~Forgotten ONES~ If indeed this is the last time we interact with you through written articles, then allow us to apologize for any mistakes. Now we will discuss a supercar if it can be called that which was once made by Argyll Turbo Cars ltd, an automotive company from Scotland.
The Argyll Turbo GT is a 2 door coupé type body with a mid mounted engine supplying power to the rear wheels. (Picture from: Autocar)
Well, the inquestioned above car was the Argyll Turbo GT. It's a 2 door coupé type body with a mid mounted engine supplying power to the rear wheels, and known also as the brainchild of innovator (and former chief engineer of Short Aviation) Bob Henderson of Lochgilphead, who had already devised the Minnow-Fish carburettor taught himself turbocharging since the beginning of this technology applied for cars.
The amazing Argyll Turbo GT is designed and built by Bob Henderson in Lochgilphead, and forgotten for almost 40 years. (Picture from: GrandToursOfScotland)
This mid-engined Argyll Turbo GT was built around an immensely strong spaceframe steel chassis designed to be extremely long-lived, and to accept various drivetrain units. While, the original prototype was powered by Rover' V8 engine. But despite much interest from the motoring press in the early '70s, only a handful were built. How did it happen?
Some of the Argyll Turbo GT were made with the Lancia Beta' engine and transmission in place of the Douvrin powertrain. (Picture from: AROnline)
Although the production car remained similar in principle to the 1976 prototype, the main changes were the adoption of a blueprinted and turbocharged version of the Douvrin V6 of the Renault 30, along with its own transaxle, as the core engine, and refinement of internal and external details.
The Argyll Turbo GT was built around an immensely strong spaceframe steel chassis designed to be extremely long-lived, and to accept various drivetrain units. (Picture from: AROnline)
This
car was first launched in October 1983 at Inveraray Castle and offered
with a price tag ranging from £ 25,000 to £ 30,000. A surprising number
for such car from a new brand, considering that at the time the Lotus Esprit Turbo was selling for around £18,913, the Porsche 911 Carrera£21,464 and the Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole£26,181.
The Argyll Turbo GT was a true tourer, comfortable to drive and was capable of transporting 4 people in plenty of room. (Picture from: AROnline)
As quoted from AROnline, none of the cars produced had a Rover' engine, but some were made with the Lancia Beta' engine and transmission in place of the Douvrin powertrain. Reportedly, some were even built with Indycar V6 engines from Buick. You
might think that given all this, the Turbo GT may not have given occupants the best ride, but apparently it was a true tourer,
comfortable to drive and was capable of transporting 4 people in plenty of room.
The Argyll Turbo GT has a suitably luxurious interior by using of Scottish leather, and done by Avon Coachwork of Leamington Spa. (Picture from: AROnline)
At the time, production capacity was stated to be twelve cars a year, and the first customer cars were ready for delivery by 1984. But by then the planned twin-turbo V8 had been downgraded to a turbocharged 2,664 cc V6, as the result the potential customers had lost interest in the project, and the cars sold were unknown.
The Argyll Turbo GT was first launched in October 1983 at Inveraray Castle and offered with a price tag ranging from £ 25,000 to £ 30,000. (Picture from: BBCScotland)
As Henderson's philosophy was that these bespoke cars ought to be completed to the whim of each customer, and it is thought it became part of a protracted dispute between Argyll with a third party in charge of finishing it. Although in the end the car was purchased, and completed by Royale coachbuilder, whose plate it bears.
Unfortunately, the high purchase price and ill-fitting parts meant that the Scottish sports car never truly competed with its contemporary rivals.😢 However it could be a kind of reminder that not all great supercars are made in Germany, Italy or America, with a lot of effort and passion, anything is achievable.
~New BEAST~ As previously stated by Automobili-Lamborghini S.p.A. some time ago, that the Italian premium automaker company will launch a new car that it calls the Aventador' successor on March 29, 2023. And sure enough on that date the Italian company launched the Lamborghini LB744 Revuelto that's referred to be a High Performance Electrified Vehicle (HPEV) capable of generating power up to 1,001 hp!
The Lamborghini LB 744 Revuelto known to be the Aventador' successor has the exterior design heavily inspired by many futuristic elements, up to fighter jets, aerospace, etc.(Picture from: Carwowuk)
This newest Lamborghini' hybrid supercar is built on a monocoque chassis that is updated by adding more carbons. The automaker claimed, that's 10% lighter and stiffer than the Aventador so that the car can be more stable even though carries a new engine and battery. Therefore, no wonder if the total weight of the Revuelto is still around 222 kg heavier than its predecessor.
