This Roos “Meanie” Mini Cooper Will Embarrass Most Sports Cars At Stoplight Sprints

Be very careful when you line up at a traffic light alongside this seemingly harmless Mini Cooper. There’s a very good reason it’s nicknamed the Meanie Cooper, as it packs a serious punch. Weighing about 850 kilos and with 220bhp on tap, this is surely a very feisty and entertaining machine! And for those who are looking for such a plaything to put in their own garage, it’s up for sale today over at Emil Frey Classic Auctions in Safenwil, Switzerland. Let’s take a closer look at this green little riot mobile, shall we?

Small in stature, big in actions

The Mini really needs little introduction, as it is one of the most legendary cars ever built. The small car was developed by Alex Issigonis and first shown to the public in 1959. Through clever engineering and space-saving ideas, as well as celebrities loving the little machine, the mighty Mini quickly gained a reputation for being a compact, manoeuvrable and overall fun car to drive. It would seat four quite easily, with room for additional luggage as well. And while it never was intended to be a sports car, the car’s small footprint and wheels positioned pretty much on the very corners, it also proved a capable machine on track, and off-road. Heck, Paddy Hopkirk even won the gruelling Monte Carlo rally with it in 1964!

Over the years, millions of Minis have been put on the road, and even today, it remains a very popular little machine. There are countless clubs, parts specialists, restorers and so on around, so building it to your very own liking is not too challenging. Provided you have the skill to do things yourself, or the budget to outsource work, of course. And if you’re really willing to part with some serious cash, you can also opt for six-figure restomods like the Spectre Mini Type 10 or the Crayford Mini Mojito. The third option, which isn’t exactly cheap either, to be honest, is this wickedly cool Roos Engineering Mini “Meanie” Cooper!

Frey x Roos = Meanie Cooper

The Meanie Cooper was built in 2018 in a run of just five cars, by Emil Frey Classics AG and Roos Engineering AG in compliance with the then-EU Small Series Production regulations. Emil Frey Classics AG is part of the Emil Frey Group, which is a well-established, globally operating Swiss automotive retailer with several sub-companies dedicated to modern and vintage cars, as well as affiliated businesses. It’s based in Zurich and was founded in 1924 by Emil Frey, and is now headed by Emil’s son, Walter Frey. Walter Frey got involved with the project that turned into the Meanie Cooper as a financial supporter in 2012, as it was part of inventor Raffael Heierli’s bachelor’s thesis when studying at the University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil, Switzerland.

The second element that made the Meanie Cooper a reality is Roos Engineering AG. Also part of the Emil Frey Group, it has a reputation for developmental, maintenance and revision work on engines, bodywork and other components, including complete vehicles. It specialises in vintage and sports cars, and the work and support related to such vehicles. Together, the two companies developed the prototype Meanie Cooper and subsequently built five road-legal versions, of which this is one. It was first presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 2018, and carries registrations from that same year, essentially making it a 2018 classic-looking Mini.

Built upon a specially developed tubular frame of chrome-molybdenum steel, the Meanie Cooper is essentially a mid-engined sports car. And yes, I know you’re going to say that’s ridiculous, but it’s not. You see, on a normal Mini you would find the engine under the small and cutesy front section of the car, but on the Meanie 2.0 Turbo, the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine is, well, in the back! Open up the rear hatch, and you’re welcomed by the exhaust system, which sits just behind the engine. As a result, the Meanie Cooper is a genuine two-seater. There’s not much in terms of specs other than the weight of 850 kilos, the 220bhp output and the fact that the engine comes from Volkswagen. What I did manage to find online, though, is a zero-to-100kph of about 4 seconds and a top speed in excess of 200kph. Sounds scary yet fun, in such a small car!

The outside, finished in a lovely tone of green, doesn’t reveal too much of the madness that’s happening on the inside. It sits on Mini Lite-style wheels, and it has a special badge, but other than that, it looks rather innocent. Open up the doors, though, and you’ll start noticing some interesting details, not in the least the aforementioned rear-mounted engine! There’s more, though, as a full tubular roll cage is installed, along with a four-point racing harness and a pair of leather-clad bucket seats. For the rest, the interior is quite minimalistic, as it should be in a classic Mini.

be quick, It can Be Yours!

The best part of this story is that, if you’re up for it and have the budget, the Meanie Cooper could be yours! As mentioned, it is up for auction today over at Emil Frey Classic Auctions in Zurich. And for those not in the neighbourhood of the Swiss city, there’s a live stream to follow too! The Meanie Cooper 2.0 Turbo has an auction estimate of CHF 150,000 to CHF 180,000, so it won’t come cheap. But, and I say this while realising that close to 200k for a Mini is quite nuts, the work looks impeccably done! And the joy of blowing the doors of a lot of far more expensive cars must be sky-high, and that’s worth at least something, right?

For more details, please visit ClassicAuctions.ch.

Editorial Note: The information used and the images sourced for this story are provided by and used with permission of Emil Frey Classic Auctions, unless stated otherwise.