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Marcos - aerodynamic featherweight sports cars from England

Name: Marcos GT 1965
Brand: Marcos

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Created on October 1, 1986

Text:

Dieter Günther, Ergänzungen Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv

Marcos 1600 GT (1969) - photo from a contemporary sales brochure

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Marcos Xylon (1959) - The first Marcos, christened Xylon, which means wood, was created in 1959

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Marcos GT 1000 (1960) - Jackie Stewart's racing career began with the third car ever built (in the foreground)

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Marcos 1000 GT (1962) - Drawing of the first Marcos creation

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Marcos 1000 GT (1962) - early gullwing Marcos - drawing from sales brochure

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Marcos 1000 GT (1962) - Drawing of the first Marcos model seen from diagonally behind

Bild von Partner Porsche AMAG Mai Foto-Galerie 2026

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Marcos GT 1000 (1961) - the GT 1000 model was given an aerodynamic shape designed by Dennis Adams in 1961

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Marcos GT (1961) - one of the first pictures of the GT with gullwing doors

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Marcos GT Open Two Seater (1964) - Presentation of the convertible with Ford Angelia engine intended for larger series production

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Marcos Fastback GT (1963) - took part in the Solitude Race as early as 1965

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Marcos Fastback GT (1963) - functional interior without frills

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Marcos Fastback GT (1963) - the chassis is - clearly visible - made entirely of wood

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Marcos 1800 (1964) - View through - Illustration from 1964 leaflet

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Marcos 1600 (1967) - the Marcos 1600 had a Ford engine and a folding sunroof as standard equipment

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Marcos 2 Litre (1970) - sporty line on the 2-liter

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Marcos 3 Litre Volvo (1970) - Chassis with rectangular profiles

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Marcos 3 Litre Volvo (1970) - side view of the Volvo motorized version

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Marcos 3 Litre (1970) - Insect-like front design

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Marcos 3 Litre (1970) - Interior of the left-hand drive automatic version

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Marcos 3 Litre (1970) - side view of the 3-liter version

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Marcos (1966) - Engine compartment of a Marcos from 1966

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Marcos 3 Litre (1970) - tubular frame chassis instead of the previous wooden construction, V6 engine from Ford

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Marcos 3 Litre Volvo (1971) - The Marcos with Volvo engine from the side

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Marcos 3 Litre (1970) - available as 2- and 3-liter versions with engines from Volvo and Ford, here the version with Volvo inline six-cylinder engine

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Marcos 3 Litre Volvo (1970) - Engine compartment with the Volvo engine

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Marcos GT (1966) - at a meeting of English cars in 2008

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Marcos 3 Litre (1970) - at a meeting of English cars in 2007

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Marcos GT (1968) - at a meeting of English cars in 2007

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Marcos GT (1965) - The joy of driving demonstrated in a different way at the AVD Oldtimer GP 2008

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Marcos GT (1965) - Marcos lets a GT 40 pass at the AVD Oldtimer GP 2008

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Marcos GT (1965) - at the AVD Oldtimer GP 2008

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Marcos GT (1965) - Battle with Jaguar E at the AVD Oldtimer GP 2008

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Solitude Revival 2011 - Anniversary Corso - Marcos

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Marcos - Color Palette - Standard Color Range (1970)

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Marcos Mantis (1968) - Racing car for Le Mans 1968

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Marcos Mantis (1968) - Racing car designed for Le Mans use

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Marcos Mantis (1971) - at a meeting of English vehicles in 2008

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Marcos Mantis (1971) - side view from diagonally behind

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Marcos 3000 GT (1971) - Presentation at the Motor Show

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Marcos Mantis (1970) - Luxurious interior

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Marcos Mantis (1970) - Side view of the new sports car

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Marcos Mantis (1971) - Luxurious interior of the new sports car

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Marcos Mantis (1971) - Insight into the big trunk

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Marcos Mantis (1971) - Presentation of the new Mantis at the Auto Show

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Marcos Mini-Marcos (1966) - the mini dimensions partly determine the shape

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Marcos Mini-Marcos GT (1967) - the Mini-Marcos was the only English competitor to finish the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966

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Marcos Mini-Marcos (1966) - Compact and cuddly

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Marcos Mini-Marcos GT (1967) - in the handling test

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Marcos Xylon (1959) - 1959 entstand der erste Marcos, getauft Xylon, was Holz bedeutet

Marcos GT 1000 (1960) - Mit dem dritten je gebauten Wagen (im Vordergrund) begann Jackie Stewarts Rennkarriere

Marcos 1000 GT (1962) - Zeichnung der ersten Marcos-Schöpfung

Marcos 1000 GT (1962) - früher Flügeltüren-Marcos - Zeichnung aus Verkaufsprospekt

Marcos 1000 GT (1962) - Zeichnung des ersten Marcos-Modelles von schräg hinten gesehen

Marcos GT 1000 (1961) - das Modell GT 1000 erhielt 1961 eine von Dennis Adams entworfene aerodynamische Form

Summary

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for a car brand to disappear. But for it to suddenly become active again after a break of almost ten years is a rarity! The Englishman Jem Marsh achieved this feat, and what's more: he offered - with some success - the very model with which production was discontinued at the time! But even this success did not last forever. This report delves into the adventurous history of the small Marcos company and shows some of the exciting vehicles in pictures and text, as well as around 20 brochures, press releases and technical data. Unique!

This article contains the following chapters

Two talents meet in the pub - Marsh and Costin
Strange windshield
Jackie Stewart in the third Marcos
Relocation to Bradford-on-Avon and the Fastback
The most famous Marcos is born
Still with a wooden chassis
Cute Mini-Marcos...
The first Marcos Mantis - built for Le Mans
The Marcos Mantis road sports car
Then the bankruptcy!
Rebirth in 1981 and 2000
Model overview until 1972

Estimated reading time: 8min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for a car brand to disappear. But for it to suddenly become active again after a break of almost ten years is a rarity! The Englishman Jem Marsh achieved this feat, and what's more: he offered - with some success - the very model that was discontinued at the time! And the success was again not sustainable. A new attempt and finally bankruptcy. In 1959, two enterprising young people met in a pub in Hitchin, a small town near London. One of them, Jem Marsh, was at that time the owner of "Speedex Castings and Accessories Ltd." in Luton, where sporting accessories, especially for the Austin Seven, were manufactured. He also raced cars on the side.

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