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In 1992 the shape of the classic
Marcos was updated with the launch of the Mantara. With the increasing
difficulty of obtaining the now outdated Triumph based front suspension,
an all knew up to date system was developed. Using Ford front knuckle
assemblies the Marcos system incorporated a McPherson strut damper, coil
spring and anti roll bar based loosely on the Ford system..
The Mantara also saw the first Marcos with power
assisted steering. The chassis was radically altered at the front end to accommodate the new
suspension.
With a wider front track, this enabled the front
end to be significantly updated from its predecessor the Mantula.
The main
styling changes being to the bonnet, rear wheel arches and rear lights to
give the car a more modern appearance.
Internally the changes were very few initially,
centering around a revised steering column and switch gear and latterly changes to the dashboard including revised heater controls.
With the introduction of the Mantara, small
volume Type Approval was obtained for the Marcos Mantara, standardising
the car through production and conforming to various safety and emission
regulations.
In 1995, in an attempt to streamline production,
and subsequently reduce build costs, the following changes were
introduced. The fibreglass footwells were replaced with steel as part of
the chassis. The wooden dashboard supports were replaced with steel. The
door frames were simplified by the removal of the quarter light and the
introduction of a one piece dropglass.
Engine option in the Mantara
ranged from the standard 3.9, 4.6 and 5.00 NCK with sports pack,
developing a claimed 320 bhp.
In 1997 a small engined variant of the Mantara
was introduced with a lower insurance premium to appeal to the younger
driver. Powered by the Rover Tomcat 2.0 litre engine, the GTS was
available in both turbo and non turbo form. The only other distinguishing
feature of the 2.0 Litre GTS cars was the bonnet. This was a further
progression from the Mantara bonnet incorporating much smoother lines,
flared in back mounted headlamps, and a deeper spoiler, which was used on
the later Mantaray model. A handful of late Mantara V8's were produced with the same bonnet as the 2.0 litre
models.
| Engine |
Rover 2.0 Tomcat T16 4
cylinder |
| Maximum Output |
135 bhp ( 197 bhp Turbo ) |
| Performance |
Top speed 135 mph |
| Optional Extras |
Full leather interior,
Contrasting piping, Coloured fitted carpet, Alarm / immobiliser, Air
conditioning, Power steering, Metallic paint, 6 disc CD upgrade,
Coloured Spyder hood, Lined hood, 2 Litre 200bhp Turbo option. |
| New Price |
£32995.00 ( Oct
1998 ) |
| Engine |
Rover 3.9 & 4.6 V8 Injection |
| Maximum Output |
250 bhp |
| Performance |
Top Speed of 150 mph |
| Optional Extras |
Full leather interior,
Contrasting piping, Coloured fitted carpet, Alarm / immobiliser, Air
conditioning, Power steering, Metallic paint, 6 disc CD upgrade,
Coloured Spyder hood, Lined hood. |
| New Price |
£27229.79 ( May
1997 ) |
Production of the Mantara continued through to
1998. In all 137 Mantara's were produced at the factory in Westbury, of
which 15 were 2.0 models.
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