Wednesday 4th January 2006

Brooke unveils new sports car

Traditional hand-built British two-seater

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Brooke Cars' Double-R

Brooke Cars is launching a new, Cosworth-powered sports car, the Double R, to be revealed at the Autosport International show next week. This lightweight two-seater has been designed "with a no compromise philosophy to excel on both road and track", according to company spokesman James Booker.

Built in Devon, the handcrafted Double R has been designed around a thoroughly modern, motorsport-inspired chassis and power plant. It uses a tubular steel spaceframe chassis bonded to a composite seating tub for stiffness and lightness -- it weighs under 550Kg, providing a better power to weight ratio than a Lamborghini Murcielago, according to Brooke.

The Double R is powered by a range of 2.0 or 2.3-litre, mid-mounted Cosworth Duratec engines ranging in power from 190bhp to 300bhp and connecting to a transaxle gearbox. This single-seater layout gives excellent weight distribution, handling and grip.

The company demonstrators have already been registered for road use, and are currently undergoing final pre-production testing.

Left and right hand drive versions will be available, and prices are expected to start from £23,995. Deliveries will start this Spring, with initial orders having been secured.

• www.brookecars.co.uk

[GTRene]

Looks like a very nice (toy)racer...BIG fun I think, and also a bit lookig at the very old racecars, but then ofcorse in a new coat...very nice.
Only thing for now is that it should come with cycle wings because otherwise when the track or road is wet you get sprayed al over
GTRene

[silver993tt]

Well, it's not road legal unless it's fitted with mud/rain guards anyway.

>> Edited by silver993tt on Wednesday 4th January 11:53

[JamesBooker]

The photo was taken at the end of a testing day on the circuit where the car was run without cyclewings. All roadcars are supplied with cyclewings. James from Brooke.

[TheLemming]

I'm getting an incredible sense of deja-vu here. Looks very very similar to the LCC Rocket Gordon Murray designed?

Cant find a decent picture on google for comparison but I'm sure I've seen this one before under another name...

[groomi]

TheLemming said:

I'm getting an incredible sense of deja-vu here. Looks very very similar to the LCC Rocket Gordon Murray designed?

[JonRB]

TheLemming said:

I'm getting an incredible sense of deja-vu here. Looks very very similar to the LCC Rocket Gordon Murray designed?

Not that similar, surely:

TheLemming said:

I'm sure I've seen this one before under another name...

Yes. I'm sure there was a side-by-side two seater open-wheel sold by Brooke Kensington about 5 or so years ago. Can't remember what it was called though.

Edit: Unless, of course, the Brooke part of "Brooke Kensington" is one and the same (as is the car), and this car has actually been around for years and this is not news at all.

>> Edited by JonRB on Wednesday 4th January 13:46

[GregE240]

Versus:



>> Edited by GregE240 on Wednesday 4th January 13:45

[Truckosaurus]

There also was a, not dissimilar, previous version of this car too...

[JonRB]

Truckosaurus said:

There also was a, not dissimilar, previous version of this car too...

Maybe that's what I'm thinking of.

[JonRB]

Ah, here we are:
www.brooke-kensington.co.uk/me190.shtml

[RubenRocket]

I own a Rocket myself and do not dislike the Brooke, but it lacks both features that I love most of the Rocket, which are the central seating position and the +10.000 rpm screaming engine!

[barney jr]

why isn't anyone bothered about the fact that even the silliest low speed roll will kill you?

[ewenm]

barney jr said:

why isn't anyone bothered about the fact that even the silliest low speed roll will kill you?

It looks like it has a very low centre of gravity so will be tough to roll. I'd imagine people who would buy that sort of car aren't overly concerned by the safety aspects.

[kingb]

im sure thats been around ages available as a Kit

[tiga84]

barney jr said:

why isn't anyone bothered about the fact that even the silliest low speed roll will kill you?

Er, don't roll it? Not something that would ever cross my mind I'm afraid. Same as if there was a Macca F1 in the drive and a clear piece of Autobahn, I wouldn't be thinking, what if I had a blow out at 240mph?

Idiots mentality? Very possibly........

[dandarez]

Brooke is 'old' - been driven in one, great... but driven one of these, supercharged version is out of this world!

[John_S4x4]

I like the Brooke alot. To me, it really seems a neat car and the choice of the 'new' 2.3 Duretec is very good. What is the demo car fitted with 2.0 or 2.3 ?

In regards to other cars, there is also :-

[James Rose]

The Brooke was available some time ago both fully built and as a kit but has undergone a complete 2 year development program. Although similar in looks every single component is different and not a single part is interchangable with the previous car. The engine in the brand new demonstrator is a cosworth built 2.3 litre 260 bhp with up to 300 available.The car in the photograph has hidden hoops inside the head fairings.

[JonRB]

dandarez said:

Brooke is 'old' - been driven in one, great... but driven one of these, supercharged version is out of this world!

I've always found the Dare Coupe DZ more appealing than the Roadster. But you know that, because we've had this conversation before, haven't we?

I'm still one of the Dare faithful - after all, I was the first person to give them a web presence and the site is still there.

>> Edited by JonRB on Wednesday 4th January 21:26

[Paul Dishman]

Delighted to see that Jamie and James will be debuting the Brooke at Autosport. I've been following the development process over past couple of years and it's been fascinating to watch.

The Brooke was SVA'd earlier this year so no problems with its legality and with that Cosworth engine it will be seriously quick.

Looking forward to my demo drive