Saturday 20th October: It's all over. Despite Strathcarron's efforts to perform a last minute U turn
with a different engine, insolvency practitioners have now been called in to
manage the winding up of the company. It's also looking like it's too late for
anyone to step in and save the business.
Yet another sad chapter in the story of the gutsy little British sportscar
industry. Caught on the hop by the Single Vehicle Approval rule changes and with
no alternative plan ready, the mad rush to reengineer the car couldn't be
completed in time. What looked like a well sorted business now leaves deposit
holders hanging as they wait to see what can be salvaged from the assets of the
company.
The handful of exisiting owners will also now be in possession of one of the
rarest cars made.
Whilst it's easy to criticise Strathcarron's short-sightedness, we've
followed their development over the last three years and were always impressed
by the professionalism of the operation. Run by a team of very experienced
engineering consultants and with backing from experienced businessmen the SVA
issue will remain a sore point with the individuals involved.
Prone to changes in the regulations, Strathcarron sought reassurance from the
powers that be on many occasions to ensure that rule changes wouldn't
jeopeardise their business. Despite these reassurances, with the number of bike
engined cars being made shooting through the roof, changes became inevitable to
ensure that mass production of bike-engined cars wasn't a means of circumventing
emissions regulations.
That spelled the end of Strathcarron.
Tuesday 16th October: Strathcarron's reengineering of their Roadster continues in cash strapped circumstances. The Rover K Series engined prototype - known as the SC-7 - is scheduled to be running in two weeks time with handling tests and configuration completed a few days later. The car will then be available for test drives and Strathcarron hope to return to a steady production. Wednesday 26th September: Times are difficult at Strathcarron. Changes to Single Vehicle
Approval rules have left the manufacturer high and dry and seeking a
rapid alternative to the current motorcycle derived engine.
In a statement issued to creditors the company comments, "In
July we were informed that contrary to previous information, the SVA
rules were changing and therefore we would not be able to sell more than
twenty SC5a cars in any twelve month period."
Unfortunately getting Low Volume Type Approval for the current
Triumph engine would require considerable further development to ensure
that the emissions regulation could be met.
It's left Strathcarron with a dilemma and a cash flow problem. With
the car fully developed they now don't have the cash swilling about for
more development and are only left with the option of replacing the unit
with one that does meet the requirements. They've had to bring forward
plans to install Rover K series engines which they intend to complete
within the next two to three months. Production could then start in
2002.
It's left Strathcarron in a confusing position. Abandoning the bike
engined philosophy is a major U turn for the company. On the positive
side, if one of the more powerful variants of the K series is successfully
transplanted then it would become a very different car and may then
appeal to a different and possibly larger audience.
The clincher at the moment though is whether Strathcarron can sort out the funding required to survive the next few months. |