Marcos Mantara Coupe | The Handbuilt Sports Car We’d Love to Put in the Garage Right Now

13 October 2023 Redazione News, Supercars Lounge

Words by Marco Mancino / Photos courtesy of Adam Sykes & Co

Among those unjustly forgotten names we undoubtedly have to mention Marcos, the small British manufacturer born by chance during a drink at a pub which in 1959 saw Jem Marsh and Frank Costin give life to the dream of a lifetime, addressing both the world of racing and that of driving enthusiasts. With a quick leap forward in time and after having brought the brand back to life, the early 90s saw Marcos once again dealing with a small-sized sports car, with a typical British flavor and capable of offering performance and a driver/car connection that it had nothing to envy to more renowned brands with thousands times higher budgets.

The Mantara was available in both coupe and spyder versions and could be configured with a 3.9-litre Rover V8 engine or with the more powerful 4.5, which developed by JE Engineering put 300 horsepower to the ground. Between 1992 and 1998, just 137 Mantaras left the Westbury factory, making this particular model important both for its rarity and for the fact it provided the basis for the creation of the Mantara LM600, of which its track counterpart took part to many endurance competitions all around the globe.

Despite the craftsmanship, the Mantara is well finished in its assemblies, emphasizing the attention to detail and the search for lines that are never predictable, with a very streamlined front part and a rear area that – especially in the spyder version – remains faithful to certain stylistic canons very dear to British makers. Climbing on board you perceive the sensation of small production, but unlike, for example, its TVR cousins, the Mantara has a tidy and much more practical dashboard. The seating is something wonderful, as are the extremely supportive leather seats which literally envelop driver and passenger. The gearbox is close to the left arm and the almost absent soundproofing of the passenger compartment allows the roar of the V8 to reach the eardrums directly from the two exhaust pipes positioned in the center and surmounted by a spoiler which does not affect the purity of the lines.

The Mantara is a collector’s car, but also a sports car to use and capable of providing emotions, after all it takes just 5.4 seconds to sprint from 0 to 100 per hour. But it is the rather rigid chassis and the seat close to the ground that make it a pleasure for those lucky enough to take a seat at the wheel, a dream which is not impossible, given that as long as you find one in good condition, you can buy it with the equivalent of approximately €40,000. Look for example at the beautiful example on sale at Adam Sykes & Co, whom we thank for the beautiful photographs which do nothing but tickle the desire to put a pure old school English sports car in the garage.