Westfield buy Chesil

[85Carrera]

Interesting. Could be a tempted by an electric Chesil; can’t be slower than one with a Beetle engine ...

[Mistrale]

Question is, will it be a bespoke electric package, or will Westfield just use an 'off the shelf' Beetle conversion, of which there are a couple?

[Wacky Racer]

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[Equus]

Mistrale said:

Question is, will it be a bespoke electric package, or will Westfield just use an 'off the shelf' Beetle conversion, of which there are a couple?

Given Westield's expertise in this area (they have built several previous EV's and have actually acted as consultants to others - including Morgan), I would be surprised if it's anything but the former.

The main value of the project to them is in building, and capitalising, upon their own expertise, so no point in buying-in someone else's inferior package.

[JontyR]

Equus said:

Given Westield's expertise in this area (they have built several previous EV's and have actually acted as consultants to others - including Morgan), I would be surprised if it's anything but the former.

The main value of the project to them is in building, and capitalising, upon their own expertise, so no point in buying-in someone else's inferior package.

Or they will screw it into the ground? I wonder who has the better chassis?

[Turn7]

What happened to GTM after Westy bought them ?

[Equus]

JontyR said:

Or they will screw it into the ground? I wonder who has the better chassis?

Helllo again!

The Chesil is based on a shortened Volkswagen Beetle chassis, so almost anything is better than that. The front-engined Westfield spaceframe wouldn't fit, of course, but it wouldn't take them long to knock up something better than the Beetle underpinnings if they wanted to.

Having said which, most 356 replica owners seem happy with the Beetle chassis - they're more about posing in the sun than seriously quick driving.

As to whether they'll screw it into the ground...

Turn7 said:

What happened to GTM after Westy bought them?

I think that they discovered that the GTM was very labour-intensive and not very profitable to build, after they purchased it (I remember visiting the Loughborough factory when Peter Beck and Paddy Fitch were building them - it was obvious that the monocoques took forever to lay up by hand, and the moulds needed subtstantial and regular work to keep them in shape).

There were thoughts of redeveloping it for a steel chassis with a simpler body moulding, but I'm not sure if they ever progressed.

They are currently listing an autonomous version of the GTM on as a 'product' on their separate technology consultancy website, so maybe it's not totally dead yet - but I bet I know what the response would be if you rang them up and actually asked to buy one!

[evodarren]

I Have a speedster built in the USA by Vintage speedsters. It also has a VW chassis and a 1900cc VW engine. I wanted one as close to the original as a could. Wasn't interested in different engines or fully independent coil over suspension.
It is a car you just cruise around in the sun. When I drive it its the only car I have where I am not feeling the stress of the traffic. I just enjoy it.

Hopefully something good will come from Westfield.

[Tempest_5]

This could be interesting. Chesil has always been one of those kits I've kind of liked but never really lusted after. I'm sure Westfield have a plan for them.

One thing that I really don't like on the Porsche Speedster type replicas is the splayed out rear wheels where they are lowered. Having been through the process of building a kitcar, a Westfield, I appreciate budget limitations and on the Speedsters it is the cheaper option on the Beetle running gear than more expensive suspension modifications, but it looks horrid.