| Peter Wilks and
George Mackie left the Rover Company in 1950 to form
Wilks, Mackie and Company to exploit their idea of a two
seater sports car based on the new Rover 75 chassis. The
first car was completed in mid 1950 and the cars were
based on a standard chassis purchased from Rover which
was then shortened and modified to reposition the engine.
The steering and suspension were changed in detail and a
remote control gearchange fitted. The freewheel was
replaced by an overdrive. The body was built by Richard
Mead and showed many P4 influences in its detail design.
The cars were not a commercial success being too
expensive and lacking in performance. In 1952 the last of
fifteen cars was produced and the Company (by now the
Marauder Car Company Ltd.) was wound up. Twelve of the cars are believed to survive, one of which is the only fixed head coupe built, the remainder being two seat tourers. One of the cars was restored by George Mackie in 1983. Both George Mackie and Peter Wilks returned to prominent positions in the engineering organisation at Rover |
The Marauder
One of the surviving Marauders at the Motor Heritage Centre, Gaydon Click here to return to list of derivatives Click here to return to contents page |
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