1994 BROOKE 190ME #001

This Brooke ME190 is a thrilling lightweight road car, benefiting from a comprehensive restoration carried out around five years ago, and representing one of very few cars built. It is powered by a Cosworth-developed 2.0-litre Vauxhall ‘Red Top’ inline-four, built by Scholar Engines, and producing up to 230bhp, coupled to a five-speed manual transmission. The odometer shows 20,829 miles.

Designed by the founder of Brooke Cars, Toby Sutton, the ME190 was fabricated around a fully triangulated space frame chassis with a composite cabin tub that was bonded to the structure, and clothed in GRP bodywork. There was independent suspension with adjustable dampers, rack-and-pinion steering, and an adjustable pedal box. This particular car was Sutton’s own vehicle, and featured on the model’s launch brochure. That literature called the car “the spirit of the ‘50s in a classic two seater for the ‘90s”.

The launch brochure stated that the car weighed just 560kg, and it was originally offered with either a carburettor-fed 179bhp engine or a fuel-injected motor with 208bhp - and with the latter giving a power-to-weight figure of 370bhp per tonne. The more powerful model was said to accelerate from rest to 60mph in just 4.4 seconds - or from 0-100mph in 12.1 seconds. This particular car must therefore be even quicker, boasting a figure of around 410bhp per tonne.

The ME190 was reincarnated some years later as the Brooke Double R, which was famously one of the quickest cars ever tested by Evo magazine, setting a time around the Bedford Autodrome that was ahead of the likes of the Porsche Carrera GT and Nissan GT-R, and only one second behind the renowned Ariel Atom 3.

This car was first registered in July 1994, and now has five previous keepers on the log book. Painted silver until 2001, it was then changed to its present red finish. The DVLA record also shows that it was at one time temporarily registered overseas. The owner acquired the car in 2016.

Prior to the vendor’s ownership, it was treated to a comprehensive restoration, and today the bodywork and paint remains in great shape. There are a few minor chips and surface cracks in the paint, but overall this is a well-presented car. Its exposed suspension and drive shaft components give it a true ‘road racer’ aesthetic, while its light lenses, exhaust and 15-inch alloy wheels are all in good order.

In the cockpit, the two padded and trimmed seat panels in the moulded backings are in very good condition, showing minimal wear. There are four-point Luke safety harnesses, and the steering wheel, handbrake grip and gear knob all present well. The spartan interior has few switches, but there are no known faults with any electrics.

Having covered less than 200 miles since its rebuild in the previous ownership, the car remains in very good mechanical order. The most recent MOT test was on 2 September 2020 at 20,821 miles, when it achieved a first-time pass with no advisories or defects. The wheels are fitted with Toyo Proxes R888 tyres on all four corners, which are in good condition.

Accompanying the car is a raft of period documentation and magazine articles, showing the car on test in its original silver hue, as well as the later red. There are also digital files documenting the recent rebuild in photographs and with a variety of information on the Brooke cars in general.

This Brooke ME190 is a rare slice of 1990s British independent sports car manufacturing, presented in very good condition throughout. With an engine built by a leading performance specialist, and benefiting from a recent restoration, this pared-back two-seater is a truly thrilling analogue road machine or track toy, and unquestionably one of the most heavily distilled versions of what a great driver’s car can be.

The description of this auction lot is, to the best of the seller's knowledge, accurate and not misleading. Collecting Cars requests a range of detail about the lot from the seller, and performs a level of due diligence through HPI checks and MOT history where available. However, bidders must satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of the description, and conduct any research they feel is necessary before committing to a bid. Please see our Terms and Conditions for full details.

All UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Collecting Cars are run through an online HPI check. This vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft, and has no finance owing.

Car Overview

  • 20,829 miles
  • manual
  • RHD
  • Red
  • Black
  • 2.0L


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Lot Overview

  • Lot #02070
  • private Sale
  • Nottingham, United Kingdom

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1994 BROOKE 190ME #0011994 BROOKE 190ME #0011994 BROOKE 190ME #0011994 BROOKE 190ME #0011994 BROOKE 190ME #0011994 BROOKE 190ME #0011994 BROOKE 190ME #0011994 BROOKE 190ME #001
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