Friday 30th May 2003

Marcos V8 Returns!

320bhp, a V8 roar and under £35k!

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Marcos have just announced a new V8 powered car due to be debuted at the Canary Wharf Motorexpo show next week.

Dubbed the TS500, it uses a 5litre Rover based Marcos ‘Javelin’ engine developing 320bhp and 350lb ft of torque, which should give the 1025kg car a suitably impressive turn of speed. Aided by a chassis and suspension developed directly from Marcos’ Le Mans experiences the car should prove a hit, particularly with an attractive price of £34,950. The price is right!

There's good news too about the TS250. The V6 powered version of the car has had its price dropped to £29,950.

For anyone seeking a muscular British sports car at a good price, Marcos may finally have the answer!

www.motorexpo.com, www.marcos-eng.com

[gemini]

Looks like theyve even designed the rear!

Nice looking car with grunt

[chrisj]

Gemini, that rear end has been around for a good few years now, it was on the Mantary.
Personally I prefer the original rear end, you can have a good look at PH6!

Good to see the car with the engine it deserves though.
While I think it'll be a perfectly good car with the Ford V6, you can't follow on from something like the Mantis without stuffing in a V8!
I must admit though, I'm very surprised they've chosen a Rover derivative, I would have thought that it wouldn't be able to meet current emissions regs?

Look forward to another roadtest Ted!

[PetrolTed]

I've used a picture of the TS250 there, which may be inappropriate. I'll find out when I see the car at the MotorExpo next week.

[thanuk]

I thought the Rover V8 was out of production - that's why Morgan have stopped making the Plus 8

[Paul V]

I shall be looking round that on monday

[Imelda]

I rather like the sound of this.

And competitively priced as well. That's gotta be a first for Marcos.

[pete*s]

I believe Marcos have been assured 4 years of supply of Rover V8's. Big step in the right direction in my opinion - shame they didnt use the Ford V8 from the Mantis. Not quite so 70's.......

[chrisj]

shame they didnt use the Ford V8 from the Mantis. Not quite so 70's.......

Yeah, but let's face it, good though the Mustang engine is, you can't beat the sound of a pushrod V8!

[wedgie]

Looks to me like the Griff/Chimaera 5 litre are not dead, merely given a facelift and a Marcos badge!

[RichB]

Should be very interesting to chat to them to find out what they've done to get 320/350 bhp/ftlbs from the good old 5.0 Rover V8. Can't wait for next week. Rich...

[RichB]

Should be interesting to find out what they have done to the good old 5.0 Rover V8 to get 320/350 bhp/ftlbs from it, think I'll grill them a bit next week. Rich...

[kip]

Why didn't they use the Cobra engine from Ford?

[marksmeed]

"For anyone seeking a muscular British sports car at a good price, Marcos may finally have the answer!"

Sorry, but isn't that what TVR have been doing all along?

[ATG]

TVR certainly did that with the V8S, Chim and Griff ... but they don't do it anymore. Straight 6 and radical styling, versus classic styling and big V8 ... and the pricing looks right too. Nothing wrong with some competition for TVR. Good luck to Marcos

[pete*s]

wedgie said: Looks to me like the Griff/Chimaera 5 litre are not dead, merely given a facelift and a Marcos badge!

Don't think so - Marcos have been putting V8's in cars for over 25 years. Not really what you'd call a face-lifted TVR

[honkety hank]

I think Marcos could have resurrected their relationship with the 5.7 litre Chevy motor for that matter--wasn't that the motor in the LM600?

[2 sheds]

Very promising, I've been fortunate enough to have been involved with this project, and happen to know that the power figures quoted are realistic.
Tim

[airoom]

I would think that since Rover is Ford owned, the GM sourced V8 would be out of fashion...

[daydreamer]

When did Ford buy Rover? I've been away for a few weeks, but hadn't heard anything of this?

[boosted ls1]

It will flop IMHO. Why are they bothering hopping up the rover again. There are other options open to them that can surpass a rv8 and they should move with the times. The customer will want something forward looking to make him spend and feel really good. By the time you've tuned the rv8 to produce a reliable blah blah bhp figure you could have bought something else for less. If you wanted the benefits of the rover's light weight then I would strap on a turbo or 2 and treat the engine as a disposable item. They could do that easily.