This page contains older, news stories from the Latest News page.
For recent news, see the Latest News page.
August 22nd 2003: LM500s - Just £3.50!
Been a bit slow on news and the site, but I've got a few of those toy Marcoses again - The first 3 went to Switzerland, France and Germany - I've got a pair Silver and Gold on eBay at the moment.
I also have ONE blue car and a couple more of silver and gold - For Visitors to this site, I can do them for £3.50 posted in the UK and £5.50 to Europe - US will be a bit more...
If you're interested Drop me an e-mail.
June 1st 2003: TS gets power boost in form of V8!
Marcos have just announced a new V8 powered car due to be debuted at the Canary Wharf Motorexpo show.
TS500 at Canary Wharf - Picture courtesy www.marcos-eng.com
The TS500, as it will be known, uses the proven 5 litre Rover based Marcos ‘Javelin’ engine developing 320bhp and 350lb ft of torque. With weight around the 1025kg mark the car should address those concerned that the TS250 wasn't powerful enough. Aided by a chassis and suspension developed directly from Marcos’ Le Mans experiences the car should prove a hit, especially at the attractive price of £34,950.
The TS250 continues and benefits from a price drop to £29,950.
Most reviews praised the TS250's finish, styling and handling, but were concerned about the price and, some, the lack of power. Marcos have been listening...
You can see the cars at the Canary Wharf MotorExpo in London between 2nd and 7th June.
April 7th 2003: Original artwork from Autographics.
At the BRDC GT/F3 press day, I got chatting to Ian Cunningham about this wonderful drawing of one of the TFM-GT Marcoses.
Ian does a lot of work for various teams in the GT series and other events and commissions at reasonable (I thought) prices.
You can contact him by email or through his website at http://www.agdip.com
April 2nd 2003: New Fly Slotcar Marcoses coming.
The Fly website (http://www.flycarmodel.com) shows a number of new Marcos LM600s coming in 2003. First up, and trailed on a number of websites, is the Red car raced in the 2002 Spa 24 Hours. Also on the website is a car in the colours of the TFM-GT team and one in the Orange and Black colours of Herman Buurmann's Euro GT car.
March 30th 2003: Jem Marsh article.
May's Classic and Sportscar has a 3 or 4 page article on Jem Marsh, which inevitably covers Marcos history. There's also a sidebar test of the TS250.
March 10th 2003: Marcos 'pull back and go' cars on Ebay.
I managed to track down a few of those LM400/500 'pull back and go' cars at a local shop and am putting them up for Auction on Ebay.
The above link will find them, if they're still available (All gone as at 3rd April 2003).
February 16th 2003: TS250 roadtest online
The Pistonheads website has a 4 page roadtest on the TS250 - You can read it (and see lots of pictures) at http://www.pistonheads.com/roadtests/index.asp?storyId=6238.
February 3rd 2003: Marcos Mantis finishes Daytona 24 Hours
The Cor Euser/Rob Knook/Peter Van Der Kolk Marcos Mantis endured a rough start and numerous problems along the way to finish 23rd overall and 11th in the GT class. The lead GT car (A Porsche GT3 RS) was 230 laps ahead, but also took overall victory. GT cars filled the podium, with a Ferrari 360 splitting two Porsches.
February 1st 2003: Marcos Mantis takes Daytona 24 Hours start
The Cor Euser/Rob Knook/Peter Van Der Kolk Marcos Mantis lines up 40th on the grid for today's Daytona 24 Hours. Sadly, there's been no sign of the Mantara LM600, throughout practice.
Their best time of 01:56.024 is considerably faster than many of the cars ahead of them, so if anyone can explain how Daytona form their grid, I'd love to know!
Good Luck Guys! - Race starts at 17:00 GMT today.
January 30th 2003: Luxembourg Marcos Event in June 2003
Paul Huberty and Dan Schaal have sent me details of their Marcos event in Luxembourg. This is the second such event and promises to be good!
The schedule is :
On the motorway Luxembourg-Trier take the new exit Nr.:8 direction: Echternach. Continue till the end of that motorway (1 mile) and turn left direction Dommeldange/Luxembourg for 1-2 miles. The Alvisse Parc Hotel is the first building at your left, entering Dommeldange.
-
Friday 13 June 2003
18h00 - 20h00 Meet an the Hotel Alvisse Parc Hotel. More details about the hotel can be found under www.parc-hotel.lu . We arranged a special price for our meeting; 55 € single room per day and 75 € double/twin room per day, continental breakfast is always included.
20h30: Dinner outside the Hotel (details will be given as soon as possible).
End of the day: Drinks and talk at the bar of the Alvisse Parc Hotel or a pub in the city.
-
Saturday 14 June 2003
Before 10h00 Meet in the Hotel for those who are arriving on Saturday only.
10h00 - 11h30 Visit of the 7th biggest Air-Cargo-Centre of Europe. More about this new building can be found under www.luxair.lu/en/cargo .(this is where Paul is working; Dan)
12h00 - 15h00 Lunch in Echternach and visit of the historic city. You can already collect some impressions about this town under www.echternach.lu . Concerning the lunch and the sights; everyone is free to choose the place to go by himself. Information may be given by us or the local tourist office.
15h00 - 17h30 Tour around Luxembourg with sightseeing. A roadmap will be handed over to each driver. We will choose nice, even, low traffic roads with a lot of bends.
19h30 - end: Main Marcos-meeting-dinner-"Buffet" in the Alvisse Parc Hotel, price 38,00 €. Again drinks and talk at the bar after dinner.
-
Sunday 15 June 2003
morning: one hour driving to the ADAC/DAMC Oldtimer Festival taking place at the Nürburgring on that weekend. More details can be found under www.nuerburgring.de .We will take the Autobahn to the "ring"; take care there is partly no speed limit in Germany. We will have a discount on the entrance-tickets as a group. We will also try to get a parking reservation done for all the Marcos cars.Your reservation must be done direct to the Alvisse Parc Hotel and can already be done from now on. Please indicate Club Marcos when booking.There is no problem to overnight additional days. Don't hesitate to contact us in case of any questions.
Hotel reservation under:e-mail: events@parc-hotel.luFax: +352-26431205Tel.: +352-4356430December 22nd 2002: ANOTHER Marcos Calendar
Hot on the heels of the Heritage Calendar comes another one!
The Marcos Owners' Club calendar features shots of owners cars in an A4 format and has nice shiney, high quality paper.