The Lamborghini LB 744 Revuelto has DRL LED matrix lights resembled horizontal Y letter which can glow up to 400 meters.(Picture from: GoOto)
Furthermore, the Revuelto' exterior design is heavily inspired by many futuristic elements, up to fighter jets, aerospace, etc. So while you look at the exterior silhouette, it glanced reminds us of the Lamborghini Siàn FKP 37, where we can see clearly its unique LED DRLs resembled horizontal Y letter under the hexagonal projector headlights. Besides that there're the Lamborghini' typical aggressive body style were enhanced the Revuelto' hallmark sharp curves.
The Lamborghini LB 744 Revuelto is packed with dimensions of 4,947 mm in length, 2,033 mm in width and 1,160 mm in height with a wheelbase of around 2,779 mm. (Picture from: KabarOto)
From the side there is also a new design, the front fender has ventilation to reduce wind resistance, and the rear fender has ventilation directly to the engine room. Then there are also additional carbon side skirts with winglet details at the ends. While at the back is no less interesting, because Lamborghini added a kind of high mount stop lights at the top of the rear window. Uniquely, the stop lights also has resembled to a horizontal Y such as its front section with a dual hexagonal exhaust output flanked in the middle.
The Lamborghini LB 744 Revuelto retains the low-slung silhouette and 'wedge' shape of the Aventador and, just like every V12 Lambo since the Countach, it has vertically-opening scissor doors.(Picture from: Carwowuk)
As quoted from Carscoops, the name Revuelto derived from a Spanish fighting bull, though it also means 'scrambled eggs' in the same language, which is not lost on Lamborghini as it launches its first-ever full production vehicle that mixes dual power sources, which consists of an expansion core of the new naturally-aspirated 6.5 liter V12 engine (813 hp @ 9,250 rpm, 725 Nm) coupled to three electric motors, and a new eight-speed dual clutch transmission system to drive its all-wheels.
Thus the power generated by Revuelto is greater than Ultimae which is only 780 hp. Well, with such bursts of engine power, the Revuelto
is able to accelerate from rest to a speed of 100 kph in just 2.5
seconds, while 0-200 kph takes less than seven seconds before reaching a
top speed of 350 kph.
The Lamborghini LB 744 Revuelto looks beautiful and elegant in premium genuine leather, combined with a special material called Corsa-Tex covered all parts, from the dashboard, seats, to the steering wheel.(Picture from: KabarOto)
Meanwhile, if this supercar is driven using only two electric motors
located on the front axle (e-axle) with a power of 180 hp, the Revuelto can cover a distance of nearly 10 km in quiet mode. Then where is the location of the third electric motor? Lamborghini
explains that the third unit is tucked into the aforementioned gearbox,
where the entire gearbox has been enshrined behind the engine to make
room for the battery pack mounted in the 'transmission' tunnel.
The Lamborghini LB 744 Revuelto presents three separate screens on the dashboard.(Picture from: GoOto)
To support the pace of running, the Lamborghini Revuelto is equipped with Bridgestone Potenza Sport is the mainstay tire (256/35 ZRF20 at the front and 345/30 ZRF21 at the
rear). There is also a choice of 265/30 ZRF21 for the front and 355/25
ZRF22 for the rear tires. For those who want to drive it specifically on snows, there is a choice of Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 tires.
The Lamborghini LB 744 Revuelto referred to be a High Performance Electrified Vehicle (HPEV) capable of generating power up to 1,001 hp, that consisted of the new naturally-aspirated 6.5 liter V12 engine coupled to three electric motors.(Picture from: KabarOto)
While to tame its fierce power, the automaker given the ultimate brake system to the Revuelto which is consisted the large discs CCB
Plus (Carbon Ceramic Brakes Plus) coupled with
ten-piston embedded front calipers by using 410 x 38 mm wide brake discs.
While the rear disc measuring 390 x 32 mm is escorted by four-piston
calipers.
The Y-shaped rear lights of Lamborghini LB 744 Revuelto are similar to the ones found on the Centenario limited edition, and the shape of the roof is inspired by that car as well.(Picture from: KabarOto)
As mentioned above, the Revuelto is a plug-in hybrid supercar, so this supercar is also able to offer emission-free driving, thanks to a very small lithium-ion battery pack (3.8 kWh capacity). Furthermore, the Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy based premium automaker said that this supercar is equipped with a battery pack that can be charged for 30 minutes using 7 kW of electricity, or in six minutes using V12 pulses as an electric pen.
