UK BTCC And Tuning Legend David Brodie Of BBR Is Selling Off His Best Cars

David Brodie, one of the UK’s most successful touring car racers and a renowned tuner, is selling off some of his cars due to ill health, including two Sierra Cosworths—one road, one race—as well as a BMW Mini that was known as the fastest Mini in the world when it was built, and (surprisingly) a 1959 Sunbeam Rapier. All four cars are to be offered for sale by H&H Classics at its Duxford auction on 20 March. Brodie started out in racing in an Austin A30 in 1963, worked with Frank Williams before the days of Williams F1, started on what became a series of Escorts and Sierras, all named “Run Baby Run” in 1969 and became a regular BTCC driver in the 1980s and ’90s.

He also formed the company Brodie Brittain Racing (BBR) with engineer Ken Brittain BBR in Brackley, working closely with the Ford Works Motorsport division, and going on to build a wide variety of road and race cars that achieved legendary status among UK car enthusiasts. 

The 1986 Sierra RS500 Cosworth road car, estimated at £24,000 to £28,000, was built for Brodie’s personal use but has covered only around 900 miles since the build. It’s fitted with a complete RS500 body kit except for the lower boot panel wing. It’s four-wheel drive and runs a modest 265bhp on small injectors but could easily have 365bhp according to Brodie. The white race Sierra RS Cosworth, estimated at £55,000 to £60,000, is much more heavily modified. It was built by BBR with a T4 turbo engine in a new Ford Motorsport shell in 1990, but has only been raced nine or ten times by Dave’s son James. It produces around 500bhp but fuel, cooling and breather systems can handle up to 600bhp.

The 2005 Mini Cooper, estimated at £18,000 to £22,000, was tuned by BBR and driven byThe Stig, BBC Top Gear’s test driver . The Stig got it to 150mph but backed off, unsure of how much faster the car would go. It’s a “docile car if not pushed” according to Brodie, with a 350bhp turbocharged engine, large ventilated disc brakes and braided fluid hoses and anti torque steer suspension. Including the cost of buying it, the Mini has had £90,000 spent on it, and it has still covered only 5500 miles.

And the fourth car? A 1959 Sunbeam Rapier Series III, owned by Brodie since 1986 and with just 11,200 miles recorded from new. It’s been fitted with a 1750cc Rootes engine in place of its original 1494cc unit, and drives through a replacement overdrive gearbox. Quite a contrast to the other cars here but a big favourite of David Brodie’s.

Images courtesy of H&H Classics