Monday 2nd April 2012

You know you want to: Brooke Double R

A track car from the left-field end of the scale, and no mistake...

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If you want something to frighten people with at trackdays, but a Caterham seems a bit too obvious, how about this? The Brooke Double R is an interesting addition to the road-legal track car market that bears a passing resemblance to a sixties Grand Prix car, albeit one that's been fattened to accommodate two people sitting side by side.

And with only 19 examples built it's also a bit more exclusive than your average Caterfield.

If you're wondering, the Double R name stands for Road Racing, and it's a pretty thoroughly engineered piece of kit, with adjustable double wishbone suspension, longitudinally mounted engine for optimum weight distribution and seating tub bonded into the laser-cut spaceframe chassis for extra stiffness.

Power comes from a 2.3-litre Duratec unit breathed on by Cosworth. The Double R's powerplants were put together by the same technicians as Cosworth's F1 engines, with power output varying from 200hp to a frankly scary 400hp-plus in the later supercharged models. In a car weighing a smidge over 500kg it's enough to propel it from rest to 60mph in a McLaren F1-bothering 3.33 seconds and on to 100mph in 7.68 seconds. Top speed is on the faar side of 150mph - without a windscreen...

This one's packed with over £7,000-worth of track-spec goodies, including a limited-slip diff, close-ratio 'box and uprated brakes.

But if that's a bit retro for you, and you fancy a bona-fide modern track warrior, how about this Hayabusa-powered Radical for a similar price? Or, for something a little more road-oriented (and with a windscreen) there's always a Caterham R300.

Alternatively you could spend £9000 on this Formula Ford and spend the change racing it...

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Brooke Double R
Price: £23,000
Why you should: Super-quick acceleration, attention to detail, rarity
Why you shouldn't: Not exactly practical

 

[suffolk009]

Hmmm, can't help thinking that if Gordon Murray had packaged his LCC Rocket as a traditional side-by side, it would have looked like that.

[hewlett]

Stick a propeller on the back and it would be a convincing looking amphibious vehicle

[Robmarriott]

This is my all time favourite 'silly' car

[pit5top]

Always liked these particularly when they got the powerful duratec engine. In many ways more appealing than a westie or caterham.

[sjc]

Very nearly bought this very car off the previous owner last year, who was someone high up at Maclaren.It was only the fact that Brooke haven't appeared to have made any cars for some years that put me off.

Edited by sjc on Sunday 1st July 19:37

[M@1975]

it's a nice bit of kit, original review on PH is here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/doc.asp?c=47&i=1403...

[noble3r]

its a shame the company is for sale

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/commercial-property-for...

[carnut360]

only seen one advertised decided to buy caterham as easier to look after if anything goes wrong, not that anything has done...still think looks great, but well needs a heater and crash helmet..other than that think they look fab..!!

[GravelBen]

I'm sure I could manage to have some fun in that.

[wotnot]

I'm sure I saw that, or something very similar in the same colour, heading north on the A3 yeasterday.

[SpudLink]

wotnot said:

I'm sure I saw that, or something very similar in the same colour, heading north on the A3 yeasterday.

I saw one leaving Silverstone on the Friday of last years Grand Prix.

Surely someone on PH could stump up the cash to buy the company? It might not be a great business venture, but £420,000 doesn't sound too much to own your own sports car company. And one that makes a profit.

[mattsrallye]

wotnot said:

I'm sure I saw that, or something very similar in the same colour, heading north on the A3 yeasterday.

Hmm, I saw one too in Farnham - must have been the same one!

[M400 NBL]

noble3r said:

its a shame the company is for sale

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/commercial-property-for...

Well spotted. Coincidence to be advertised on PH's at the same time as selling the business!

[mazdaman1980]

I saw this very car on the day this was taken at the Black Rabbit Pub in Arundel a week or two ago. Great looking thing. I didnt realise they were quite so rare. The Black arches above the wheels lookd a little too close to the tyre for my liking but i would have loved a go!!!

[sjc]

M400 NBL said:

noble3r said:

its a shame the company is for sale

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/commercial-property-for...

Well spotted. Coincidence to be advertised on PH's at the same time as selling the business!

In fairness to the owner, he did put it up for sale a couple of months ago,but the advert disappeared after a week or so.

[noble3r]

M400 NBL said:

Well spotted. Coincidence to be advertised on PH's at the same time as selling the business!

coincidence - don't be silly. We all like to scratch each others backs now and again. :-)

i guess everythings for sale at the right price

[GroundEffect]

want want want want

[jensenhealey2]

SpudLink said:

And one that makes a profit.

I wonder. That is gross profit, so that is just cost of goods sold less the cost of buying what they sell. Rent (which is TBA), business rates, salaries etc is all taken out of the 20k odd they make. i cannot see how it can be making a net profit.

can't really see how this business can be worth 425k.

[noble3r]

noble3r said:

coincidence - don't be silly. We all like to scratch each others backs now and again. :-)

i guess everythings for sale at the right price

it would although make me slighty concerned if i was thinking of spending 25K on one. its a shame small british kit car companies are having such a difficult time. I think i'd prefer this over a 3 wheeled morgan :-) Brooke need more good press!!

[Ean218]

SpudLink said:

Surely someone on PH could stump up the cash to buy the company? It might not be a great business venture, but £420,000 doesn't sound too much to own your own sports car company. And one that makes a profit.

17% gross profit is not a profit..... On £115,000 t/o that £20,000 would hardly pay for a workshop, never mind any salaries!