This 2011 MEK SS2 is not a limited-production model, but a hand-built one-off: it was constructed by Mike Keeley, a former Westfield engineer, as a two-seat roadster based on the fundamental principles of the Lotus Seven. Its creation is extensively documented with original documents and photographs; the car was also featured in three kit-car magazines. The 1.7-litre Crossflow four-cylinder engine with Weber 40 carburettors produces 150 hp and is paired with a five-speed manual transmission. The confirmed total mileage is just around 2,000 miles.
The basic recipe for a lightweight, open two-seater is remarkably simple: little mass, little comfort ballast, a lively engine and as little as possible between driver and road. The MEK SS2 follows precisely this philosophy. Its concept is based on the classic Lotus Seven principle, without claiming to be a Lotus.
What matters most with this vehicle is its individual creation. According to the verified documentation, the SS2 was built as a one-off by Mike Keeley, a former Westfield engineer. It therefore belongs to the British tradition of hand-built lightweight sports cars, where the design is not dictated by comfort, driver assistance systems or everyday practicality, but by the immediacy of the driving experience.
The technical concept fits this philosophy perfectly: 1,688 cc displacement, four cylinders, 150 hp, Weber 40 carburettors and a five-speed manual transmission. There is no ABS, power steering, airbags, central locking or electric windows. In a car like this, that is less a lack of equipment than a remarkably precise description of its philosophy.
The two-seat roadster is finished in red. The photographic documentation shows the uncompromising architecture typical of this class of vehicle: exposed front wheels, a long bonnet, a tightly proportioned passenger compartment and a very low overall profile. Here, function visibly determines form.
At the same time, the car does not look like an attempt to retrospectively give a classic sports car some historic patina. It is a vehicle from 2011 whose construction deliberately follows an older idea of sports-car design. The openly visible mechanical components and pared-back bodywork give it a distinctly handcrafted appearance.
The interior continues the uncompromising approach. The confirmed colour is also red, with leather specified as the upholstery material. The driver's workspace is focused on the essentials; comfort equipment plays virtually no role in this concept.
The MEK is configured as a right-hand-drive vehicle. There is no air conditioning, electric windows, central locking, cruise control or power steering. The result is a cockpit in which operating the car itself takes centre stage.
At the heart of the SS2 is its 1,688 cc Crossflow inline four-cylinder engine, equipped with Weber 40 carburettors. Output is confirmed at 150 hp or 110 kW. Power is transmitted through a five-speed manual gearbox. Disc brakes are specified front and rear.
The consignor describes the driving experience as particularly direct: strong acceleration, long gear changes and handling intended to evoke the feel of a purist old-school racing car on winding country roads. The key point is his own description that the car genuinely wants to be driven – a fitting contrast to modern sports cars that take over a significant part of the work electronically.
The total mileage of approximately 2,000 miles or 3,218 kilometres has been confirmed based on the available documentation. The vehicle is registered and roadworthy.
The history of this MEK SS2 is unusually tangible because it does not stretch back over decades, but begins with its individual construction. The builder was former Westfield engineer Mike Keeley. The entire build was extensively documented through photographs and the original documents available.
On 12 December 2011, the car was first registered in the UK on a Q-registration plate. This point has also been confirmed through the verified documentation. The unusual roadster also attracted contemporary attention and, according to the available records, was extensively featured in three kit-car magazines.
It is precisely this combination of one-off construction, known builder and documented build that distinguishes the MEK from an anonymously assembled kit car. Its history is an integral part of the vehicle's identity.
The vehicle comes with the original documents, extensive photographic build documentation and records relating to the magazine publications. Its build history and initial registration have been verified.
The consignor states that an MOT valid until September 2026 is in place without advisories and also intends to have a new 12-month MOT carried out without advisories before handover. As no separately verified current MOT record is available and the structured dataset does not confirm a current inspection, this statement is expressly reproduced as information provided by the consignor. No separate condition or valuation report is available.
The MEK SS2 is difficult to place into conventional collector categories – and that is precisely part of its appeal. It is neither a historic Lotus Seven nor a mass-produced modern sports car, but a documented one-off built by a former Westfield engineer. With 150 hp, Weber carburettors, a five-speed gearbox and an almost complete absence of electronic and comfort-oriented aids, it follows a thoroughly analogue interpretation of motoring.
Added to this are the confirmed approximately 2,000 miles, extensive build documentation and three contemporary magazine features. For a collector of conventional sports cars, the MEK may be a niche proposition. For someone who appreciates British lightweight sports-car engineering and hand-built one-offs, its lack of convention is precisely the decisive argument.
150 hp sounds almost modest today – until you put it into a car that apparently considers comfort unnecessary luggage. No power steering, no ABS, no airbags and not even electric windows to worry about. Instead, there are Weber carburettors, five gears and a body that does little more than hold driver and machinery together. What I particularly like is that this SS2 is not an anonymous kit car: its builder and its creation are documented. This is not a car that tries to make driving easier. It tries to make it more interesting.
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