The much-mooted, all-new Austin-Healey 5000 moved a step closer to reality recently with the news that two sites, one east of Cardiff and another in Warwick, are being considered by HFI, which now owns the rights to the Healey name, for which it paid some £1.8 million to the Healey family. Note that this is not the Chinese-backed consortium originally linked with the Project Tempest car (see pic), and which was widely tipped to be Austin-Healey's new owner.
HFI's MD Paul Fenna said that the Welsh Development Agency was keen to have a manufacturer in Wales, and the company could provide employment for up to 400 people.
As for the car itself, the Austin-Healey 5000 will be a long-nosed, rear-driven two-seater, propelled by a 385bhp 5-litre V8 modded from the Ford Mustang's quad-cam lump, and be based around the underpinnings of the MG SV coupé -- all with the aim of recreating the wonderful 100-4, which made a huge splash at the motor show in 1952.