Currently reading: AC Cars coming back to Britain

British brand due to return to UK following factory closure

AC cars Is planning to return to the UK following the closure of its factory in Malta. Plans are in place to manufacture the AC Ace Mk2 and wider-bodied Mk3 at the small Brooklands Motor Company facility in Weybridge, Surrey. Alan Lubinsky, owner of AC Cars, has confirmed to Autocar that AC’s sports car factory on Malta has been closed amid a legal dispute. These continuation models will be handcrafted with an aluminium chassis and have the quality of “a Savile Row suit”, claims Lubinsky. He says that AC wants to sell about 10 cars per year, priced at £150,000 each, in the UK. More will be built for the US market at another small-scale plant in Michigan. Reports in a Maltese newspaper, which are subject to a legal complaint from AC Cars, had suggested that Lubinsky “closed the AC factory and left the island leaving Malta Enterprise empty-handed”. The dispute is said to centre around the condition of the AC factory on Malta when Lubinksky’s company took custody.

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Darth Balls 29 April 2008

Re: AC Cars coming back to Britain

jackjflash wrote:

My point was never that America or Germany or even Japan had superior skills to craft an automotive winner better than anything British, it was that the UK possesses the same skills but chooses not to and this is perplexing because the UK clearly loves cars.

Isn't Mr Flash just lamenting the demise of the indigenous auto industry and the apparent waste of skills and experience in the UK?

This is a point of view that should be applauded, not attacked in a reactionary 'USA bad, UK good manner'.

jackjflash 28 April 2008

Re: AC Cars coming back to Britain

jackjflash 28 April 2008

Re: AC Cars coming back to Britain

James Read wrote:
A real debate is based on something that is realistic. Your debate (or argument) is pretty petty and, as I said before, is largely whose cars are best. How silly. There are some current American cars that I would love to own (the new Dodge Challenger for one) and others that are total mass produced shite. Same over here in Europe actually, but to say "we're best because we own more brands" is ludicrous and not worthy of debate (or even argument). Who and when exactly did I criticise others that design and manufacture cars ? British design is at the forefront of global motoring actually. We still manufacture plenty of cars too. Fords, Nissans, Hondas, Land Rovers, Jaguars, many racing cars etc etc etc. Still I'm glad you're pleased about the Aston victory at Le Mans.

I guess this is the crux of the misunderstanding, you consider the assembly of Japanese, German, and American financed and designed cars as British manufacturing. To me this is like stating that the slaves that built the Pyramids were responsible for their design, apparently we will have to agree to disagree.

I have never said that America builds superior cars to anyone, clearly we have built some real crap, and our auto unions (knobs) have put us at great disadvantage to current competitors, we have work to do. But despite our shortcomings, and they are many, our industry abides. For years our only true sports car was the Corvette, in recent years we have added The Viper. Lutz whether you love or hate the guy has really given sports car manufacturing a shot in the arse. GM will have the Vette, Solstice vert and coupe, and a new Camaro with independent suspension designed by Holden and manufactured in Canada, Oh Canada. My point was never that America or Germany or even Japan had superior skills to craft an automotive winner better than anything British, it was that the UK possesses the same skills but chooses not to and this is perplexing because the UK clearly loves cars. So call me petty if you wish but it’s one man’s opinion, mine, and you’re entitled to yours so let’s let this one go because we obviously don’t agree.