All MOC members (as I understand it) will receive a copy (or already have) of the calendar.
If you're not an owner, or want additional calendars, the price is, a very reasonable, £5 from Kate & Paul Crocker (01732 780756) - Don't email them at the moment as their e-mail is out of action.
December 5th 2002: Historic Marcos LM600 for sale
Coys are auctioning the number 70 Computacenter backed worked Marcos LM600 which caused such a stir at Le Mans in 1995.
The auction starts tonight at 18:00 at the Royal Horticultural Halls, London.
Details can be found here.
PS The photo on their website looks AWFULLY familiar :^)
December 4th 2002: Marcos Calendar
Heritage Spares (01380 871717 or sales@rory.uk.com) have announced their 2003 Marcos Calendar, priced at £16.95 + VAT (£19.91 by my calculations)
I've not seen the real thing, but from the above picture, quality looks pretty good.
Just the thing for the Marcos lover in your life (or maybe for yourself! :^) )
November 22nd 2002: Dave McCubbin
Canadian Mantis owner, Ron McLeod wrote to me to let me know the sad news that Dave McCubbin had passed away.
Ron's words summed it up well, so I'll pass them on verbatim.
I am sorry to have to inform you that Dave McCubbin passed away on Sunday November 10, 2002, at the age of 47. Dave was a great Marcos enthusiast. He was restoring a gullwing (a perpetual project). Dave was one of the earliest members of the Maniacs, and was a source of Marcos history and information for the rest of us. He came out to all the local car shows, and would always stop by to chat with those of us who had our cars on display. He leaves behind his wife, Lorie, daughter Alexandra, age 3, and son Aidan, age 9 months.
Dave was an enthusiastic Gullwing owner (living in Canada) and was, for some years, CMI club representative for Canada. It is a tragic loss at the sort of age that many owners are just coming to the Marcos fold and especially sad as he leaves such a young family.
November 8th 2002: Marcos at Birmingham Motor Show
UK viewers may have seen Tiff Needell quickly stop at the Marcos stand at the British Motor show in Birmingham on 5th Gear.
The marque were showing the new TS250 and announced a hardtop and the option of walnut or elm dash finishs, in addition to the turned aluminium seen before.
Jem Marsh released the following press release at the show :
The 2002 Motor Show is as exciting for me as my very first one in 1967 - some 35 years ago!
After a few uncertain years, I am delighted to say that the company is now in good hands being backed by Tony Stelliga, a bright and energetic entrepreneur from Silicon Valley and a correspondingly enthusiastic workforce.
It has been a busy six months preparing for the show; and, as always, with any car production, refinements and development programmes continue all the time, but the two cars we have on show are the basis of what I believe to be the best car ever produced under the Marcos name.
The Marcasite TS250 is "a car for all people"; the road holding and torque offers an enviable sports car with head turning looks for those who want to drive something special each day; the huge boot capacity will appeal to sports persons and those who like to shop, and its standard components makes for easy servicing and general maintenance.
Having built cars and raced them for over 40 years, I have been able to draw on the experience and knowledge gained during that time to assist in the production of the TS250, which, together with the marques' own racing heritage, brings a new lease of life to an "old" favourite thus taking it forward into the 21st Century.
The Great British Sports car is back in no uncertain terms, and I am thrilled and proud to announce the launch of the Marcasite TS250 at this Motor Show.
November 8th 2002: Invicta launched with ex-Marcos involvement
The Birmingam motor show saw the launch of the Invicta S1. This car, much talked of, is unique in having a one-piece carbon-fibre body.
The project manager for the S1 was Chris Marsh (Jem's son and formerly MD at Marcos) and Leigh Adams (Dennis Adam's nephew and designer of the Mantis GT) was responsible for the (smart) design.
The car is equipped with a Mustang 4.6 litre V8 engine (as the Mantis was) and, with a weight of just 1100kgs, is tipped to exceed 170 mph. A British GT campaign is rumoured for 2003.
September 30th 2002: Marcos event in Luxembourg in 2003.
Paul Huberty has written to say :
we will have a (second) Marcos-meeting in Luxembourg next year (2003), probably around August.
As soon as we will have more details, we will let you know.Watch this space or contact Paul for more info.
September 19th 2002: Former Marcos driver takes GT title
Thomas Erdos, driving a Saleen S7, with Ian McKellar, has been crowned British GT champion for 2002. They stole the title from Lister pairing Warnock (another former Marcos driver) and Jordan by winning the penultimate round at Thruxton on September 15th.
Great to see Tommy doing so well and I wish him success in 2003.
September 19th 2002: Calum Lockie to rejoin Marcos fold
Former GT champion, Calum Lockie (challenging for GTO honours in this year's series) was not present in the Ferrari 360 GTO he's raced all season at Thruxton.
He commented "The team has moved in a direction I'm not comfortable with.", but he announced that his future is tied up, once again, with the Marcos marque. "I'm really looking forward to working with the professionalism of Marcos Racing International and Cor Euser again. Cor has asked me to step back into the Mantara in the next few weeks and we're pushing ahead with plans to race the new Marcos Mantara at Daytona in February"
Good news, but it's a shame that internal politics deprived Calum of the chance to take another title.
September 19th 2002: Your chance to drive a Mantis Racer!
Former Mantis Challenge racer, Charlotte Osborn, has written to me to say :
I co-own Topcats Racing with my partner, Warren Gilbert and we run cars in the TVR Tuscan Challenge and run our Marcos Mantis GT car in the Britcar Enduro Championship. I raced this Marcos last year in the British GT Championship with Promotasport . Aswell as our race side we have a corporate motorsport division where we run a selection of race cars for car enthusiasts to drive on track. In particular, our Marcos Mantis GT car is also available for clients to drive at any circuit in the UK or Europe. This race car experience is not a restricted, limited or gimmicky day, like most other corporate motorsport days. The day is treated more like a test day, with full race instruction by myself, with the chance to drive solo (if the driver is competent). We only do trackdays which operate an open pitlane so that the drivers are not restricted to sessions, maximising track time. The response to our Marcos Mantis Race Car Experience has been overwhelming, all our customers have come back to us to book another trackday.
Price per head is £450.00+VAT per person based on 4 people driving. For most Marcos owners and enthusiasts this would be an opportunity of a lifetime.
