Marauder Cars
Encyclopedia
Marauder Cars was a British car company founded by Rover
engineers George Mackie and Peter Wilks. 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 (the Marauder) based on the new Rover 75
chassis. Manufacturing started in Dorridge
, West Midlands and later in Kenilworth
, Warwickshire between 1950 and 1952. The two decided to change the name from Wilks, Mackie and Company to the Marauder Car Company in 1951.
The design was largely the work of Peter Wilks and "Spen" King
who, like Wilks, was a nephew of brothers Spencer and Maurice Wilks
who ran the Rover
car company and was later famous for his involvement in many Rover and Leyland Group
designs. The car named the "A", later joined by the "100", was based on the Rover P4 75
with the chassis shortened by 9 inches (228.6 mm) from 111 inches (2,819.4 mm) to 102 inches (2,590.8 mm), the track remaining the same at 52 inches (1,320.8 mm). The suspension was stiffened retaining the coil sprung independent front suspension and elliptical sprung live rear axle. The engine was moved back to allow for the fitting of 2/3-seater open coachwork with the Rover gearbox retained with optional overdrive instead of the Rover free wheel mechanism. The gearchange moved from column to floor. One fixed head coupé was also made. The first few bodies were made by Richard Mead in his Dorridge works and used some Rover panels but later ones were made by Abbey Panels of Coventry. The 6-cylinder, inlet over exhaust valve, 2103 cc Rover engine was slightly modified with higher compression ratio to raise the output by 5 bhp to 80 bhp whilst the 100 version was bored out to 2392 cc and fitted with triple SU carburettors to give 105 bhp. The "A" was capable of 90 mph (145 km/h) and the "100" 100 mph (161 km/h)
About 15 cars were made including 2 of the "100"s before rising costs and tax changes priced the cars out of the market. The UK government doubled the already high level of Purchase Tax (the UK version of Sales Tax) on cars with a pre-tax price above £1000.. In 1950 the car cost £1236 rising to over £2000 in 1952. Both George Mackie and Peter Wilks rejoined Rover.
Rover (car)
The Rover Company is a former British car manufacturing company founded as Starley & Sutton Co. of Coventry in 1878. After developing the template for the modern bicycle with its Rover Safety Bicycle of 1885, the company moved into the automotive industry...
engineers George Mackie and Peter Wilks. 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 (the Marauder) based on the new Rover 75
Rover P4
The Rover P4 series was a group of saloon automobiles produced from 1949 through to 1964 designed by Gordon Bashford. The P4 designation is factory terminology for the group of cars and was not in day-to-day use by ordinary owners, who would have said simply that they had a "Rover 90" and so on.The...
chassis. Manufacturing started in Dorridge
Dorridge
Dorridge is a village in the West Midlands borough of Solihull, England, with a population of 7800.-Location:Dorridge is to the East of the M40 and the South of the M42 which, along with a small but important green belt area, separates Dorridge and its neighbours of Knowle and Bentley Heath from...
, West Midlands and later in Kenilworth
Kenilworth
Kenilworth is a town in central Warwickshire, England. In 2001 the town had a population of 22,582 . It is situated south of Coventry, north of Warwick and northwest of London....
, Warwickshire between 1950 and 1952. The two decided to change the name from Wilks, Mackie and Company to the Marauder Car Company in 1951.
The design was largely the work of Peter Wilks and "Spen" King
Charles Spencer King
Charles Spencer “Spen” King was a significant figure in the Rover Company and, after their takeover, in the British Leyland Motor Corporation.After leaving school in 1942, he was first apprenticed to Rolls-Royce...
who, like Wilks, was a nephew of brothers Spencer and Maurice Wilks
Maurice Wilks
Maurice Cary Ferdinand Wilks was an automotive and aeronautical engineer, and by the time of his death in 1963, was the chairman of the Rover Company, a British car manufacturer...
who ran the Rover
Rover (car)
The Rover Company is a former British car manufacturing company founded as Starley & Sutton Co. of Coventry in 1878. After developing the template for the modern bicycle with its Rover Safety Bicycle of 1885, the company moved into the automotive industry...
car company and was later famous for his involvement in many Rover and Leyland Group
British Leyland Motor Corporation
British Leyland was a vehicle manufacturing company formed in the United Kingdom in 1968 as British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd . It was partly nationalised in 1975 with the government creating a new holding company called British Leyland Ltd which became BL Ltd in 1978...
designs. The car named the "A", later joined by the "100", was based on the Rover P4 75
Rover P4
The Rover P4 series was a group of saloon automobiles produced from 1949 through to 1964 designed by Gordon Bashford. The P4 designation is factory terminology for the group of cars and was not in day-to-day use by ordinary owners, who would have said simply that they had a "Rover 90" and so on.The...
with the chassis shortened by 9 inches (228.6 mm) from 111 inches (2,819.4 mm) to 102 inches (2,590.8 mm), the track remaining the same at 52 inches (1,320.8 mm). The suspension was stiffened retaining the coil sprung independent front suspension and elliptical sprung live rear axle. The engine was moved back to allow for the fitting of 2/3-seater open coachwork with the Rover gearbox retained with optional overdrive instead of the Rover free wheel mechanism. The gearchange moved from column to floor. One fixed head coupé was also made. The first few bodies were made by Richard Mead in his Dorridge works and used some Rover panels but later ones were made by Abbey Panels of Coventry. The 6-cylinder, inlet over exhaust valve, 2103 cc Rover engine was slightly modified with higher compression ratio to raise the output by 5 bhp to 80 bhp whilst the 100 version was bored out to 2392 cc and fitted with triple SU carburettors to give 105 bhp. The "A" was capable of 90 mph (145 km/h) and the "100" 100 mph (161 km/h)
About 15 cars were made including 2 of the "100"s before rising costs and tax changes priced the cars out of the market. The UK government doubled the already high level of Purchase Tax (the UK version of Sales Tax) on cars with a pre-tax price above £1000.. In 1950 the car cost £1236 rising to over £2000 in 1952. Both George Mackie and Peter Wilks rejoined Rover.