THE BREAKDOWN:
- A small British sports car company called Marcos is making a comeback.
- A new owner has plans to build new cars under the Marcos banner.
- Its first road-going car could debut later this year.
You've probably never heard of Marcos. It is a small British sports car company that’s nearly 70 years old, and, like most niche builders, has suffered a difficult life. The company filed for bankruptcy a few times—but those hiccups could be in the past, with a new owner keen on turning Marcos into a viable car company once again.
Howard Nash, who now owns Marcos' rights and assets, plans to return the company to racing and has already driven a prototype. It is called the Mosquito and produces 300 horsepower while weighing around 1,500 pounds. Nash told UK's Car that the Mosquito "handles beautifully."
The Mosquito, which was supposed to serve as a testbed for Marcos, might become its first car, built around a Mini suspension, engine, and gearbox. According to Nash, the feedback on the car "has been extraordinary," so the company might turn it into a limited-run track car, which looks a lot like the original Mini Marcos.
Marcos also has plans for a whole new car, a road-going model with a track variant. Nash revealed in the interview that the company has a rolling chassis, which he has driven. It’s a mid-engine sports car that weighs around 1,400 lbs, makes about 250 hp, and is "a lot of fun." It could debut before the end of the year.
The company employs about 46 people, with Nash owning more than Marcos’ badge. He went through the legal process to obtain all the rights, including the original logo. Marcos can build new parts, offer engineering services, restore past models, and supply parts. It also has the build records of every car Marco has ever built—nearly 4,000.
Gallery: Marcos Project Mosquito
Motor’s Take: Marcos might be a small, bespoke British sports car company, but Nash appears to have a solid business plan for it. We hope it works out—we would love to see a new iteration of the Marcos GT one day.
Source: Car
