{"id":1861301,"date":"2026-04-02T10:06:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T07:06:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1861301"},"modified":"2026-04-02T10:06:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T07:06:20","slug":"marcos-is-returning-how-can-it-escape-the-curse-of-tvr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1861301","title":{"rendered":"Marcos is returning: how can it escape the curse of TVR?"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"articleItem\">\n<p>    {&#8220;@context&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/schema.org&#8221;,&#8221;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Article&#8221;,&#8221;image&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/marcos_return.jpg&#8221;,&#8221;mainEntityOfPage&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;WebPage&#8221;,&#8221;@id&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.carmagazine.co.uk\/car-news\/industry-news\/marcos-return\/&#8221;},&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.carmagazine.co.uk\/car-news\/industry-news\/marcos-return\/&#8221;,&#8221;author&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Person&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;Mark Walton&#8221;,&#8221;description&#8221;:&#8221;Mark has been involved with CAR magazine since the 1990s. One of our longest-serving writers, Mark continues to write a column to this day u2013 and is happiest when driving a new car on an adventure story for CAR, or fettling his beloved Series Land Rover on his days off.&#8221;,&#8221;image&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;ImageObject&#8221;,&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/car-assets.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/14276\/markwalton.jpeg&#8221;,&#8221;caption&#8221;:&#8221;Mark Walton&#8221;},&#8221;sameAs&#8221;:[&#8220;https:\/\/x.com\/markwalton_&#8221;,&#8221;https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/markwalton_\/&#8221;],&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.carmagazine.co.uk\/author\/mark-walton\/&#8221;,&#8221;jobTitle&#8221;:&#8221;Contributing editor&#8221;,&#8221;knowsAbout&#8221;:&#8221;Cars&#8221;,&#8221;worksFor&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Organization&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;CAR magazine&#8221;}},&#8221;dateModified&#8221;:&#8221;2026-04-02T11:06:20+01:00&#8243;,&#8221;datePublished&#8221;:&#8221;2026-04-02T11:06:20+01:00&#8243;,&#8221;headline&#8221;:&#8221;Marcos is returning: how can it escape the curse of TVR?&#8221;,&#8221;publisher&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Organization&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;Bauer Media&#8221;,&#8221;brand&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Organization&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;Car Magazine&#8221;},&#8221;logo&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;ImageObject&#8221;,&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/car-assets.bauersecure.com\/images\/logos\/car.200&#215;88.png&#8221;}}}<\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"column xlarge-10 xlarge-push-2\">\n<header>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"column\">\n<h1 class=\"title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMarcos is returning: how can it escape the curse of TVR?<\/h1>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"column\">\n<div class=\"hide-for-xlarge-up\">\n<div class=\"compact-author-info\">\n\tBy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carmagazine.co.uk\/author\/mark-walton\/\">Mark Walton<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"dates\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"dates__date\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPublished: Today 11:06<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"cms-content\">\n<div class=\"in-page-gallery full-width thumbnails-bullets\">\n<ul class=\"carousel\" data-orbit=\"true\" data-options=\"bullets: true; resume_on_mouseout: false; timer: false; variable_height: true; slide_number: false\">\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/marcos_return.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/car-assets.bauersecure.com\/images\/1056x594\/transparent.png\" alt=\"Prototype Mosquito uses modern Mini parts\" data-interchange=\"[https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/480x270\/marcos_return.jpg, (default)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/720x405\/marcos_return.jpg, (medium)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/1056x594\/marcos_return.jpg, (large)]\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption orbit-caption\">\n<div>Prototype Mosquito uses modern Mini parts<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/marcos_return-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/car-assets.bauersecure.com\/images\/1056x594\/transparent.png\" alt=\"Prototype Mosquito\" data-interchange=\"[https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/480x270\/marcos_return-1.jpg, (default)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/720x405\/marcos_return-1.jpg, (medium)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/1056x594\/marcos_return-1.jpg, (large)]\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption orbit-caption\">\n<div>Prototype Mosquito<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/marcos_return-2.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/car-assets.bauersecure.com\/images\/1056x594\/transparent.png\" alt=\"Marcos boss Howard Nash: likes a challenge\" data-interchange=\"[https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/480x270\/marcos_return-2.jpg, (default)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/720x405\/marcos_return-2.jpg, (medium)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/1056x594\/marcos_return-2.jpg, (large)]\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption orbit-caption\">\n<div>Marcos boss Howard Nash: likes a challenge<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/marcos_return-3.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/car-assets.bauersecure.com\/images\/1056x594\/transparent.png\" alt=\"A long heritage, and it\u2019s not over yet\" data-interchange=\"[https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/480x270\/marcos_return-3.jpg, (default)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/720x405\/marcos_return-3.jpg, (medium)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/1056x594\/marcos_return-3.jpg, (large)]\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption orbit-caption\">\n<div>A long heritage, and it\u2019s not over yet<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/marcos_return-4.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/car-assets.bauersecure.com\/images\/1056x594\/transparent.png\" alt=\"Marcos is returning: how can it escape the curse of TVR?