You can get more details from www.topcatsracing.comAugust 12th 2002: CMI Thames Valley Group September meeting later than usual.
This meeting, at the Leather Bottle, Mattingley will be held a week later than usual next month. The next meeting is from 8:00PM on September 10th.
July 24th 2002: Video of Curborough Marcos Owners Club Rally available
Robert Preece has got a video available of the M.O.C. Annual Rally at Curborough 2002. It includes action from both days inc. racing, concourse and prize giving. Price is £8 + P&P. contact Robert via email or phone on 07931 774898.
July 9th 2002: Marcos Engineering launch Marcasite TS250
Marcos is back! - With the launch of the Marcasite TS250 - click here for the press release or here for words and pictures from the brochure.
June 28th 2002: Marcos Engineering
You can read all about the new organisation at Westbury on their website. You'll find it at http://www.marcos-eng.com.
Jem had some very exciting news for the Club Marcos International Rally at Castle Combe last Sunday - so watch this site, as I hope to have the full story soon...June 1st 2002: New Marcos bulletin Board
As well as the North American focused Marcos Maniacs Yahoo Group (which can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MarcosManiacs/ ), UK Mantis owner 'The Quiffster' has set up a forum. The Quiffster is keen to see owners of newer cars exchanging ideas, views and information, but hopefully all Marcos owners and enthusiasts will be able to find information of interest to them.
The new forum is at : http://pub72.ezboard.com/bmarcossportscarenthusiasts.June 1st 2002: Marcos at Silverstone
A new name on the BRDC GT entry list is Brian Colwell’s Kitchen Elegance Racing-entered Marcos LM600. The car is one of the TFM-GT cars (They've missed the last two rounds with, what was described as, engine trouble). The ex-TVR Tuscan racer Colwell hopes to have it out in time for Silverstone but is certain to tackle the remainder of the season.
Also registering for the championship is the Marcos Mantis of David Dove, seen in last year's series.June 1st 2002 : Brooklands tomorrow
If anyone is at Brooklands tomorrow (Sunday June 2nd) at the British Sportscar Festival, watch out for CLE 100H and come and say hello.
May 23rd 2002: Update on Marcos at Westbury
It seems that the operations operating out of Marcos' old premises at Westbury and headed up by Jeff Dosser was not as well funded as was hoped. Rory McMath tells me, however, that none other than Jem Marsh is now back in control of a company operating from the premises and operating under the name "Marcos Engineering" - More info as/when I get it.
May 3rd 2002: Rob Walker passes away
Rob Walker was a one time Formula One entrant (for Stirling Moss?), but his company bought the ailing Marcos in 1972 and promptly closed it down. Of course, it was from this company that Jem Marsh bought the rights and moulds in 1976, so what goes around comes around. Rob Walker played a small part in the history of Marcos, so I felt it appropriate to mark his passing.
February 18th 2002: Marcos Le Mans bound in 2002?
Daytona LM600 driver, Duncan Huisman made this comment on his website :
“It was a great sensation driving this Marcos, it’s a pity we couldn’t fix the problems” was Duncan’s reaction. “Cor has plans going to Le Mans this year so maybe I can join this team there too, that would be fantastic”,
Interesting, eh?MS 3/5/2002 - Interesting, maybe, and I heard the same report from another source, but it can't be happening this year, with the Test Day this weekend and the entry list full. Maybe Petit Le Mans?
February 4th 2002: Invite to the West Yorkshire TVR CC Concourse and Track day at Elvington,Nr York, 2nd March 2002
Garry Foster of the West Yorkshire TVR Car Club has generously extended this offer to all Marcos owners.
Let me know if you attend."On behalf of the West Yorkshire TVR Car Club, we would like to invite members of the Marcos Owners Club to an Airfield Day to be held at Elvington near York on Saturday 2nd March. We have managed to secure the full 4 mile oval, which no other track day organisation has managed in the past. This consists of two 2 mile straights with fast hairpins at either end. This gives enough room to really open up your car in a safe, police free environment. Speeds in excess of 180mph are achievable given the right machinery. The day will be fully marshalled with ambulance/paramedic on site and will be run in accordance with the TVR Car Club Track Day rules. We have a good selection of TVR, Ferrari and Porsche in attendance already and would welcome any Marcos drivers. I can be contacted at garry.foster@talk21.com Should you require further information then please do not hesitate to contact me. Hope some of you can make it. Regards, Garry Foster"
If you want an entry form contact Garry direct or e-mail me.
February 4th 2002: Daytona disappointment
Marcos again showed well in the Rolex Daytona 24 hours, but the pace setting Mantara of Cor Euser, Calum Lockie and Duncan Huismann failed to finish the race.
Starting 22nd (and 4th in the GTS class) the car rose as high as 9th, at the 10 hour mark and was still in a strong position for a GTS podium placing at the 12 hour mark, when the car was wheeled behind the wall, never to return. So far, I've not found out the reason for the retirement.
On a more positive note, one of the Mantis (both started), in the hands of Peter Van Der Kolk, Cougar Jacobsen (cool name! Only in America, the other drivers are all Dutch), Stephan De Groot and Pim Van Riet, finished the race in a noteworthy 20th overall.
February 1st 2002: Daytona first qualifying
Marcos performed well in the first official qualifying session for the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. Cor Euser and Calum Lockie finished 23rd overall (4th in the GTS class). The two Mantis, of Shuster/ Lassally/ Annis/ Baisden and van der Kolk/ Jacobsen/ de Groot/ Van Riet lay 62nd and 67th (24th and 28th in GT), but are, so far, not official qualifiers.
January 22nd 2002: Daytona mystery cleared up
Melindi Scott, Calum Lockie's partner, explained the Daytona Marcos mystery :
We didn't take the Mantara for the test as we already had sufficient data from last year. It will be in the race as will the 2 Mantis.
So, there was only a Mantis (which obviously had no prior Daytona experience - or anything like, I suspect!) and the team never intended to be there - Roll on the Rolex 24 Hours on 2nd and 3rd February.
January 16th 2002: New team to run ex-NCK Marcoses in 2002
Paul Stephens told me last year, but now it's confirmed. Caterham runner Gerry Taylor has set up Team Foundry Motor Sport (TFM-GT) to run the two Marcoses run by NCK for a number of years (As I recall, the less developed car is the 71 car that ran in Computacenter colours at Le Mans in 1995!). Paul Stephens (who shared one of the cars at Brands in 2001) will share the sequential gearboxed car (with a stiffer chassis), whilst swift Mantis driver, Charlie Butler-Henderson (he of the famous sister - Sorry, Charlie!) will share the second car with Bob Cudmore.
