WHEELER Dealers host Mike Brewer is renowned for his love of classic cars and keeps his own stunning collection hidden away in a “secret cave”.
The TV star invited Jonny Smith from The Late Break show for a private tour around the “car cathedral”, which houses its own workshop.
YouTube / The Late Brake ShowMike Brewer’s stunning car collection is hidden away in a ‘secret cave’[/caption]
Porsche Passion
YouTube / The Late Brake ShowHe is a big fan of classic Porsches[/caption]
The bulk of Mike’s collection is made up of Porsche models from across some of the brand’s most popular decades.
Models represented include a 912 E (a four-cylinder version of the iconic 911), which is one of just 2,099, and a 928.
He also owns a 1982 Porsche SC, which he took on himself as a resto-mod project.
Mike said: “I bought this car of an American Airlines pilot when I was living in California.
“He was the least interested man to ever own a Porsche…so much so that he sold it at a stupid price.
“I’ve done a lot of work to it.”
On the more modern end, he snapped up a Porsche Taycan EV, which currently retails from £86,5000.
The all-electric sports car has a top speed of 143mph and a range of up to 421 miles, according to the manufacturer.
Ford Transit
YouTube / The Late Brake ShowThe Ford Transit is beloved of the UK’s white van men[/caption]
Back on the internal combustion side of things, Mike is the proud owner of a MkI Ford Transit van.
The original version of the model that has achieved icon status as the ride of choice for the discerning white van man, it first went into production in 1965.
This particular example, from 1974, was formerly used by the German fire service, before being converted to right-hand drive and only had 10,000 miles on the clock when Mike picked it up.
The presenter revealed that he had to “pester” the previous owner to agree to sell it off after he “genuinely fell in love with it”.
Mini Cooper S
YouTube / The Late Brake ShowMike dubbed the Cooper his ‘favourite car of all time’[/caption]
One of the greatest icons of British Motoring history, the Mini Cooper firmly secured cult status during the 1960s.
This was no doubt helped by its starring role in The Italian Job, ferrying Michael Caine and Co around at the climax of the 1969 heist flick.
Mike’s is one of the original run of the model, which lasted from 1961 to 1971.
The star dubbed this his “favourite car of all time” and said the quality of the thing is “just insane”.
His Mini has been rebuilt using a period-accurate 2021 shell to make sure it lasts for many years to come.
And hopefully it will, especially after Mini revealed the last-of-its-kind Cooper, with the model set to go electric-only by 2030,
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.
MG MGA
YouTube / The Late Brake ShowThe previous owner of this MG actually won it in a raffle[/caption]
You might think that after 20-plus years of telly success, Mike can go out and buy any car he wants at the drop of a hat.
But sometimes it’s the hours of poking around car shows, sales and auctions that reveal the hidden gems.
Mike actually snapped up this “beautiful” 1959 MG sportster around the time of the show’s very first series.
He recalled looking around a California workshop as the team scouted for locations and chatting with the building’s owner.
The man apparently revealed that he had won the car in a charity raffle back in 1974 before leaving it in a garage for 20 years.
That very afternoon, Mike and his wife Michelle went round to his house and were given the motor for free on the spot.
In return, Mike made a sizeable donation to the generous petrolhead’s charity of choice as a replacement for payment.
Land Rover 110 Defender
YouTube / The Late Brake ShowMike’s friend ‘gifted’ him this dinged up Land Rover[/caption]
The Land Rover was actually gifted to Mike by a friend of his and was in a bit of a sorry state.
Mike and Jonny joked that the car had “cellulite” and looked like “an ostrich has been pecking it” thanks to all the dents and dings on the bodywork.
The host added: “It’s sort of been gifted to me, which is lovely.
“But it’s a pain now as I can’t sell it as it’s not mine and I can’t really do anything with it.
“It’s really handy if I need to tow something or move something around… it’s a great vehicle.”
Absent friends
DiscoveryTragically, his Ford Fiesta was stolen in 2023[/caption]
Sadly, there is a gaping hole in Mike’s collection, after his beloved Ford Fiesta was stolen in June 2023.
He and his Wheeler Dealers co-star Marc Priestley had specially restored the car for around £11,200 before it was cruelly pinched.
Mike has even offered a £5,000 reward for anyone who can get it back.
However, he shared an agonizing update on the case with fans in February 2024 and gave some more details on how the crime unfolded.