Tuesday 27th November 2001

Ascari Ecosse

It's your last chance - only one car remains from an exclusive production run of 17. If you're impulsive hide your chequebook now...

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[McNab]

Brilliant! This and the Noble M12 begin to put everything else in the shade. I wonder what the ride was like; compliant or solid?

Great recipe with BMW engine, but what an odd name - Italian/Scottish? Won't carp about that though, with such stunning performance figures. Not a bad shape either - more photos please!

>>> Edited by McNab on Tuesday 27th November 15:11

[PetrolTed]

There's a bit more on it here: www.pistonheads.com/fastcars/ascari.htm

[marki]

and a life time of problems for your 90k i expect

Edited by marki on Tuesday 27th November 18:15

[PetrolTed]

Care to elaborate?

[martvr]

Hi McNab,

It looks like it's about time you put your deposit down on a Noble M12 then.
Alternatively, if you've got pots of money there's one of the early ones for sale at a "make me an offer" price in the Noble forum.

Anybody else see any similarity in styling between the Ascari and the Noble, presumably the Lee Noble influence?

[McNab]

Hi there Martin!

Piggy Bank a bit lean and hungry now - but have a friend who just might go for the Noble, so at least I stand a chance of a short drive!

Nevertheless, good to see small British manufacturers having the courage to build such Politically Incorrect machinery...

[robert farago]

Yes, Lee Noble designed the Ecosse, which looks a Hell of a lot like the Ultima GTR, which Lee designed as well. Lee and Ascari founder/financier Klaus Zwart had an epic falling out. This could be par for the course, as a lot of people have a falling out with Lee. I thought he was a great guy...

For more photos, click on http://communities.msn.co.uk/autophotography.

As for reliability issues, I think Ascari would NOT break like all the other small volume English cars I've tested. Klaus is a quality freak, and the car reflects this. The Ecosse-- including the ride-- feels rock solid.

making friends wherever I go

[robert farago]

oops. Link is without the "."

http://communities.msn.co.uk/autophotography

How do you edit a post?

making friends wherever I go

[apache]

"semi-lethal truculence" marvelous, must use that sometime

[jaydee]

quote:
what an odd name - Italian/Scottish?

Alberto "Ciccio" Ascari 1918-1955, First Ferrari F1 World Champion, First World Champion to retain his championship for a second year, 9 consecutive wins in a Tipo 500 1952-53. Then a move to Lancia to drive the D50, for whom he one the Mille Miglia. In total he won 47 international races in 56 starts in nine years of racing.
He was the son of Antonio Ascari who died at Monthlery while leading the French GP in 1925.
Alberto was killed at the Vialone corner at Monza, while driving a friend's Ferrari road car. This corner was renamed Ascari bend and is the 3rd in the Monza GP circuit.
Ecosse is simply because Klaas Zwart's an oil man in the real world and based, I think, in Aberdeen.
Reading through this lot-I really need to get out more !

[martvr]

That's strange, so it's not derived from Anglo Scottish-CAR Industries then?

[jaydee]

Don't think so, think Evo dreamed up that derivation. The car was to have been the Fangio, but he died while it was still in development.

[gnomesmith]

But none of the preceeding explains why it is called an Ecosse. Is it an obscure tribute to the Le mans winning Jaguar D type?

[jaydee]

Err, french for Scotland ?

[McNab]

I asked the question in the first place because the name implies a connection with either Alberto Ascari or Ecurie Ecosse, or both.

If none, it would be interesting to know why such an unusual name was chosen?

[PetrolTed]

Klaus wasshisname who owns Ascari is in the oil business and I think was based in Scotland which may be the link.

[jaydee]

Ecosse is a tribute both to Ecurie Ecosse (I'll write a boring history if anyone wants-see Alberto Ascari reply) and to the home of the car.
Ascari's name was used because they couldn't use Fangio's after his death and Ascari jnr also holds a claim to "greatest driver who ever lived" but then that's a whole different thread (which it might be worth starting-except for the fact that 45 TVR owners would all write saying "it's me, I'm the greatest driver of all time")
No great mystery really.

[jaydee]

PetrolTed, I know my brief history of Ascari was dull but you could have read to the end, sniff sniff !!!

Edited by jaydee on Wednesday 28th November 18:45

[PetrolTed]

Sorry... only scanned the thread earlier.

[jaydee]

why do I bother