“We’re going to enter the full British GT season,” explained Bob Cudmore, “plus a couple of FIA GT rounds if we can fit them in.” They’ve already looked at 2003 too – “we’re thinking about a couple of ALMS rounds.”
The team are likely to be testing in Spain in early March, well in advance of the first race.
January 13th 2002: Mystery over Marcos at Daytona
It seems there's more to the slow Marcos time than meets the eye. A photo (see www.dailysportscar.com - Malcolm Cracknell's new project) shows the car that ran was not a Mantara LM600 at all (despite the timesheet details), but a Mantis. Assuming this was a 4.6 or 5 litre GTO (as the photo and GT class entry suggests - the LM600 of course was in GTS against the Corvettes), the times seem more consistent with their performances in the Privilege GT series, against the 996 Porsches. There also seems some doubt over whether Euser and Lockie were driving the car.
More news as, or if, it becomes available.January 7th 2002: Marcos eventful Daytona test weekend.
Marcos endured an eventful Daytona test weekend. With testing due to start on Thursday, the team were delayed in customs and were unable to run until Friday. Their times were not fast on either Friday or Saturday, with the best lap being a 2:00 dead (near enough), compared with a 1:51 in last year's race (where they finished 24th and 27th).
November 30th 2001: Euser's biggest ever assault on Daytona 24 Hours in 2002
Former British GT champion Calum Lockie will tackle the Daytona 24 hour alongside Cor Euser as the Dutchman fields his biggest ever assault on the American 24 hour even.
As well as the two LM600s fielded last year, Euser will also run two Mantis cars in Florida next year, if current plans come to fruition.
November 12th 2001: Lockie & Euser to tackle Daytona 24 Hours in 2002
Former British GT champion Calum Lockie will tackle the Daytona 24 hour classic for the third time in a row next February. Lockie has confirmed plans to race alongside Cor Euser in the Florida race in the latest Marcos Mantara and is determined to repeat their stunning performance in the 2001 race. "I'm absolutely delighted," said Lockie when he announced the news. "It's great to have something already settled for next season as we go into the winter break," he added. In the 2001 race, the Lockie/Euser Marcos took the fight to the leading Corvettes for much of the race and could have emerged as overall winners had a minor component failure not hit their progress. Beyond the Daytona race, Lockie is pushing ahead on plans for a full season of sports or GT racing. "We are working hard on next season, but it is early days. I'm looking at national and international options."
November 4th 2001: Lockie to shake down Euser's new Mantara
Calum Lockie is to shake-down Cor Euser's new Marcos Mantara at Albacete in Spain on November 15/16. Lockie, who was placed 5th in the driver ratings by MN in their review of the 2001 Privilege GT series, hopes to compete at Estoril, Portugal and at return to Daytona in 2002.
September 10th 2001: Look who's back!
Jem told the assembled crowd at the CMI rally at Castle Combe to 'watch this space' as far as Marcos was concerned and it looks like the space is now filled.
http://www.marcos.uk.com is the URL of the new factory site. So far, it covers details of some used Marcos for sale, but production is likely to begin in the near future.
For more information "Watch this space".
July 31st 2001: Shane Bland on road to recovery.
After Shane Bland's massive accident at Donington (see Racing Page), it's good to be able to report that Shane is now well enough to send this press release.
"Hello everyone, thank you thank you thank you for all the fantastic messages of support, I have read them all now and I feel very proud to be part of motorsport, at times the most harsh place to be, but for now the most warming place to be. I would like to give a special thanks to the medical team at Donington and Nottingham on doing such a perfect job, I will always be there for you and will be happy to help in any way I can in the future.
"I am currently at home with my fantastic girlfriend and family for the best part of the next 6 weeks waiting for my neck to heal. I can move round OK and just have a neck brace on to help me out for the next few months. I will keep you updated with my plans for the future whether it be racing, team managment or anything else, it is currently far too early to say."
June 2nd 2001: Mantis to get GT Racing boost
In an attempt to bring them to a competitive level with the 996 Porsche and the TVRs, the BRDC have granted Mantis runners in the Privilege GT series leave to run with a 34.5mm air restrictor (rather than 34mm before).
May 26th 2001: Marcos Heritage acquire Road Car Division
I received the following press release a few days ago. Nothing I've received since contradicts it, so it looks as though Marcos road cars will continue, albeit on a lower key level.
PRESS RELEASE - MARCOS CARS 2001 - MAY 2001 Marcos Heritage Spares Ltd has secured the future of Marcos cars in the UK by acquiring the assets of Marcos Sales Ltd earlier this month. The Heritage team now consists of all ex Marcos employees, Headed by Managing Director Rory Macmath with over 25 years experience working with the marque, former Production Manager Joe Cubitt (1988-01), Dave Wilkinson (stores Manager 87-94) and Kevin Andrews (production 97-01). This take over will ensure the continuity of production, service and parts supply for all Marcos cars 1959 to date. Marcos Heritage intends to fully support the existing dealer network with continued supply of parts and technical backup. All moulds, jigs, tooling etc are secure in the safe hands of this capable team who are committed to future development and road car production albeit on ! a smaller scale than before. This will keep the Marcos UK flag flying in conjunction with Eurotech of Holland who are producing the race cars. Based at Semington in Wiltshire, the company is a stones throw from the old factory in Westbury. With the combined knowledge of the Heritage team and Jem Marsh founder of Marcos as consultant, there is no doubt this company will flourish, keeping the Marcos marque on the road well into the new millennium. For further details contact: Rory Macmath; Joe Cubitt; Dave Wilkinson Tel 01380 871717; Fax 01380 870923; Email sales@rory.uk.com
April 30th 2001: Mckellar/Hindley to miss remaining Privilege races?
After running in the first 3 Privilege rounds and damaging the car in practice at Donnington, a normally reliable source informs me that Ian McKellar Jr and Phil Hindley might not be seen in a MRI LM600 Evo again this season. I've not seen any other evidence, but keep your eyes peeled.
April 18th 2001: NCK Motorsport 'keen to run in some Privilege races"
With the fledgling Interactive Sportscar Series shifting it's opening event to June, the NCK team have expressed an interest in running in some of the early Privilege rounds.
