There are Christmas gifts and there are Christmas gifts… Designer Paul Smith is deviating from offering the traditional designer festive fare of clothing and accessories this December by putting a historic racing car up for sale in his London Albemarle Street store.

The British racing green Cooper MkVII Twin is a Formula-Two machine and was built in Surbiton, Surrey, in 1953 by the company founded by Charles Cooper and his son John. The Cooper MkVII was a model driven by racing drivers, including Stirling Moss. The firm is also well known for conceiving the famous Mini Cooper.

The car at Paul Smith has a fully documented history file with race records, continuous ownership details, specifications and photographs. It has all original components, including its very rare JAP 1100 V Twin engine (only 23 were made), along with a Norton ‘Dolls Head’ gearbox containing ‘Manx’ gears. Eligible for international historic racing and hill climb events, this Cooper has been fully restored, refreshed, and is in ready-to-race condition.

Sir Paul Smith says ‘Most people these days will know the Cooper name because John Cooper created the famous Mini Cooper, but before that it was a real British racing success story, making cars that competed in Formulas Three, Two and One. The car we have in store is a really rare machine, which will, of course, appeal to fans of motor racing; personally, I love it because it is an example of beautiful British design.’

Price on application; driver and maintenance assistance available; Paul Smith, 9 Albemarle Street, London W1