of one of our beloved and most endearing British characters – and favorite of the late Queen Elizabeth II’.

The car’s 998cc engine is said to run well today and the car drives superbly, evidenced by its regular maintenance, having always been garaged, rust proofed when new and further sealed in 2000.

Joe Watts, who bought the car for Silverstone Auctions, says: ‘Classic cars of this vintage often benefit greatly from such longevity from one owner, often in unrepeatable condition, having been lavished with a great deal of care and love due to such a strong association.

“With amazing provenance, originality and a direct link back to the heart of Swinging 60s London – plus the original Paddington Bear and its creator on board – this is a truly special Mini and manages to embody the creative and quirky British character in one place.”