The NCK LM600 has been a regular front runner (and sometime race winner) over the last 3 seasons, in the hands of Thomas Erdos and Andy Purvis.
April 16th 2001: Lockie runs to 5th in Privilege Porsche!
It's looking like 2000 all over again as poor Calum Lockie spends the first few races swapping seats! Some funding failed to materialise for the second Privilege round and it looked like he'd have to sit it out, until Porsche 911 GT2 runner, Dave Welz stepped in and offered a drive.
Calum returned the favour by running as high as third overall, and although the car dropped back to 5th overall by the end, that was still good enough for 3rd in class and valuable points for Calum's title defence.
The Hindley/Mckellar LM600 sadly retired after showing well.
April 14th 2001: Marcos 'mothballed'
The following article appeared on in Autoweek on 12th April :
Defunct sports car maker Marcos has been mothballed and could build road cars again in the future.As revealed in Issue 645, the firm has filed for insolvency and appointed a liquidator. Staff leaving the Wiltshire factory for the final time last week told us there are plans to make cars again, either under licence in the UK, or in Holland. But Eurotec, a Dutch consortium that owns the Marcos name, is remaining tight-lipped about them.
An 11th-hour attempt to save the company failed, but a skeleton staff of three is staying on to supply parts and service cars for existing owners.
April 1 2001 : Marcos show well in GT opener, despite start fiasco
Reigning champion Calum Lockie and co-driver Cor Euser, pipped fellow MRI LM600 runners, Phil Hindley / Ian McKellar to third place in the BRDC Privilege GT opener at Silverstone on April 1st. This was despite the two cars failing to make the grid after missing the time limit (or being misinformed of the time limit, depending on who you talk to) for getting onto the grid.
March 22 2001 : End of the road for Marcos?
The following article appeared on Yahoo. Interestingly, I had a mail a day before telling me to 'watch for big news from Marcos', which implied something good, and there's a shot of a 'Mantaray replacement' with Pug 406 headlights in the last Classic Cars magazine.
Of course, Marcos has closed before, but I somehow can't see Jem picking up the reins again now... Maybe Rover could step in to buy a ready made Le Mans GT contender?
Keep watching this site and Yahoo! (with troubles of their own!) for more information.
End Of Road For Marcos?
The doors are set to close for the last time at British sports car builder Marcos. The Wiltshire-based company has filed for insolvency and unless a rescuer is found, it will appoint a liquidator on 6 April, leading to the loss of eight jobs.The closure marks the end of the firm's 42-year history of building wild-looking sports cars that have proved a success on and off the race track.
Founded in 1959 by Jem Marsh and Frank Costin, who later joined with Mike Duckworth to form Cosworth (It was Frank's Brother, of course - MS), the firm produced sporting and road cars which were driven by a long list of famous racers - including former Formula One champion Jackie Stewart.
Despite facing a severe financial crisis in the Seventies, the company continued to expand, (Well, it actually went into liquidation for years - MS) and by the end of the Nineties had three models in its range - the Mantis, MantaRay and LM. Prices started at £37,553 and combined sales were reported to be around 100 cars a year.
The company was also believed to have been working on a smaller, more affordable model to be launched later this year. Although the prototype is finished, there is now not enough money to proceed with the project. Unless a buyer can be found, company sources have confirmed that the new car will never see the light of day.
Marcos directors have searched hard for a backer, but are reported to have failed to secure any interest yet. However, although the road car arm of the firm is closing, it doesn't mean that the badge will disappear completely. Because Marcos's racing arm was purchased by a Dutch consortium in 1997, it has been confirmed that it will remain unaffected by the closure of the road car business. That means the Marcos name will still have a presence in endurance racing on circuits throughout the UK and abroad.
February 4th 2001 : Strong Daytona run for Marcos
The two Marcos LM600s finished 24th and 27th overall in the Daytona 24 hours, 4th and 5th in GTS. For the first half of the race, the lead car of Euser/Lockie and Buurman, battled with the eventual overall and GTS winners, the works Corvettes.
Totalmotorsport.com put it thus :
The Marcos story is an almost but not quite; the power and the glory for nearly 12 hours, then the frustration of watching the car being fixed, then slowed by overheating. Calum Lockie will remember the day he bested the Earnhardts - for nearly half the race.
A great showing for Marcos - watch for Calum's report soon and roll on Le Mans!
February 3rd 2001 : Daytona Final Practice update
The two Marcos LM600s improved greatly in the second session at Daytona. Cor Euser / Calum Lockie / Herman Buurman are placed 23rd on the start grid (fourth best GTS car, behind a GT1 Porsche 911 and two works Corvettes) with a lap time of 1:49.590. The second car of Peter van der Kolk / Toto Lassally recorded a best of 1:53.450 for 35th.
February 2nd 2001 : Daytona Practice News
Two Marcos LM600s are racing at Daytona. After first practice Cor Euser / Calum Lockie / Herman Buurman are placed 44th, with the second car of Peter van der Kolk / Toto Lassally 49th.
January 24th 2001 : Daytona Testing News
British GT champion Calum Lockie spent three days at the world-famous Daytona race track in Florida early in January, testing in readiness for an assault on the classic 24 hour sportscar race there over the weekend of February 3/4.
Calum is joining Cor Euser and Herman Buurman in the Memec-backed Marcos Racing International Marcos Mantara for one of the greatest sportscar races on the calendar. After three days of testing, Calum and the team came away hopeful of a good result in the annual Rolex 24 Hours.
"We lost a bit of time early on, but the test was a great success. We spent some time running in new 6.9-litre engines, which have been specially built in long-distance racing configuration. They feel really great and I was pulling over 300 kph at the fastest part of the track," reckoned Calum.
"We concentrated on working on a race set-up rather than chasing really quick laps, and we've got a really nice balance on the car. There's a bit more to come yet," added Calum after flying back to the UK in time to attend the Autosport International show.
Looking ahead to the race, Calum is hopeful of a strong showing in front of guests from Memec, but knows that simply getting to the end of a 24-hour marathon is a real achievement. "24 hours is a very long time, but our aim is to be the first privateers in our class. The opposition from the factory Corvettes and the Saleen is very tough," he says.
With Memec guests travelling to Daytona from all over the world, Calum and his team mates will have plenty of support in the Florida sunshine. "It's a wonderful opportunity for me to compete at Daytona. I can't wait for the race!"
