Now, 66 years on from its foundation, Marcos Motor Company Ltd has announced plans to introduce the first brand-new Marcos car in more than two decades as part of an extensive brand development program.
Frankly, it's easy to be a little skeptical about this announcement, given Marcos’ slightly ropy track record. The company, which was technically revived in 2022 by its current owner, will not be revealing hastily-assembly restomods for quick headlines. Indeed, in a bold move, the British marque is looking to attract a younger audience with three upcoming projects, including a brand-new car, the potential revival of a discontinued model name, and “other complementary projects” that target its existing customers.
Three Projects Already Underway For Revived Marcos
The as–yet unnamed but already underway Project #1 promises to be a “faithful reimagining of a much-loved Marcos model with a recognizable silhouette.” Few details have been provided, though the silhouette teaser presented alongside this announcement suggests the revived model will be a rear-drive two-seater sports car, potentially aping the likes of the brand’s Jaguar E-Type-inspired Marcos GT and/or the TVR-esque Mantula (those hoping for a new front-wheel drive Mini Marcos will have to wait a little longer). Much like HWA’s recent EVO Prototype and the ECD Automotive Design Frankenstein, this faithful reimagining will bin most of its forebear’s underpinnings – no word yet on whether that includes the engine – for modern upgrades.
Project #2 is a more ubiquitous brand-new model, designed for use “both [on] road and track,” and will apparently “owe nothing to legacy Marcos models.” This suggests thrice-born Marcos could enter a new segment for the first time, potentially with a mid-sized SUV or crossover. Work on the newboy is so far along, that a homologated rolling chassis has already been engineered, built, and crash tested.
Project #3, meanwhile, takes the more traditional route ventured by the likes of Aston Martin and Jaguar, and will focus on continuation models of its heritage fleet (Marcos Motor Cars still has most of its older body molds stored). No word yet on what the debut model might be, only that it will be “authentically and officially Marcos.” Meaning this could include the brand’s most synonymous – though, admittedly, far from best-looking – model, the Mantis GT.
Heritage Division, And A Controversial Start To This Storey...Yes Storey
Alongside these three projects, Marcos Heritage Spares will continue to provide licensed parts, and service and maintenance assistance to its existing customers. Moreover, the brand has confirmed it will develop its own “performance upgrades” – including tuning – suggesting that Marcos could attempt to align itself with the likes of Mazda’s MX-5 Miata, Nissan’s Z, Lotus, and potentially even Porsche. Or throw a souped-up GT Xylon at us when we least expect it.
If this Marcos revival story sounds eerily familiar, that might be because claims that a “new F1-inspired supercar” from Marcos Cars Ltd was also announced last month. This claim came courtesy of William Storey, the slightly unhinged CEO of Rich Energy drinks (yes, he of the shambolic Haas F1 Team sponsorship saga of 2019), who claims MCL is “the legal owner of the Marcos brand.” It's a claim that Marcos Motor Company board advisor Mark Carbery quickly shot down by stating MMC “owns the original assets of the Marcos brand, dating back to 1959,” as well as all production and brand rights, and that Marcos Cars Ltd. is “not associated with [MMC] in any way.”
