This page contains all the latest Marcos news, some is confirmed fact, other is rumour (I'll try and exclude stories with no basis in fact, but who knows!). Hopefully, this page will become a one-stop shop for catching up on the latest Marcos news and information.
For older news, see the archive page.
Former BRDC GT champion (in a Marcos), Calum Lockie, is to team up with Cor Euser once more to contest the 1000km de Spa on August 30/31, in the Marcos Racing International Marcos Mantara LM600 Evo.
The press release reads :
Lockie, who last drove the Mantara in tyre tests for Dunlop last October, is delighted to be back in international level sports car racing. He will have backing from Serco for the race. "It is fantastic! I've pulled out all the stops to put a deal together," he said. "I'm really pleased on two fronts; first to be back racing with Cor again in the Mantara, and secondly to be racing at Spa once more." The Spa race represents one of the classic endurance races and Lockie believes that a class victory is a real possibility. "We'll just aim to finish as high up as possible. A class win would be fantastic," he says. Euser tested the car recently at Spa and came away very encouraged with the results. After testing and qualifying on Friday and Saturday, the race, which is likely to run for around five hours, will start at lunchtime on Sunday 31 August.
If there is any way you can get to Spa, I highly recommend it, it's like Brands Hatch is the Scalextric version of Spa!
Good luck to Calum and Cor and it's great to see Calum back in a proper car after wasting time with those tuned FIATs!
PS. I've just heard that the car is running in the the invitation class with 700bhp!!!!! - Melindi's (Calum's partner) exclamation marks - but perfectly justified!.
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.
Marcos have just announced a new V8 powered car due to be debuted at the Canary Wharf Motorexpo show.
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.
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
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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 :
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.
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Hotel reservation
under: |
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e-mail: [email protected] |
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Fax:
+352-26431205 |
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Tel.:
+352-4356430 |
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.
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 :^)
Heritage Spares (01380 871717 or [email protected]) 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! :^) )
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.com
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.
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.
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.
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...
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.
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.
If anyone is at Brooklands tomorrow (Sunday June 2nd) at the British Sportscar Festival, watch out for CLE 100H and come and say hello.
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.
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.
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?
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 [email protected] 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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."
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.
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".
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."
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).
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 [email protected]
For older news, see the archive page.