Race date February 3-4 - Follow the action at Total Motorsport - The new name for www.sportscarworld.com
November 19th 2000 : Marcos take second 2000 series.
Miguel de Castro and Balbao Camino won the Spanish GT Championship, dominating their Championship rivals on November 12 at Catalunya circuit in Barcelona.
Marcos Racing International entered 2 Mantara LM600 EVOs with de Castro and Camino as the first pairing and team-owner Cor Euser and recent F3 driver Villaamil in the second. The cars showed their domination in qualifying on Saturday, securing 1st and 2nd and 1st and 3rd in the 2 sessions.
The 2 races on Sunday saw very conservative drives from de Castro and Camino, fully aware that their main Championship rivals, the Lister and a Porsche, were performing far less impressively. The car finished 5th in the first race and 2nd in race 2, enough to secure a comfortable Championship win for the 2 Spanish drivers and impressive results in themselves bearing in mind the extra time penalties imposed on the car due to its recent successes.
Euser, driving defensively to protect the lead car, secured 2nd in Race 1 and 9th in race 2 with a similar performance-related time penalty.
The Spanish title follows on from other success for the Marcos Mantara LM600 EVOs this season, winning the 2000 UK GT Championship, the 2000 Spanish GT Championship, the Suzuka 1000km and the Zandvoort 500km.
October 30th 2000 : Marcos dominate Zandvoort 500kms!
Marcos Cars is pleased to announce its domination at the Zandvoort 500km, the end of season flagship event in Holland.
Marcos Racing International fielded two cars which finished 1st and 2nd after approximately 4 hours of racing, astonishing baring in mind the introduction of two new drivers to the team.
The winning car was piloted by team-owner Cor Euser and a newcomer to the Marcos camp, Roberto Mangifesta. The car had spent the majority of the race slightly behind its sister car but a driver error lost the other car approximately 1 lap and it took victory by the smallest of margins.
The second placed car was piloted by Calum Lockie, Freddie Moss and Herman Buurman. 2000 UK GT Championship winner Lockie and regular Marcos driver Buurman's experience in the car were never in question but newcomer Moss particularly impressed, matching the pace of his more experienced team-mates very quickly.
All at Marcos look forward to rolling the recent string of successes on to the final round of the Spanish GT in Barcelona next month and then to Daytona, perhaps in the capable hands of some of the new, now proven, drivers.
October 26th 2000 : Marcos racing campaigns continue in Europe
Marcos will field a 2 car team in Zandvoort this weekend for the 500km race.
In addition the marque are looking strong for the Spanish GT - only 4pts behind with one double-header event left on November 12th.
October 26th 2000 : Latest factory news from Westbury
Joe Cubitt has completely overhauled the service and production areas to improve service and Jeremy Kearns is now overseeing the new and used car sales. They are both available to answer technical and sales issues respectively.
October 16th 2000 :Spanish GT Campaign news
This weekend saw a full assault for the Championship title in the Spanish GT from Marcos Racing International, fielding 2 Mantara LM600 EVOs.
Championship regulars Miguel de Castro and lady driver Balbao Camino took charge of their usual car and Cor Euser and F3000 driver Polo Villaamel secured a special entry for a second.
The cars secured 1st and 2nd in both training sessions, both qualifying sessions and both races, completely destroying the competition.
De Castro and Camino only trail the Championship leaders by 4 points with 1 double-header event left in Barcelona on the 12th of November.
I didn't even know there was a Spanish GT series until a few weeks ago, so check out the site if it's new to you too!
October 8th 2000 :Lockie is BRDC GT champion 2000
Calum Lockie, partnered by Cor Euser, took fourth place in the final race of the BRDC GT championship, which was enough to give him the championship. Congratulations to everyone involved.
October 7th 2000 :Euser takes pole for Silverstone Finale
Cor Euser put his LM600 Evo on pole for the BRDC GT finale at Silverstone. Calum Lockie, his team mate, needs only a fifth place finish to lift the title.
September 25th 2000 : Lockie takes back championship lead and Mantis champion is named
Marcos Cars released two press releases today stating :
Marcos is pleased to announce that Calum Lockie moved 11 points clearer of his nearest rival, Dave Warnock in the Lister Storm, after securing maximum points at Spa Francorchamps this weekend in the top category.
and
In addition, warmest congratulations to Shane Bland who has demonstrated his ability throughout the season, culminating in his securing the Championship on Sunday. We all believe that he has a great future in GT racing and look forward to working with him in the future. We hope to be able to announce a GT project with him shortly.
September 24th 2000 : Euser/Lockie take maximum points at Spa
As the CSI team run Lister takes victory, but no points, Euser rushes home second to take a maximum 15 points for Lockie. Lockie leads by 11 points with one race left.
September 4th 2000 : Marcos Mantara LM600 wins again!
Marcos Cars released the following press release today :
Cor Euser and Calum Lockie prevailed at Snetterton against all odds to win the Privilege GT in what was indisputably the most exciting race this season. Having qualified 4th due to engine problems Euser and Lockie new that they would have their work cut out to catch the Lister and Viper on the front row of the grid. However, all in the Marcos camp had great confidence in the second grid pair of Marcos cars, Erdos and Purvis having qualified in 3rd in the NCK LM600. The start was strong for Purvis, however after a collision with the Lister on only the 2nd lap he was forced to retire. The Lister promptly completed 3 more laps while shedding oil and ensured that the remainder of the race would be contested in the most difficult of conditions. Lockie pitted early having lost a few positions, his caution was understandable and very astute. This allowed Euser to rejoin the race in 6th. For the next 40 minutes Cor Euser drove at 100%, underlined by an uncharacteristic spin that cost little more than seconds. Euser took the lead with only 30 seconds remaining of the race, demonstrating the reliability of the car that had, only the week before, won the Suzuka 1000km! Eclipse Motorsport overcame problems in the pre-race collecting area that led to them starting in the pit-lane to finish 4th in GTO class, both Ben Mcloughlan and John Griffiths drove impeccably. For further information on Marcos Cars' exciting race programme please do not hesitate to contact Marcos Cars on 0044 1373 864 097 or consult the website on www.marcoscars.com.
August 27th 2000 : Marcos wins International class of Suzuka 1000kms.
