Marcos GT

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Marcos unveiled its GT at the Earls Court Racing Car Show in 1963. A stunning machine in any era, it was all the more remarkable coming from such a small manufacturing outfit in Bradford-on-Avon.

With its faired-in headlights, long bonnet and Kamm tail, the GT stood only 43 inches tall and its exotic ‘E-Type-from-the-dark-side’ lines were truly jaw-dropping. Underneath the glassfibre body was a wooden frame which initially cradled the four-cylinder Volvo engine from the P1800. Suspension at the rear was by a fairly complex De Dion system. However, limited sales soon saw a change to Ford motive power and a live rear axle stabilised with a Panhard rod.

In 1969, partly due to the cost of manufacture and partly due to public perception of what a wooden chassis could or could not do, Marcos moved to steel. Power now came from Ford’s 3.0 V6 Essex engine, which gave 140bhp and 199lb ft of torque. This allowed a 0-60mph time of 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 125mph .

Some cars were fitted with the 2-litre V4 Essex and some the Triumph 2.5-litre but, with an eye on the US market, Marcos would move back to the Volvo straight-six which already had the necessary emissions control available.

In 1969, Motor magazine said of the GT’s handling: “fantastic; probably the best of any production car we have driven.” Used competitively with some success by the likes of Jackie Stewart and Jackie Oliver, well-known personalities lined up to buy, including Lord Lilford, Prince Albrecht of Lichtenstein, Rod Stewart, Ford president Simon Knudsen – and John Noakes!

The GT offered a very laid-back, single-seater racer-like driving position. The seat squab stays fixed and the pedals come to you – operated by a knob on the dashboard. On a track the driver feels very much in command and, on a long drive, surprisingly comfortable. Exact production figures are unknown (estimates ranging from 80 to 172 for the 3-litre Volvo model) but survivors are increasingly sought after today.

First registered in October 1971, this Marcos has the six-cylinder B30 3-litre engine from the Volvo 164, equipped with twin Stromberg carbs and producing 130bhp and 152lb/ft torque. When tested by Autocar in 1971, a similar Marcos was reviewed very favourably, the tester noting that "the Volvo engine comes with a Volvo gearbox, with excellently spaced ratios contrasting greatly with the appalling ones in the Zodiac box which has to be used with the Ford V6 engine... Acceleration is most impressive with an abundance of torque over a very wide rev range,” going on to record a 0-60 time of 7.5 seconds with a top speed of 120mph and 22.3mpg economy. The test car cost £2,643 including purchase tax.

The vendor has owned the car since 1996 (although it was in his wife’s name for the first year) and it had just two owners before that, the first keeping it for 12 years and the second for 13 years. The indicated mileage of 75,400 is said to be genuine although the vendor has always maintained the car himself so there is little history to warrant this.

Just before he acquired the car it had been fitted with a new galvanised chassis which has been regularly waxoiled since. Originally orange, the vendor had the car repainted in the current dark red metallic about 18 months after buying it and it still presents very well indeed with a nice glossy finish and none of the crazing that can so often affect GRP-bodied cars.

Said to drive very well with an MOT until May 2016 (with no advisories recorded), it comes with a Haynes manual for a Volvo 164, a copy of the aforementioned Autocar road test and a face-off cassette player. Effectively a three-owner car and with those arresting Marcos looks, this rare and dramatic machine looks great value at the modest guide price suggested.

PS: This car was driven 130 miles to the sale with no problems whatsoever.