Gorgeous Marcos Mantis spotted in Cheshire today (pics)

[autofocus]

Hi there,

Heard this before I saw it as was sat inside having lunch with a client. Luckily it was still parked up when we left so I grabbed a piccies.





Marcos Mantis, think this might have been the first Mantis I ever drove having been involved with the company in 1998 for a year or two.

Regards

Tim

[DragsterRR]

That's Olly Hawkins.

[marcosal]

Quiffster will be pleased!!

[marcosal]

Quiffster will be pleased!!

[TheQuiffster]

Glad you liked the car Tim, & thanks for posting the pictures.

What was your involvement with Marcos in the late 90s?

[autofocus]

TheQuiffster said:

Glad you liked the car Tim, & thanks for posting the pictures.

What was your involvement with Marcos in the late 90s?

Hi Quiffster,

Pleased you like the pictures.

Back in late 1998/ early 1999 I was employed by a small family run Kia dealership in Nottingham as New Car Sales Manager. The owner wanted to raise the profile of the business by adding another franchise to operate from a small showroom he had in Chilwell, Nottinghamshire. He originally looked at Lotus, but with dealers already operating in Derby and Leicester there wasn't really a need for one in Nottinghamshire. I suggested he look at Marcos as I was a huge fan of the brand.

Over the next few months we had dialogue with Don Powell from Marcos and following our visits to the factory and his visits to the showroom we were appointed Marcos dealers in May 1999.

I remember Don's first visit well. I was only 24 at the time and Don arrived one afternoon in a stunning green Mantis, threw me the keys and said 'there you go take it for a spin'. Well I was in my element and spent the next hour cruising the local area in what was easily the best car I had ever driven.

The car Don had come up in was this one (R245HMW) which I thought might be your current car but not sure now ?



Our first showroom car was P218KWL which is one of the only Mantis Coupes from memory, It was with us for a couple of months and was taken to both the Nottingham and Derby Motorshows. The second car we had on display at these shows was a red Mantaray (R244HMW) which I had the pleasure of collecting from the factory one lovely sunny Friday. I caught the train down to Westbury and Don collected me from the station in the car before I dropped him back at the factory and I head home in the car. It was a lovely car and the 2.0T engine was a corker and a little more sprightly than the heavier V8's.



Heres some pics of the Mantis coupe both outside our showroom and on display.







and a photo of a Marcos 'Used Car' list from May 1999



Here's some articles from the local motoring press and our advert from the time







Unfortunately due to personal circumstances I left the business late in 1999 but by that time we had placed an order for our first demonstrator which was to be a Mantaray.



During the few months I worked in the dealership we had received loads of interest in the Marcos brand with regular visits from factory demonstrators and demo cars from other dealers (inc a very nice Mantaray 4.6 V8 which we had for a few days) to show potential customers.

I also had the opportunity to work with Chris Marsh and his team on their stand at the 1999 Earls Court Motor Show where the Mantis GT was launched. I spent some time talking to Maxi Jazz (of Faithless fame) a guy I would meet again a few years later when I worked as a team photographer for a British GT for whom he was driving. I believe he did actually own a Mantis GT at one point ?

I found this on Youtube tonight which has bought back some great memories.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14eF9eo26Sc

A truly memorable time for me and one that has embedded a huge fondness for the Marcos brand.

Regards

Tim

Edited by autofocus on Friday 25th March 21:25

Edited by autofocus on Friday 25th March 21:26

[marcosal]

Nice write up Tim.

[Cool Mart]

Interesting write up, thanks for posting Tim.

On the used car list photo above, the silver Mantaray advertised at the top of the list is sitting in my garage waiting for Summer !

Martin

[Turquoise]

The sexiest front end/bonnet of any car ever!





But unfortunately one of the worst rears ever too

[Dodgey_Rog]

Wow!!! That takes me back. Tim, my family were the dealer in Essex, Bridge Motors, we had both the Coupe and Green Mantis at various times. We had the coupe over the christmas period, I seem to recall driving it back to the factory as it was needed elsewhere, maybe you guys? We had a MantaRay 3.9 in Calypso Red with Magnolia with the Fox Racing Alloys, looked stunning;



I also worked at the motor shows with Don, Chris and Tom (Hulme), they were a good laugh. I still keep in touch with Tom and Lianne (who worked in the office), i heard recently that Jem passed away which was sad, he was a character.

Nice to see you still have the pics and stock lists, i have no idea what happened to all our docs, my father retired from the motor trade around 2001 and i switched careers and subsequently divide my time between the UK and USA.

[autofocus]

Dodgey_Rog said:

Wow!!! That takes me back. Tim, my family were the dealer in Essex, Bridge Motors, we had both the Coupe and Green Mantis at various times. We had the coupe over the christmas period, I seem to recall driving it back to the factory as it was needed elsewhere, maybe you guys? We had a MantaRay 3.9 in Calypso Red with Magnolia with the Fox Racing Alloys, looked stunning;



I also worked at the motor shows with Don, Chris and Tom (Hulme), they were a good laugh. I still keep in touch with Tom and Lianne (who worked in the office), i heard recently that Jem passed away which was sad, he was a character.

Nice to see you still have the pics and stock lists, i have no idea what happened to all our docs, my father retired from the motor trade around 2001 and i switched careers and subsequently divide my time between the UK and USA.

Rog,

Great to hear from you and thanks for sharing your memories.

Love the Mantaray in your pics, the Fox wheels were always my favourite.

Regards

Tim