The interior of the Revuelto looks beautiful and elegant in premium genuine leather, combined with a special material called Corsa-Tex which is made from recycled polyester, which is available in 70 color options. These premium materials cover all parts, from the dashboard, seats, to the steering wheel. There is also an 8.4-inch vertical touch screen media. As well as a 12.3-inch digital speedometer panel in front of the driver, and a 9.1-inch passenger side screen.
In order to present a more sensation in driving, Lamborghini gives more driving modes to the Revuelto, namely Recharge, Hybrid, Performance, Citta (city), Strada, Sport and Corsa. For example, in Recharge mode it can recharge the battery while driving for only six minutes. While Citta allows the car to move in electric mode only. Meanwhile, Performance brings out all the power potential of the car, while providing a more agile transmission response.
As quoted from Carwowuk, this newest raging bull supercar is reportedly has a price tag starting at £ 450,000. Thus the price imply that Lamborghini's newest hybrid supercar is worth £70,000 more than a Ferrari SF90. Wow! Keep in mind, so far the Italian premium automaker not mentioned yet about the prices and how many this Revuelto would be made. Thus, prepare everything needed, especially funds, and not to forget also seek info about unit availability, if you want to be one of Revuelto owners. Happy Hunting....😎 *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | LAMBORGHINI | CARSCOOPS | CARWOW.UK ]
~Gorgeous ONES~ Cross-oceanic automotive industry collaborations, especially between America and Italy, are known to have produced many beautiful automotive works. For example, the collaboration between Ford' power with De Tomaso' style from 1960, and many others.
The 1953 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe by Ghia (in pictured the Petersen Automotive Museum's owned model) once owned by an American famous actrees, Rita Hayworth. (Picture from: StreetMuscleMag)
Besides that, many of them were initially just "trial and error," as can be seen in the figure of the Chrysler TC which is known as the result of a collaboration between Chrysler and Maserati which was carried out by Pininfarina stylists based on the Cadillac Allanté.
1953 Cadillac Series 62 by Ghia (in pictured the Petersen Automotive Museum's owned model) posed along with 1966 Ghia 450/SS Convertible (on the left), and 1961 Dual-Ghia 325 during the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance 2002. (Picture from: ConceptCarz)
However, long before that, there was a beautiful creation of rebodying American car done by the skilled hands of Italian carrozzerie. And, it must be admit, the end result is the most beautiful vehicle of any that has ever been created. Here is a 1953 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe by Ghia.
Front three-quartered view of the 1953 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe by Ghia (in pictured model with VIN: 536253053). (Picture from: OtoBlitz)
It is known that Carrozzeria Ghia is a well-known Italian coachbuilder based in Turin who has built various car models for famous car brands in Europe, ranging from Alfa Romeo, Fiat to Lancia, and many others. However, not only European car brands, Ghia also built many American marques, and one of them was these Cadillac Series 62 Coupe in 1953, of which only two units were built.
Both the 1953 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe by Ghia (in pictured the Petersen Automotive Museum's owned model) is powered by a 331 cubic inch OHV V8 engine capable of producing around 210 bhp of power. (Picture from: StreetMuscleMag)
As quoted from Otoblitz, these two car models are still in existence today, and one of the units has been displayed in the Petersen Automotive Museum which is said, once owned by Rita Hayworth, a famous American actress, while the other one, once owned by John Perona, the owner of El Morocco, the famous Manhattan nightclub, who is also known as a long time customer of Ghia.
Both the 1953 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe by Ghia (in pictured model with VIN: 536253053) built based on the 3rd generation Cadillac Series 62 chassis with a wheelbase of 126-inches was introduced for the 1948 model year. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)
Even though Ghia only built two units of this car, both of them have
different front-end designs, so if you own this car you will certainly never find the same car while on driving on the streets. Not only that,
you also won't find the same cars like this in the garages of another classic car collectors. Let's see the details as follows;
The interior view of the 1953 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe by Ghia (in pictured the Petersen Automotive Museum's owned model). (Picture from: StreetMuscleMag)
As we already know that these two beautiful coupes are built on the 3rd generation Cadillac Series 62 chassis with a wheelbase of 126-inches, and both powered by a 331 cubic inch OHV V8 engine capable of producing around 210 bhp of power. Those engine is mated to a GM Hydra-Matic four-speed automatic transmission. Originally these two cars painted in different colors, where one finished on blue-white, while other in elegant maroon.