Initial reports suggest that Cor Euser's LM600 took class victory in the prestigious Suzuka 1000Kms today. In an eventful race, the Marcos lost some early time with off track excursions and a small fire, but came through to win as their international class challengers fell by the wayside.
More information on Sportscar World
August 21st 2000 : Bad luck strikes LM600s at Silverstone.
Thomas Erdos and Andy Purvis took 4th at Silverstone on August 20th, but only a late puncture prevented Calum Lockie and Cor Euser taking 2nd (or even victory). They ended the race 6th, whilst Lockie's title contender, Warnock, took another victory in his Lister to open a comfortable lead. Erdos and Purvis were once again hampered by engine problems, despite their good result.
August 14th 2000 : Mantis GTOs get bigger restrictors.
Following a review by the Working Panel of the British Racing Drivers' Club, a second engine restrictor change has been confirmed for the Marcos Mantis GTO cars.
The cars of John Griffiths/Ben Mcloughlin (number 61) and Charlie Butler-Henderson/Stephen Stokoe (number 69) have been granted a move to the next larger size engine restrictor. This takes immediate effect and the cars are likely to race in this specification at the ninth round of the championship at Silverstone on 20 August.
August 6th 2000 : Marcos skip Austria
Cor Euser chose to miss the latest round of the FIA GT series at the A1-Ring in Austria.
July 24th 2000 : Marcos in weekend racing action
Marcii were in action in both the UK and Belgium at the weekend. Sadly, a big crash in practice saw Calum Lockie unable to defend his BRDC GT series lead, whilst Thomas Erdos and Andy Purvis picked up 3rd in the race after leading for some while.
Meanwhile, Cor Euser and Harald Becker had their best race of the 2000 FIA GT series with a 5th overall at Zolder in Belgium.
July 10th 2000 : Part Source List available
Most owners of earlier Marcos cars are familiar with the sucking of teeth at the Motor Factors when they ask what car the part is for. Well to solve this problem someone at the CMI put together a list of parts and where they originated from.
I've scanned and OCR'd (and then corrected!) this and I'll exchange it for details of your car. If you want a copy E-mail me with the registration no, chassis no and model of your car.
July 7th 2000 : Small Marcos rumours continue
Autocar is still listing a 'small Marcos car' for release in Spring 2001. With Eurotech's involvement, perhaps this story has more to it than initially seemed? Watch this space.
July 4th 2000 : Strong showing for NEW LM600
The Donington GT race was delayed by over 2 hours (I had to leave before it ran!), but Calum Lockie and Cor Euser raced from a lowly 16th on the grid to 4th in the race, after only getting the car completed for a handful of laps in the second session.
July 4th 2000 : Combined Rally a great success
If you were at Curborough or Donington, you'll know that the rally was a great success. I'm told there were many cars on Saturday for the sprint and over 60 cars turned out at Donington.
There was some rain late in the day (almost a tradition now!), but overall it was a good day.
See my photos of Marcos Rally 2000 at PhotoPoint
June 27th 2000 : Combined Rally at Donnington on Sunday
Don't forget that this Sunday, 2nd July, sees the CMI, MOC and MMOC get together at the GT race at Donnington for a grand Marcos Club rally.For more competitive owners, there's a sprint at Curborough on Saturday.
See you there, I hope!
June 27th 2000 : LM600 gets FIA approval
The factory today announced that :
Marcos Cars is pleased to anounce that the latest version of the Mantara LM600 racecar that leads the Privilege GT Championship has been granted full FIA approval. Cor Euser, owner and driver of the first of these racecars, intends to launch a comprehensive bid for the FIA Championship after securing the top-class victory in the UK Championship with Calum Lockie. Photographs of this exciting car are posted on the new Marcos web-site at www.marcoscars.com
June 12th 2000 : Marsh involvement at Marcos ends?
Numerous reports suggest that Chris Marsh has left Marcos Cars. Jem left his day to day involvement some years ago.
June 6th 2000 : LM600 takes close second at Brands Hatch
Cor Euser's LM600 finished second to TVR's Speed 12 in the Brands Hatch round of the BRDC GT series. Euser fought back to less than a second off the TVR by the finish in the most exciting finish in the series, so far, this year.
The result keeps Calum Lockie in the lead of the championship.
MAY 21st 2000 : LM600s 7th & 8th at Silverstone
Calum Lockie and Thomas Erdos both got mixed up in a first lap incident at Silverstone, which say them both spin off. They both rejoined, but finished 7th and 8th respectively, behind 2 GTO Porsche 996s.
MAY 19th 2000 : Factory website gets an overhaul
The Marcos Cars site has had an overhaul. As well as the standard history, dealer list and model spec (including one for the LM600 road car!! - No prices, I notice...), it includes a neat feature (I first saw on the Ferrari USA site), which allows you to switch colours of the cars!
Less gimmicky, but more interestingly, they now include a report on races involving Marcos cars (wonder where they got that idea?), with especially good coverage of the Mantis Challenge series, but strangely, no reports in the FIA GT series section...
The site can be found at http://www.marcoscars.co.uk.
MAY 17th 2000 : Euser/Lockie LM600 gets weight penalty for BRDC races
The BRDC have decided that the Euser/Lockie LM600 Mantara is just too fast and have given it a 50kg weight penalty. There have been rumblings about the spec ('Full FIA' vs BRDC GT - anyone know the difference?) and the BRDC decided that it was showing too much speed in the series, having won at Oulton Park and running away from the field at the Donnington round.
MAY 12th 2000 : No LM600s for Silverstone 500KM!
The entry of the second car didn't happen and Harald Becker repeated his car damaging incident from Monza all on his own in the first test session for Silverstone, leaving the team with no cars to race in the FIA GT race at Silverstone on May 14th.
In past years, BRDC runners have run in the GT race. Any idea why the Azlan/NCK cars weren't out at Silverstone, anyone?
MAY 9th 2000 : Two LM600s for Silverstone 500KM
Cor Euser will be entering a pair of LM600s for the FIA GT race at Silverstone on May 14th.
MAY 1st 2000 : LM600 repairable.
Cor Euser's LM600 suffered front and rear damage at Monza, but will be repaired in time for the BRDC race at Donnington Park on May 7th.
MAY 1st 2000 : Lockie takes BRDC GT series lead in NCK drive
Calum Lockie has taken the lead in the BRDC GT series, after taking a one-off drive in the second NCK car, usually co-driven by David Leslie and Martin Byford. With Leslie standing in for James Thompson in a BTCC race, Lockie shared the car and took second overall and in GT.
