Elfin Streamliner and MS8 Clubman
Elfin, makers of Lotus 7 type cars are branching out and building the MS8, conceived by Mike Simcoe and designed and built with help from Holden.
These originally started as concept cars and are now full-blown production cars with the LS1 V8 in a 1100kg “clubman” body. They’re expensive and I’m not sure if there is any point other than to have a really big unstressed engine in a really little car. I’d have to have at least three other cars before considering getting an MS8 (make mine the Clubman, the Streamliner is a bit too Thunderbirds).
Michael Stahl from Wheels drove one for the current issue and generally liked it which is a pretty good rap for what’s basically a low-volume hand-built road-registered race car.
Hmmm, I actually quite like the Streamliner myself.
I really liked the “new” clubman idea that Toyota was doing some stuff with a few years back. SP9R, or something like that. Involved a Camry motor, mounted behind the driver, with the clubman-style spaceframe chassis and fibreglass panels.
From memory Peter Fitzgerald (?) had something to do with it?
Oh, and as for Clubman-clubmans, I like the Hayabusa-motor powered PRB Birkins. Saw a purple one at Oran Park last weekend, and it sounded great, and was the fastest one there…
P.S. - This comment tool sucks. I have to leave an email address? Yes, I know, comment spam is a problem…
Comment by fro — September 1, 2005 @ 12:49 am