- New and exclusive to Discovery, available in OSN CH500, Saturdays at 21:55 from 25th of March
- Also available to stream on discovery+via STARZPLAY and Jawwy TV
A NEW LINEUP OF MOTORS, AND CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ICONIC TRIUMPH DOLOMITE SPRINT
Since the launch of the first series in 2003, Wheeler Dealers has won fans the world over, becoming one of the best loved car shows on television. Now, 220 cars later, car dealing royalty Mike Brewer and ace mechanic Marc ‘Elvis’ Priestley are back for a new series of Wheeler Dealers where Mike will once again be buying a range of iconic cars for Elvis to restore from their workshop in the heart of idyllic Oxfordshire, and then hopefully sell for a handsome profit in brand new. Wheeler Dealers, Saturdays from 25th of March on Discovery Channel #500 on OSN, and available to stream on the discovery+ library of STAZPLAY and Jawwy TV.
The 10-part series returns just in time to herald the 50th anniversary of one of British motoring’s unsung heroes, the Triumph Dolomite Sprint. The Sprint boasted cutting edge technology that enabled the car to reach 120 mph. A perfect blend of sportscar like performance with saloon comfort this Triumph handled brilliantly. However, its reign was short lived; around 1973 the world had fallen out of love with British cars so only 23,000 were ever produced, making the Triumph Dolomite Sprint the rare gem it is today. So naturally, Mike and Elvis decide to get one. Mike tracks the elusive vehicle down which the specialist boasts was better than the other star-car of the era, the Ford Escort Mexico.
Elvis has his work cut out – the car Mike picks up packs a punch, but has a dodgy carb, a broken overdrive, a patchwork exterior and an interior that leaves little to the imagination. To add to the strain, Mike and Elvis want to test the idea that it’s better than the iconic 70s Ford Mexico.
Across the series, Elvis will use his expertise from his ten years working in F1 for McLaren to elevate this, and the numerous cars across the series that Mike tasks him with making good.
PRESS PACK
Ep1 viewing link:
Link to images: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1oBtMMpMFXnWYqRpOBFFz6933n07uLDLp?usp=share_link
CREDIT: Wheeler Dealers on Discovery, Saturdays at 21:55 from 25th March (and available to stream on discovery+ via STARZPLAY and Jawwy TV)
WHEELER DEALERS FUN FACTS
🚗 Over 20 years, Wheeler Dealers has aired in approximately 120 countries.
🚗 A total of 220 used motors have featured across eighteen original series and Best Ofs.
🚗 Car dealing grandmaster Mike Brewer was just 15 when he bought his first car – a crash damaged Mini costing £25 and £300 worth of repairs, Mike made a tidy profit, selling the car for £800. The Mini has featured in four episodes.
🚗 During their time in the US, the WD team went Back to the Future during series eight when the team got their hands on a classic DeLorean, the rear-engine sports car that featured in the iconic 80s movie franchise..
🚗 The most expensive purchase and resale was an Austin Healey B17, brought for $35,000 and sold at auction for $75,000. And in second place on the expensive scale, the Lamborghini Urraco bought in 2013 – it cost £21k to buy and sold for £35k.
🚗 Mike’s favourite vehicle featured throughout the years is the Austin Mini and Elvis has gone with the Porsche 911 and the VW Beetle.
🚗 The one car that Mike wishes he could get his hands on is a 1930 Bentley Blower for formula F1 mechanic Elvis, it’s got to be a McLaren.
🚗 In celebration of its 60th birthday, the 1957 Messerschmitt KR200 got the Wheeler Dealers treatment in 2003. Nicknamed the three-wheeled bubble car, the German classic was designed by the aircraft engineer Fritz Fend.
EPISODES
Triumph Dolomite Sprint
It’s the 50th Anniversary of one of British motoring’s forgotten heroes, the Triumph Dolomite Sprint – so, Mike and Elvis decide to get one. Rarer than diamonds, Mike heads to specialist, Chris, to track one down. Whilst there, Chris makes the bold claim that the model was better than the Ford Escort Mexico. The car that Mike collects certainly packs a punch, but also possesses a dodgy carb, broken overdrive, a patchwork exterior with an interior to match. Can Elvis get the car back in tip top working order? And, if he can, will it prove its mettle against the Mexico by any measure at all?