APRIL 16th 2000 : LM600 destroyed in major shunt.
Cor Euser's LM600 was heavily damaged at Monza after being hit from behind by a Dodge Viper in the FIA GT race.
MARCH 30 2000 : LM600 Evo races under shadow
Cor Euser raced his LM600 Evo in the first round of the FIA GT series in Valencia, under special dispensation from the FIA. Apparently the car will be subject to reinspection in June, and then the road car with the relocated gearbox will need itself to be homologated.
MARCH 26 2000 : Mixed showing for Marcos cars in opening GT races
LM600s showed strongly in qualifying for both the opening rounds of the British and FIA GT series. However, mechanical breakdowns and poor tyre choices saw the cars finish poorly on race day or retire.
MARCH 14 2000 : Mantis GT reviewed on TV and in press
Top Gear (on BBC2 at 8:30 PM, March 16th) will be showing the Supercharged Mantis GT as part of a feature on great sportscar still built in Britain. Meanwhile the latest edition of Evo has a 4 page article on the car. Lots of good photos and the closing quote "If the Evo car park plays host to a more exciting car this year, I will be very surprised indeed.".
As this magazines describes the 1.7 Puma as "For : Everything Against : Nothing" they obviously know a great car when they drive one.MARCH 9 2000 : Euser confirmed for British and Belgian GT series
Cor Euser has confirmed the entry of a car in both the British and Belgian GT series. Hermann Buurman is scheduled to drive with him in Belgium, whilst Calum Lockie will renew his successful partnership of 1999 in the British GT.
Appearances in the FIA GT series, however, have not been completely ruled out if the FIA grant the car GT homologation on March 15th.MARCH 2 2000 : Lightweight Marcos planned?
With the runaway success of Lotus' Elise and the lower weight limit for 4 cylinder GTO (previously GT3) cars in the BRDC GT series, stories are circulating of a rumoured 'lightweight Marcos'. Whether these are press speculation or have basis in fact remains to be seen, but if Elises and Caterham's 21 set to the GTO pace, a lightweight GTS like Marcos may be produced. Watch this space...
MARCH 2 2000 : Euser ready to abandon FIA GTs for good?
Persistent problems with the FIA's homologation body mean that the LM600 evo is still not passed to race in the FIA GT series. The FIA say that they need to see a road going version of the LM600 evo, Cor Euser says they've seen it and can't decide, so he is now looking at other GT series throughout Europe, include the British and Belgium series.
It would be a great shame to see the Marcos marque no longer represented on the world stage, especially as the series looks in good shape for a revival at the moment.
FEBRUARY 2000 : Marcos to concentrate on Supercars?
Rumours suggest that the factory are to concentrate on the Mantis GT (launched at last year's Motor Show), with other cars only built to special order. The same, normally reliable, source also suggests that the factory are currently building 3 new LM600s...
JANUARY 2000 : Big Changes At Marcos
There have been a number of rumours circulating about the status of Marcos Cars for a few months now. In the absence of any hard facts, I decided not to post any of them, but the latest CMI magazine has got some news and I feel that, with the factory press release, it makes sense to let readers of this site now what CMI members know.
The factory released this press release to owners and the Owners Clubs :
Dear Marcos Owners/Enthusiasts,
As I am sure you are aware Marcos has recently undergone a fairly comprehensive restructuring programme. Economics dictate that the company will in future put greater emphasis on out -sourcing, in line with most other low-volume manufacturers.
However Marcos will continue to assemble the cars, service the cars and undertake general and upgrade work in house. The effect of this change on existing owners will, therefore, be only a positive one. We have assembled the right team, combining knowledge, enthusiasm and customer-care skills to guarantee this is the case. Jeanne Ingham-Law remains the main service contact and Joe Cubitt, who has built Marcos cars for 10 years, is in charge of a team of our best mechanics.
We are confident that the improvements will become clear almost immediately. We stand by our commitment to give all Club members unrivalled value for money and look forward to caring for your cherished cars for many more years. The service department may be contacted on Tel/fax: 01373 825625.
Should you wish to discuss any of this further I am always at the end of a phone to answer your questions.
Kindest regards,
Tom Hulme. General Manager Marcos Sales Ltd.
To expand on the press release from the factory, Dave Chivers, former Secretary of the Club Marcos International and service Manager at Marcos, posted the following in the Christmas '99 CMI magazine :
As of 15 November approximately 2/3rds of the total work force at Marcos has been made redundant, including yours truly and my complete Service Department. Also hit were 3/4 of the Fibreglass Shop, 3/4 of the Metalwork Shop, all in the Fibreglass Trimming Shop, 3/4 of the Parts Department and l/2 of the Paint and Assembly Shop. In addition, Sales and Marketing staff were made redundant.
We have been told that the Company has been taken over by the Dutch Company 'Eurotech', sponsors of Cor Euser's GT2 LM 600 race car. Marcos will adopt a policy in the future of outsourcing major parts, i.e. buying in bodies and chassis etc. The new GT3 race Mantis will be made in Holland, with the road cars being assembled here in the UK.
This major reorganisation at Marcos is due mainly to lack of sales and the running cost of production. Sadly, the brunt of job cuts seemed to fall on the Service Department. Staff left in the Assembly Shop, when not building cars, will do warranty, sales and some service work.
The reorganisation was a total shock to all of us, especially the staff in our smooth running Service Department. All staff involved were given one month's paid leave prior to redundancy, this being the legal requirement as more than 20 staff were being made redundant. We were all told just a few days before the start of this year's London Motor Show. I believe the development of the GT3 car was delayed until a deal had been finalised with Eurotech.
In the meantime, it is my intention to try, if I can, to offer mobile service and repair, done at the owner's home or desired workshop throughout the UK. At the moment this is still in the planning stage and will depend upon demand, and of course cost. I know after working at Marcos for over 6 years how frustrating it is for you to get a good service from experienced people who know the product; without having to take days away from work travelling to a good service shop.
If you think this would be of benefit to you, then please call me on my mobile 0780 8444972, where you can always leave a message.
So, it would appear that the marque is safe for the foreseeable future and that production will continue, probably with a more race biased slant, in Westbury, albeit with parts bought in from sub-contractors.
If, and when, any new information comes to light, I'll pass it on through this page.
For recent news, see the Latest News page.