The 1953 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe by Ghia (in pictured model with VIN: 536253053) has been sold for around $1,430,000 or equivalent to Rp.20,020 billions at an auction event held by RM Sotheby's in Scottsdale, Arizona back in the 2016. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)
As quoted from StreetMuscleMag, one of the cars now resides in the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, it was originally finished in blue-white and was changed to the current color (maroon) to better exemplify the Ghia' body lines. Besides that the unit has parking lights, a slightly different styles of front-rear bumpers, along with rear fenders treatment and more of an egg-crate-designed grille compared than another one.
Rear three-quartered view of the 1953 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe by Ghia (in pictured the Petersen Automotive Museum's owned model).(Picture from: StreetMuscleMag)
Then the Cadillac Series 62 has been fully restored by Mike Fennel Restoration, a Santa Clarita, California based autoworkshop and had attended in the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance car expo in 1989 and 2002.
the gorgeous second unit of the Cadillac Series 62 was auctioned was in 2016 at an auction event held by RM Sotheby's in Scottsdale, Arizona, which at the time reportedly sold for around $1,430,000 or equivalent to Rp.20,020 billions.
~Unique ONES~ As an automotive enthusiast, you must have a favorite ride. Well, what if the beloved ride is damaged or even destroyed in an accident. Maybe some of us would have surveyed the damage, contacted the insurers and either arranged to have the damage repaired or visited a local showroom to order a new one.
The Guyson E12 was designed and built by William Towns for Jim Thompson based on 1972 Jaguar E-Type Version III . (Picture from: KlassiekerPassie.nl)
However, Jim Thompson, a former British hill-climb champion who was also Managing Director of Guyson International, a sandblasting equipment manufacturer then, did something different when his Jaguar E-Type was destroyed in an accident. He decided to contact designer William Towns and ask him to come up with something unique based on his E-Type remnants.
1972 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 like this which formed the basis of the Guyson E12 designed and built by William Towns for Jim Thompson back in 1974. (Picture from: Wikipedia)
In short, Towns agreed to work on the E-Type up to it has a completely new and unprecedented body as Jim Thompson' wishes. Furthermore, he made intial drawings, continue removed the damaged engine cover and the still-pristine bootlids, then caked the remaining fore and aft with the type of clay used in the styling studio when building car models.
The initial sketch of the Guyson E12 was drawn by William Towns. (Picture from: KlassiekerPassie.nl)
Deftly he shaped the clay according to the initial sketches of the car he had made. William seems not to have drawn anything freehand, but to have drawn all
lines along a ruler, just like his other designs, the Aston Martin
Lagonda and his 1978 Towns Hustler. The next step, he made a series of molds from the resulting clay model, from which a set of glassfibre body panels was created.
The unique Guyson E12 which was originally finished in yellow before it's got a rebuilt engine done by Ron Beatty. (Picture from: HepworthInternational)
Along with other body parts were made of synthetic fiber then attached to the existing E-Type body with screws and filler. So the original E-Type is still under the skin, with which it retains its firmness and you could, in principle, 'conjure' the car back to its original shape. Bizarre! This will obviously not benefit the weight; two bodies on one chassis.
The Ron Beatty' rebuilt engine attached on the Guyson E12 is capable of producing around 345 bhp of power which is achieved with the help of six Weber LDF 44 mm carburetors. (Picture from: BelowTheRadar)
Then what about the engine? As quoted from Aronline, this unique Guyson E12 which was originally finished in yellow uses a rebuilt engine done by Ron Beatty who is known as a Jaguar engine tuner specialist.
The second model of the Guyson E12 was constructed for Towns' personal use, which was based on a standard E-type S3 with automatic transmission. (Picture from: DrivesToday)
The rebuilt engine is capable of producing around 345 bhp of power which is achieved with the help of six Weber LDF 44 mm carburetors. Unfortunately, due to its large size, the top of the bonnet must be cut in such a way so that they could poke through and then conditioned by adding a special hood to protect it properly.
The Guyson E12 seems not to have special looks in freehand, but had all lines along a ruler drawn by William Towns. (Picture from: ClassicAndRecreationSportscar)
Nevertheless, when Thompson took delivery of his unique commissioned car
in 1974, he was suitably impressed. It is natural, with such a unique
appearance, not only Thompson was amazed, but many other people too.
Even one of Jaguar employees reportedly were also amazed when
accidentally met the car at a motorway service station. Not only that, as quoted from Aronline, it turns out that the uniqueness of the Guyson E12 has also attracted interest from the medias to try out the car's capabilities.
