Marcos Motor Company has confirmed it will build new vehicles for the first time in nearly two decades, reviving one of Britain’s most idiosyncratic sports car marques. 

Now part of Automotive Vision, the Wiltshire outfit has three vehicle programmes in development – one continuation, one restomod, and one entirely new model.

Marcos retains all of its original assets, including production tooling, jigs and body moulds dating back to its 1959 origins. Those will come in handy for Project #3, which focuses on producing continuation models. With full control of the brand, manufacturing rights and original tooling, the company is able to produce officially sanctioned recreations of classic Marcos models – down to the original badge. Most major jigs and moulds dating back to the 1950s remain intact, giving each build full factory provenance.

At the other end of the spectrum is Project #1, which takes a modern approach by reimagining a familiar Marcos shape with contemporary underpinnings. The first prototype is already up and running. While developed primarily for the track, a road-going version hasn’t been ruled out. 

Project #2 sits somewhere in between – a clean-sheet design that nods to Marcos’ heritage without relying on it. Low weight, mechanical purity and unfiltered driving feel remain core values, and a crash-tested and homologated rolling chassis has already been engineered. It’s now undergoing further evaluation. If it reaches production, this would be the first genuinely all-new Marcos since the early-2000s Mantis.

Of course, bringing a sports car to market in today’s regulatory climate presents unique challenges. Powertrain details haven’t yet been disclosed, but the brand acknowledges meeting modern emissions standards will require careful balancing of its analogue philosophy with up-to-date engineering. The fact functional prototypes already exist suggests technical partnerships may already be in motion, even if nothing has been announced publicly.

Marcos isn’t alone in trying to turn nostalgia into a viable business model. The likes of TVR and AC Cars have made similar moves in recent years, with mixed results. But where some revived brands lean heavily on licensing agreements or retro-styled shells bolted onto donor platforms, Marcos brings more to the table. It still holds full manufacturing rights, along with a depth of engineering capability that could provide the edge.

TVR’s troubled Griffith reboot looms large as a cautionary tale. But Marcos may have a more solid foundation. Its parts and servicing division – Marcos Heritage Spares – has operated without interruption for over 25 years. That continuity, combined with the consolidation of all Marcos assets under a single structure since 2022, gives the project a sense of stability many revivals lack.

The man overseeing it all is Howard Nash, whose career spans both motorsport engineering and automotive business operations. Since acquiring the full brand rights in 2022, Nash has worked to unify the various strands of the Marcos story under one vision.

“We want to honour that original ethos while being forward-looking too,” he says, “giving Marcos a new, younger audience, as well as bringing the brand back for those who grew up with it.”

Heritage Spares will continue to support the existing fleet, now with expanded resources and technical capabilities. Performance upgrades, including in-house engine tuning through the group’s long-established vintage and racing division, are also planned – potentially offering a modest but steady revenue stream to underpin longevity.

For many, Marcos remains something of an eccentric footnote in British motoring history. But the early company was consistently innovative – it pioneered monocoque chassis construction, and the Mini Marcos famously claimed a class win at Le Mans. Beyond its technical achievements, the cars earned a reputation for their raw, unfiltered driving character – a trait Nash says will remain central to the company’s future.

“It’s an analogue experience you can’t get from large car manufacturers and supercar brands,” Nash says, “and one which I think enthusiasts hanker after today.”

There are also hints of a return to motorsport. With Project #1 clearly aimed at the track, competitive ambitions may not be far off. Marcos has the racing pedigree to justify such a move, though it’s taking a measured approach – no grand proclamations, just steady progress.

Still, the road back for small British sports car makers is notoriously unforgiving. Brands that stay true to their identity tend to have the best chance at long-term survival. Companies like Ariel, BAC and Morgan have endured – and in some cases thrived – by committing to a clearly defined niche. Others, like TVR and Wiesmann, have aimed to move upmarket while holding onto their roots, struggling to move beyond promises and prototypes.

Marcos may now be better positioned than most of its peers. With working prototypes, in-house production assets and an engineering legacy to build on, the company looks serious about its revival. Whether it can establish a sustainable foothold in today’s market remains to be seen. Time will tell, but we’re certainly rooting for them to pull it off.