Strathcarron Sports Cars plc
Encyclopedia
Strathcarron Sports Cars plc was a British
car manufacturer in business from 1998 until 2001.
and carbon fiber
. The company's founder, Ian Macpherson, now Lord Strathcarron
, is the son of David Macpherson who was a noted motorcyclist and automotive columnist. The goal for the company was to build simple and lightweight cars powered by motorcycle engines. The cars were designed by Reynard and used Triumph motorcycle engines and were minimalist in terms of options and amenities.
Initially, the company planned to send 50 to 60 cars out of their factory once the firm was fully up and running during the year 2000. However, due to changes in England's Single Vehicle Approval laws during the time Strathcarron was beginning to sell the cars to customers, the company had to go back and reconsider using the engine out of an automobile in order to legally sell the car for public roadway use. An attempt was made to use the Rover
K-Series motor, but financial hardship forced the company to shut down before a working prototype could be completed and road tested.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
car manufacturer in business from 1998 until 2001.
Company Overview
Strathcarron produced two models while in business between 1999 and 2002, the Strathcarron SC-5A, and the Strathcarron SC-6, which in essence was the same as the SC-5A, only with ABS plastic bodywork in place of the more expensive kevlarKevlar
Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...
and carbon fiber
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...
. The company's founder, Ian Macpherson, now Lord Strathcarron
Ian Macpherson, 3rd Baron Strathcarron
Ian David Patrick Macpherson, 3rd Baron Strathcarron, is a British peer, the and inherited the title on the death of his father David William Anthony Blyth Macpherson, 2nd Baron Strathcarron on 31 August 2006...
, is the son of David Macpherson who was a noted motorcyclist and automotive columnist. The goal for the company was to build simple and lightweight cars powered by motorcycle engines. The cars were designed by Reynard and used Triumph motorcycle engines and were minimalist in terms of options and amenities.
Initially, the company planned to send 50 to 60 cars out of their factory once the firm was fully up and running during the year 2000. However, due to changes in England's Single Vehicle Approval laws during the time Strathcarron was beginning to sell the cars to customers, the company had to go back and reconsider using the engine out of an automobile in order to legally sell the car for public roadway use. An attempt was made to use the Rover
MG Rover Group
MG Rover was the last domestically owned mass-production car manufacturer in the British motor industry. The company was formed when BMW sold the car-making and engine manufacturing assets of the original Rover Group to the Phoenix Consortium in 2000....
K-Series motor, but financial hardship forced the company to shut down before a working prototype could be completed and road tested.
SC-5A Specifications
- Dimensions
- Length: 142 in (3,607 mm)
- Width: 67 in (1,702 mm)
- Wheelbase: 94 in (2,388 mm)
- Wheel Track (Front): 58.4 in (1,483 mm)
- Wheel Track (Rear): 57.5 in (1,461 mm)
- Weight: 1213 lb (550.2 kg)
- Seating Capacity: 2
- Powertrain
- Engine Type: Inline 4
- Displacement: 1200 cc
- Sourced from: Triumph Trophy 1200Triumph Motorcycles LtdTriumph Motorcycles Ltd is the largest surviving British motorcycle manufacturer, which was established in 1984 by John Bloor after the original manufacturer Triumph Engineering went into receivership...
motorcycleMotorcycleA motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most... - Valves: 16 valves/4 per cylinder
- Horsepower: 125 hp
- HP-to-Weight Ratio: 9.3 lb (4.2 kg) per hp
- Transmission: 6-speed manual (SequentialSequential manual transmissionA sequential manual transmission is a type of manual transmission used on motorcycles and high-performance cars for auto racing, where gears are selected in order, and direct access to specific gears is not possible....
) - Drive Wheels: Rear
- Engine Placement: Mid-EnginedMR layoutIn automotive design, a RMR or Rear Mid-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout is one in which the rear wheels are driven by an engine placed just in front of them, behind the passenger compartment. In contrast to the rear-engined RR layout, the center of mass of the engine is in front of the rear axle...
- Handling
- Wheels: Front 16x6 - rear 16x7
- Tires: Front 205/55/16 - Rear 215/50/17
- Brakes: BremboBremboBrembo S.p.A. is a manufacturer of automotive brake systems, especially for high-performance cars and motorcycles. It was established in Bergamo, Italy in 1961. Soon after the company was formed, it specialised in disc brakes, which were exclusively imported from the United Kingdom at the time...
vented discs with AP brake calipers - Steering: Unassisted rack-and-pinion
- Performance
- 0-60 mph Time: 5.6 seconds
External links
- Single Vehicle Approval - Official UK Department of Transport documentation