Do Prodrive & M-Sport make road cars for customers
Discussion
As Prodrive & M-Sport seem to be the only british companies that make sporting-car versions from contracted volume-made cars, i wondered if they also made their own cars for general customer sale, an then badged them as their own - for many friends of mine would certainly by a 'Prodrive Imprezza' or an an M-Sport Focus' - with all their own designed custom trim an paneling etc.
Not in the way you're thinking, no.
Prodrive develop the performance packs for Subaru that are sold as dealer fit options to up the power. They are also developing (according to a recent article on here) a sports car based on Subaru running gear (i.e. engine/transmission NOT chassis/monocoque).
Prodrive and MSport also produce customer cars - but these are incredibly expensive rally cars sold to independent rally teams.
Prodrive develop the performance packs for Subaru that are sold as dealer fit options to up the power. They are also developing (according to a recent article on here) a sports car based on Subaru running gear (i.e. engine/transmission NOT chassis/monocoque).
Prodrive and MSport also produce customer cars - but these are incredibly expensive rally cars sold to independent rally teams.
LexSport said:does this mean finally gonna create a marque of their own, than just fit-up other peoples products?
Not in the way you're thinking, no.
They are also developing (according to a recent article on here) a sports car based on Subaru running gear (i.e. engine/transmission NOT chassis/monocoque).
tho why not base it on the imprezza chassis as well, as surely that'l be easier than starting from scratch?
LexSport said:yeh but who needs a rally car for city travel?
Prodrive and MSport also produce customer cars - but these are incredibly expensive rally cars sold to independent rally teams.
but what bugs me, is why they an ford dont sell an m-sport version of the ford focus, as if a new marque of theirs, an with 50-50% profit split each way thru fords dealership - winners all round i say !! - ford; msport; customers
They do indeed appear to be developing their own car...
www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=10596
...however, aside from that, they seem to deal mainly with mods for road cars - like the Scooby performance packs. I know they're also going to be UK distributors/installers for the ForcedFed range of FI kits for the Toyota-powered Elise and Exige as well.
[k]
www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=10596
...however, aside from that, they seem to deal mainly with mods for road cars - like the Scooby performance packs. I know they're also going to be UK distributors/installers for the ForcedFed range of FI kits for the Toyota-powered Elise and Exige as well.
[k]
ah, now here's a related article i found...
quote-
Prodrive is to launch a unique new road car, the P2, at Autosport International next month. The car will be unveiled by Prodrive chairman Dave Richards at the NEC, Birmingham on the opening day of the show, Thursday 12 January.
The two-seater sports car has been developed by the motorsport and automotive technology specialist, which runs the Subaru World Rally and Aston Martin Racing teams, to showcase its innovative technologies and engineering skills and to demonstrate its ability to design and build a unique road car in less than a year.
At its core, P2 uses an Impreza STi engine, transmission and four-wheel drive system. To this, Prodrive has added its own active handling system, ATD, and an engine turbo anti-lag system developed from its Subaru World Rally Cars, helping to give the lightweight car a predicted power-to-weight ratio approaching 350bhp/tonne.
Anti-lag is a system that's been in use in rallying for over a decade. It keeps the turbo spinning by using ignition timing and the dumping of unspent fuel into the exhaust system when the engine is off-throttle. The fuel then ignites in the high temperatures, which spins the turbine, reducing if not eliminating turbo lag. It can also make rather fruity bangs and pops, although more modern systems tend to be quieter.
Styling has been in the hands of Peter Stevens and the entire design, engineering and build of the car has been carried out at Prodrive’s facilities at Banbury and Warwick in the UK.
While there are currently no plans to put the car into production, if it were produced in volume Prodrive expects the car would be priced at approximately £40,000, putting it in its own niche sector.
-end
strangley enough, i contacted prodrive a year ago where i suggested they go about doing the above to be more self sufficent [the way lotus if finally trying].
quote-
Prodrive is to launch a unique new road car, the P2, at Autosport International next month. The car will be unveiled by Prodrive chairman Dave Richards at the NEC, Birmingham on the opening day of the show, Thursday 12 January.
The two-seater sports car has been developed by the motorsport and automotive technology specialist, which runs the Subaru World Rally and Aston Martin Racing teams, to showcase its innovative technologies and engineering skills and to demonstrate its ability to design and build a unique road car in less than a year.
At its core, P2 uses an Impreza STi engine, transmission and four-wheel drive system. To this, Prodrive has added its own active handling system, ATD, and an engine turbo anti-lag system developed from its Subaru World Rally Cars, helping to give the lightweight car a predicted power-to-weight ratio approaching 350bhp/tonne.
Anti-lag is a system that's been in use in rallying for over a decade. It keeps the turbo spinning by using ignition timing and the dumping of unspent fuel into the exhaust system when the engine is off-throttle. The fuel then ignites in the high temperatures, which spins the turbine, reducing if not eliminating turbo lag. It can also make rather fruity bangs and pops, although more modern systems tend to be quieter.
Styling has been in the hands of Peter Stevens and the entire design, engineering and build of the car has been carried out at Prodrive’s facilities at Banbury and Warwick in the UK.
While there are currently no plans to put the car into production, if it were produced in volume Prodrive expects the car would be priced at approximately £40,000, putting it in its own niche sector.
-end
strangley enough, i contacted prodrive a year ago where i suggested they go about doing the above to be more self sufficent [the way lotus if finally trying].
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