ML Motorsport - Classic mini and retro car specialists

 

We love retro cars at MLM and heres a spot for me to babble on about them!

 

 

BRM or British Racing Motors were a British racing team that plied their trade in the 50s to the 70s competing in many forms of racing including Formula 1 where they won the championship with the great Graham Hill in 1963,Other drivers such as Niki Lauda and John Sutees were BRM drivers in their careers, BRM also collaborated with Rover on a gas turbine power sports car which competed at LeMans in 1963 and 65 The team closed its doors around 1977, for many British race fans The BRM is one of British motorsports icons.



 

 

Not really old enough to be a retro car but hey it has the right ingredients! Back in 99 Rover decided to do a special edition based on their 200 vi model tied up to the BRM name, the 145bhp vvc engine would remain as the vi but The BRM featured uprated suspension, 16” wheels with 205/45/16 tyres, all UK BRMs where brooklands green, with silver trim and that funky orange grille! Virtually all BRM racing cars where dark green with orange nose! Showroom price was £18,000.

 

 

Interior was red leather diamond stitched seats and door pads, silver turned alloy parts adorned the dash, its very retro and over the top not surprising I like em!

 

Only 795 where produced in the Uk and there a too few left as insurance companies tend to write them off for the slightest knock as the special parts are hard to find, these days with rover parts turning up here and there its not so much of a problem, although the performance may have influenced some of the losses!

 

Although the BRM used the same 1.8 K series vvc engine as the vi model it did have a close ratio gearbox with torsen torque biasing differential overall gearing is lower giving impressive performance with good low speed pickup. In true modern car fashion the car is maybe a little too quiet and smooth to drive compared to hot hatches of the 80s but press on and it’s a rewarding drive with the diff showing itself on slippery roads, considering how little these are to buy now it’s a performance hatch bargain!