The Guyson E12 featured with such a unique appearance, not only Thompson was amazed, but many other people too. (Picture from: KlassiekerPassie.nl)
As the Motor Magazine which once tested it against the Ferrari Daytona (costing more than four times the standard E-Type with engine upgrades), and the result Guyson managed to become the winner. Meanwhile, other media, Fast Cars at that time only saw the uniqueness of its shape, then said that the Guyson E12 of William Towns worthy to be likened with one of Rachmaninov’s sublime variations on a theme of Paganini.
William Towns was so pleased with his creation that he had a second set of sheet metal parts made for his own E-Type powered by the standard 272 bhp 5,340cc V12 Jaguar engine, and even planned to supply body kits on a commercial basis. Unfortunately it didn't come that far and it stayed with two units. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | KLASSIEKERPASSIE.NL | ARONLINE | BELOWTHERADAR | DRIVESTODAY | WIKIPEDIA | HEPWORTH INTERNATIONAL | GTPLANET.NET ]
~Rare ONES~ You may still remember our article about the Alfa Romeo 412 Spider Vignale racing cars of 1950s that said have never been used to race. Well, our discussion this time is also related to those 1950s rare racing cars, because it was a donor for a car project called Nardi Raggio d’Argento(Silver Ray) which was built in 1960. How come?
The one-off Nardi Raggio d'Argento (Silver Ray) was designed by Giovanni Michelotti, and built by Carrozzeria Vignale based on the rare Alfa Romeo 412 Spider racing car. (Picture from: CarrozzeriaItaliani)
This car project was initiated by Enrico Nardi, founder and CEO of Officine Nardi which begins by dismantling of Bonetto Alfa 412 racing car for parts to be used in the project. Furthermore, the one-off Nardi Ray Silver was designed by Giovanni Michelotti.
The
one-off Nardi Raggio d'Argento (Silver Ray) is part of the 'Raggio' series created by Nardi himself in the 1950s after the construction of two model of Blue Rays, consisting of Raggio Azzurro I and II. (Picture from: SportsCarDigest)
As quoted from Carrozzeria Italiani, this car is also known as the Plymouth Silver Ray which is part of the Ray series created by Nardi himself in the 1950s after the construction of two model of Blue Rays, consisting of Raggio Azzurro I and Raggio Azzurro II by Carrozzeria Vignale based on a design by Michelotti.
Enrico Nardi (on the left), and Giovanni Michelotti (on the right) while posed in front of the Raggio d’Argento, the finished car was shipped to William Simpson in September of 1961. (Picture from: CarrozzeriaItaliani)
Even though it uses the chassis from Alfa Romeo, it turns out that the Silver Ray is powered by an V8 engine of Plymouth Golden Commando coupled with an automatic transmission system. For that then required modifications to the entire front of the chassis. This was initially seen as impossible, but Nardi insisted on doing this complicated job.
The one-off Nardi Raggio d'Argento (Silver Ray) was
designed by Giovanni Michelotti, and built by Carrozzeria Vignale based
on the rare Alfa Romeo 412 Spider racing car. (Picture from: CarrozzeriaItaliani)
The machine is capable of spraying power up to 350 ponnies and with all that is in the performance of this car is expected to be able to give it a maximum speed of about 140 mph. While, this 1960s Vignale-made car built on a tubular chassis with some of the suspension is by modified Alfa Romeo coil spring units at the front and semi elliptic springs at the rear, with brakes are discs on all four wheels.
This is the number plate attached to the one-off Nardi Raggio d'Argento (Silver Ray), so it is thought that this car is currently still in the United States. (Picture from: SportsCarDigest)
In short, the car which was commissioned by an American client named James Simpson was finally completed and shipped to America in 1961. And it is known that the Silver Ray was about the last of the cars bearing Nardi's name.
Last photo of the one-off Nardi Raggio d'Argento as published in VeloceToday archives, November 21, 2103. (Picture from: VeloceToday)
Seems at this point, Nardi could clearly see that his company's future lay in aftermarket parts not just steering wheels. Reportedly, the car's current whereabouts is unknown.😢
~Rare ONES~ As previously discussed by many world automotive enthusiasts, that in the late 1950s and early 1960s, there're many sportscar of plastic-bodied relatively affordable GTs entered the UK's market with brands such as Elva, Lotus, Marcos, Peerless, Reliant, Rochdale, Turner, and TVR in which all vying to be the master of the automarket in such class.
