WHEELER Dealers host Mike Brewer has revealed what his first ever car was… and how he later sold it for a profit.
Mike, 59, who co-presents the popular motoring show with Marc Priestly, is a well-known faces among petrolheads after starting his career as a car dealer before breaking into TV.
YouTube/TheLateBrakeShowWheeler Dealers host Mike Brewer is known for his love of cars… with his first car being a very humble British classic[/caption]
Jam Press/Iconic AuctioneersTogether with Marc Priestley (right), Mike is known for his car flipping skills[/caption]
Having fronted the much-loved show since 2003, the car nut is often spotted behind the wheel of a tasty set of wheels – recently opening the door to his motors collection which includes a host of classic Porsches.
However, his very first car was a lot more humble – after he initially opted to ride a scooter.
In an interview with the Telegraph, he said: “I found that having a girlfriend when you ride a scooter wasn’t going to get me far, so I bought a Mini 850cc in beige.”
The original Mini, with its 850cc four-cylinder engine that produced just 34bhp and provided a top speed of just over 70mph, is considered the template for the small-car design.
“I thought: ‘That was easy, I’ll keep doing that!’”
Mike Brewer on selling his first motor
The classic motor later inspired Mike’s passion for cars and helped him to become the Wheeler Dealer he’s known today, revealing that he was able to sell his Mini “for three times” what he bought it for after “tidying it up.”
He added “I thought: ‘That was easy, I’ll keep doing that.’”
This comes after Mike opened up on how his love of cars began in a sit-down chat with former Fifth Gear presenter Jonny Smith for The Late Brake Show.
Mike revealed that he was thrust into the world of car building and modifying thanks to his father – who worked as a customiser.
He said: “It was a very special moment growing up with my dad and it meant that I had no choice but to fall in love with cars.
“In terms of falling in love with cars, it was sort of instilled in me, this is the family business, this is what we do and you’re helping.”
“During the summer holidays that was my job, I would be down the workshop helping my dad.”
This comes as Mike revealed to potential car buyers the five things you should never say to a dealer if you want a good deal on a used motor.
Elsewhere, his co-host Marc Priestley has been spotted “having a moment” behind the wheel of a “special” supercar.
Best of British: The history of the Mini Cooper
The Mini Cooper emerged in 1961 as the result of the friendship between the British Motor Corporation’s head designer, Sir Alec Issigonis, and John Cooper, the head of the Cooper Car Company.
Cooper, who was also a designer of F1 cars, felt that the original Mini, first produced in 1959, had the potential to be tuned up for the world of motorsport.
The car debuted under both the Austin and Morris brands and was a commercial hit, with over 80,000 Mk I versions sold.
The Cooper was considered an icon of ’60s Britain, particularly after they were used by Michael Caine and his band of bullion thieves in 1969’s The Italian Job.
The original was discontinued in 1971 before being revived in 1990 under the ownership of the Rover Group, following the collapse of British Leyland.
Mini was then purchased as a standalone brand by BMW Group in 2000 when Rover was liquidated and continues to produce the Cooper to this day.
The lineage is set to continue on beyond 2030 in the form of an electric supermini bearing the iconic Cooper nameplate.
GettyThe classic Mini has been a staple of roads across the globe for over 60 years and remains the template for small-car design[/caption]