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The Mantula Coupe was launched at
the Motor Show in 1984 beginning a long relationship between Marcos and the Rover V8
engine.
The Mantula Coupe evolved from the
3 Litre form with the addition of a front end spoiler giving the car a
lower approach angle, extended wheel arches, a wider back end, and a
bonded windscreen. The interior was also altered with the addition of a
gearlever console incorporating storage trays. The suspension was
unaltered from the 3 Litre .
The fully built option was
introduced alongside cars in component form. Factory paintwork, leather upholstery and a walnut
dashboard were available as extras on component built cars. The first
factory built cars were fitted with the carburettor V8 engine sourced
direct from Land Rover until the introduction of the 3.5 Efi engine as
fitted to the Range Rover in 1986, latterly phased out in favour of the more
powerful 3.9 engine.
170 Mantula Coupe's were produced
at the factory in Westbury between 1983 and 1992.
In July 1985 Marcos ventured for
the second time into a soft top car with the Mantula Spyder.
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The original car was fitted
with a detachable T-top which was dropped on subsequent production models
due to being too expensive to produce and not entirely practical. |
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This venture into open top
motoring was almost as successful as the coupe version with
production figures totaling 119 Mantula Spyders built between
1985 and 1992. |
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In 1986 with Ford live axles
becoming difficult to source, the fully independent rear suspension was introduced.
Utilising differential and hubs from the Ford Sierra range and wishbones, uprights and A-frame
developed by Marcos, transforming the ride
quality of the range, the live axle was phased out on factory built cars at
this stage.
Along side the 3.9 engine option
the Ford 2 litre DOHC engine was available as a more economic and less powerful
version of the Mantula. Both available in spyder and coupe
format.
| Engine |
Rover 3.5 V8 Injection and 3.9
V8 injection |
| Maximum Output |
190 bhp from 3.9 efi |
| Performance |
0 - 60mph in 5.4 seconds, Top
speed of 133 mph. |
| Kerb Weight |
889 kg |
| New Price |
£28159.00 ( IRS Spyder, 1992 ) |
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