1958 Tornado Typhoon Roadster is supported by Ford powertrain and was marketed with affordable prices at launched. (Picture from: Market-Bonham)
And one of them that is not so well known is Tornado, which entered the fray in 1957. And the man behind it was Bill Woodhouse, who is narrated to set up the company after found the car kit he bought was so badly built, he struggled so desperately to finish it.
1958 Tornado Typhoon Sportsbrake featured with a fiberglass station wagon superstructure replacing coupe's detachable hardtop. (Picture from: Story-Cars)
Since then he resolved to produce something under his own autobrand that would be made to a much higher standard, for the reason then he partnered with his colleague Tony Bullen to estabilish an automaker company called Tornado Cars Ltd back in 1957, based in Mill End, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, England.
1961 Tornado Tempest (435 WNO) 1000cc sat on display at the Sywell Classic 2018. (Picture from: Flickr)
In short, the company's first production was launched in the 1958 called the Tornado Typhoon is supported by Ford powertrain and was marketed for less than £250 in roadster and shooting-brake styles. It is believed that between 300 to 400 of the Typhoon car, both complete and kit form, were produced and sold to the public.
1960 Tornado Competition Tempest 2 seater powered by an 997cc S4 OHV engine. (Picture from: Flickr)
The company's second model called the Tornado Tempest which replaced the Typhoon was launched in 1960. In appearance it was not actually a new design, only the Typhoon was updated to use the Ford Anglia 105E engine and Triumph Herald running gear. Even though all of these cars were produced with high quality standards and sold at affordable prices, they still could not change public opinion which looked at the Typhoon and its successor Tempest have an awkward appearance. During its production periods as much as 15 units for all Tempest bodies including 2 seater, 2 seater coupe, 4 seater, 4 seater coupe and shooting-brake.
1961 Tornado Talisman Coupe (owned by Bill Woodhouse) is a modern and attractive looking four-seater coupé. (Picture from: BelowTheRadar)
All of the above seemed to have started to change when the company launched the Tornado Talisman in late 1961 as the third model. So this can also be said to mark the company's new era beginning. In appearance, the Talisman is a modern and attractive looking four-seater coupé that is manufactured to high standards, is still relatively affordable prices. In standard form, Tornado Talisman' power came from a Ford Classic 1,340 cc engine with a pair of twin-choke Weber carburettors, also had the option with the powerplant built by Cosworth.
In standard form, the Tornado Talisman' power came from a Ford Classic 1,340 cc engine with a pair of twin-choke Weber carburettors, also had the option with the powerplant built by Cosworth. (Picture from: BelowTheRadar)
The company also provided two options to the prospective buyer, in which they could choose a kit priced at £875 (to avoid paying purchase tax), or a ready-made car priced at £1,259 while at that time the Lotus Elite has priced of £1,949, the Jaguar XK150 was £1,665, and the Triumph TR3 is only £991. Throughout 1962 the company enjoyed the sweet success of Talisman's high sales figures, and said 186Talismans had been made, thus financing the racing passion of Bullen and Woodhouse, both of whom were keen amateur racers.
However, it seems that the winds of change began to blow at the end of 1962, when Tornado Cars began experiencing financial difficulties and forced the couple to look for investors. At one point Colin Chapman was reportedly interested in acquiring the company, but he didn't because he hit financial problems of his own at the time. Due to the lack of investors, Tornado Cars underwent voluntary liquidation in 1963.
The company was later purchased by amateur racer John Baekart who opted for a strategy of cutting production and expanding the tuning side of the business. However, it seems that Baekart's efforts were also fruitless until he finally gave up in 1964, since then Tornado Cars really went out of business and dissapeared from the automotive market for good. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | BELOWTHERADAR | AUTOCAR | MARKET-BONHAM | STORY-CARS | LANEMOTORMUSEUM ]
Well, the inquestioned above car was the Argyll Turbo GT. It's a 2 door coupé type body with a mid mounted engine supplying power to the rear wheels, and known also as the brainchild of innovator (and former chief engineer of Short Aviation) Bob Henderson of Lochgilphead, who had already devised the Minnow-Fish carburettor taught himself turbocharging since the beginning of this technology applied for cars.
Unfortunately, the high purchase price and ill-fitting parts meant that the Scottish sports car never truly competed with its contemporary rivals.😢 However it could be a kind of reminder that not all great supercars are made in Germany, Italy or America, with a lot of effort and passion, anything is achievable.
