Project Kimber : Rejuvenated firm AC is back

Project Kimber, the team of industry experts behind the firm's rebirth, is set to build the re-engineered Smart Roadster at a site in south Wales.

However, despite sharing its under­pinnings with the defunct German sports car, the tiny Brit will wear fresh new clothes. The most obvious additions include big head­lamps and a gaping grille.

The new model will be offered as a roadster or coupé when it hits showrooms next year, priced from around £13,000. It is expected to use fresh powerplants and dispense with the slow automated manual gearbox fitted to the Smart.

Gordon Murray, the man responsible for designing the McLaren F1 supercar, is just one of the leading industry figures involved in the project. He is joined by John Piper, director of special projects for manufacturing consultant Visioneering, who supplied us with this image. Piper's last job was to help build the JCB Dieselmax land speed record car, so the two-seater has strong credentials.

Source: Autoexpress

Matthew1 - 10/9/2006 9:12:18 PM

+1 Boost

Very good!

They also have Gordon Murray, the man behind the McLaren F1 on the engineering team.

He owns a Smart Roadster, but has said in many magazine articles that the power-steering, weight and rubbish gearbox let down what is fundamentally a great sports car.

With his vision of 'purifying' the driving experience by lightning the car and putting in a normal manual, we have the spiritual successor to the Lotus Elan. Simple, light-weight, but amazingly balanced and fun to drive.