Porsche 911
Mike and Elvis love the Porsche 911 and for them the G-body version is the ultimate. When Mike comes across one that needs a lot of work, he can’t resist. It arrives in pieces on a trailer, but Elvis still takes it on a test drive, with no windows and with goggles on. He’s in love! They want to turn this car, that’s famous for being garage kept, into what could be a daily driver. If they can put it back together, the ambition is to test it on one of the most beautiful drives in the UK, through Scotland’s Cairngorms mountains.
Austin Vanden Plas
The Austin Allegro has the reputation of being one of the worst cars ever built but Mike is determined to prove to Elvis that it doesn’t deserve the label. And he’s tracked down a barn-find that he wants to get back on the road to prove the point. It’s on bricks, it’s not running, the suspension is shot, and the previous owner only got part way through sorting the paintwork. And Elvis is still yet to be convinced it’s even worth bringing back from the dead.
Maserati 4200
Since being acquired by Ferrari, Maserati not only had a huge injection of cash, but also a
hefty boost to build quality which has helped put cars like the Maserati 4200GT, the
successor to the 3200GT, well and truly on the map. Mike tracks down a 2005 model, which currently looks and sounds underwhelming, but Elvis is ready to get his hands dirty and make this car look and sound like a super car without paying supercar money.
Rolls Royce Silver Spirit
Mike is on a mission to get a seat at the top table of society, but without spending a fortune to get there – as he puts it, Champagne Lifestyle, for Lemonade Money! And if you’re a Wheeler Dealer looking for a car to up your status, the number one choice is a Rolls Royce. It’s laugh-at-first-sight for Elvis and the smell from the smell coming from the interior is eye-watering. But then Mike is still convinced it’s all easy to fix and lays Elvis down the challenge – they’re going to do this whole project on a budget of £1,000…
Toyota BJ40 Landcruiser
Mike has always hankered after getting his hands on a classic Toyota Landcruiser, but they are rarer than hen’s teeth and expensive in the UK. So, he takes a punt and imports an original 70s one from Japan, not knowing quite what state it will arrive in. Two months later it arrives in what seems to be pretty good condition… but further investigation reveals the essential winch’s bust and so is the four-wheel drive. Elvis gets his hands dirty; Mike shoots off to solve the broken winch and before long this off-road classic is starting to look like new. But they won’t know if it is the real deal without a proper test.
Volvo 240
While today’s market is dominated by SUVs, Mike and Elvis feel the trusty old estate should never have slipped out of fashion. So, to prove the point, Mike tracks down one of the most iconic estate cars of all time, the Volvo 240 Torslanda… And the seller can vouch for how great it is, he and his girlfriend turned the enormous boot into their bedroom. But this car has seen better days… the wheel arches are rotten; it runs rough and getting it into first is like arm-wrestling a weightlifter. Elvis needs to get deep under the bonnet, and get super-creative with metal to bring it back to life… Can they manage to turn this car around and still make a tidy profit?
Ford Focus ST
The Ford Focus will be 25 years old next year and with the prices of its predecessor, the Escort, going through the roof, Mike thinks this could be the next classic Ford. Mike reckons that the Ford Focus ST-2 could be the answer. It’s an affordable hot hatch, which can be easily tuned, but doesn’t come with the RS price tag. He’s spotted one up for sale that has some problems including an engine management light, but it’s only up for £2795, so if Elvis can sort out the problems, there should still be enough scope for some profit.
Audi Coupe
Mike thinks he has found the perfect starter classic, a low mileage and reliable one owner car.
The car in question is a 1989 Audi Coupe, with only 66k miles on the clock. The downside is
the car failed its MOT due to a faulty brake servo, a part that the seller has been unable to
source. Striking a deal at just £3500, Mike hopes that between himself and Elvis they can not only source the part required but also boost the car’s appeal by giving it a dose of modern tech.
Volkswagen Corrado G60