\" data-interchange=\"[https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/480x270\/marcos_return-4.jpg, (default)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/720x405\/marcos_return-4.jpg, (medium)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/1056x594\/marcos_return-4.jpg, (large)]\"><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"articleContent\">\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.carmagazine.co.uk\/car-reviews\/marcos\/\" title=\"View all Marcos  Reviews\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"info-link\"> View all Marcos  Reviews<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"bold-links\">\n<p><strong>\u25ba Marcos is making a comeback<br \/>\u25ba A new-generation Mosquito is on the way<br \/>\u25ba How can the brand not end up like TVR?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>TVR, Lotus, Westfield, Zenos\u2026 seriously, with a roll call of bust-ups and implosions like that, who in their right mind would invest in a small British sports car company? Some have faced multiple bankruptcies, others have changed hands so often they\u2019ve had more leaders than a French parliament.<\/p>\n<p>Yet despite the pitfalls, the inherent romance of a British two-seater sports car is far from dead \u2013 never more so than in this time of two-tonne EVs. Combine that enduring appeal with a rich, historic brand\u2026 perhaps with a racing history\u2026 and maybe it\u2019s understandable why people are still willing to fork out their hard-earned cash. As car enthusiasts, we all want it to work.<\/p>\n<div class=\"mpu-inject hide-for-medium-up\">\n<div class=\"mpu-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>Like this? Get more CAR delivered to your browser!\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=carmagazine.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em><strong>Click here to add CAR Magazine as a preferred source on Google<\/strong><\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"mpu-inject show-for-medium-up hide-for-xlarge-up\">\n<div class=\"mpu-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Well now there\u2019s a new old brand coming back from the dead. In the 1970s, Marcos was like a blend of Lotus and TVR, making lightweight, glassfibre coupes powered by grunty engines from Ford or Volvo. The Marcos GT, introduced in 1964, was exceptionally low-slung \u2013 measuring just 41 inches high \u2013 with a muscular body that rivalled the Jaguar E-Type for curves.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/480x0\/marcos_return-2.jpg?scale=down\" alt=\"Marcos boss Howard Nash: likes a challenge\" class=\"wp-image-257536\" data-interchange=\"[https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/480x0\/marcos_return-2.jpg?scale=down, (default)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/720x0\/marcos_return-2.jpg?scale=down, (medium)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/1040x0\/marcos_return-2.jpg?scale=down, (large)]\"><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<p>The company was founded in 1959 by Jem Marsh and Frank Costin (hence the Mar-Cos name). Costin was an engineer in the de Havilland Aircraft Company, but his brother Mike worked at Lotus (later joining Keith Duckworth to become the Cos in Cosworth). Frank thought Formula 1 was stuck in the stone age when it came to high-speed aerodynamics, so in 1954 Mike hooked him up with Colin Chapman to design the sleek Lotus MkVIII sports racer.<\/p>\n<div class=\"mpu-inject hide-for-medium-up\">\n<div class=\"mpu-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Frank went on to design the 1956 Vanwall F1 car and then he met Jem Marsh at a 750 Motor Club event. At the time Marsh was running Speedex \u2013 another cottageindustry car brand \u2013 and the two got talking about Frank\u2019s crazy aircraft ideas. During the war, de Havilland had built the Mosquito fighter-bomber using beech and balsa plywood, formed and glued over moulds. Powered by two Merlin engines, this lightweight Wooden Wonder was the fastest fighter in the world in 1941. Frank\u2019s idea was to build a car using the same method \u2013 a hare-brained scheme to most. Marsh loved it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"mpu-inject show-for-medium-up hide-for-xlarge-up\">\n<div class=\"mpu-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Together Marsh and Costin founded Marcos, and their first project was the Xylon, a frog-ugly plywood sports racer with bug-eyed headlights and gullwing doors. A young Jackie Stewart raced one in 1961.<\/p>\n<p>Costin didn\u2019t stay at the company for long, but with Marsh at the helm the brand continued with Costin\u2019s plywood monocoque design until 1969, when it switched to steel. By the 1970s the company had done two standout models \u2013 the GT and the Mini Marcos (based on Mini running gear) \u2013 and it had famous owners likes Rod Stewart and John Noakes from Blue Peter. However, the company was also in financial trouble\u2026 and I think we can draw a veil over the next 50 years of voluntary liquidations, stalled revivals and bankruptcies.<\/p>\n<div class=\"mpu-inject hide-for-medium-up\">\n<div class=\"mpu-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/480x0\/marcos_return-1.jpg?scale=down\" alt=\"Prototype Mosquito\" class=\"wp-image-257535\" data-interchange=\"[https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/480x0\/marcos_return-1.jpg?scale=down, (default)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/720x0\/marcos_return-1.jpg?scale=down, (medium)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/1040x0\/marcos_return-1.jpg?scale=down, (large)]\"><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<p>Fast forward to 2026, and Marcos has come back to life again, with a new website and a new pledge to make \u2018British, lightweight, analogue\u2019 sport cars. Once again, car enthusiasts up and down the land might like the idea \u2013 but can the new Marcos avoid the old fate?<\/p>\n<p>To start with, the new owner seems to have the right credentials. Howard Nash started out running club level racing cars before joining Daewoo UK as chief engineer, emerging \u2013 somewhat unexpectedly \u2013 as a logistics manager. Over the next 20 years Nash ran some of Europe\u2019s biggest supply-chain companies before starting and then selling his own operation, which gave him the cash to \u2018explore other options\u2019.<\/p>\n<div class=\"mpu-inject hide-for-medium-up\">\n<div class=\"mpu-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mpu-inject show-for-medium-up hide-for-xlarge-up\">\n<div class=\"mpu-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The option that caught Nash\u2019s imagination was buying Marcos \u2013 or at least, what was left of it in 2022.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I bought Marcos Heritage, a parts business which owned the assets going right back to 1959. It was sold by a chap called Rory MacMath, who\u2019d worked for Marcos since the 1960s. We\u2019ve got nearly 4000 build records of every car \u2013 number three was Jackie Stewart\u2019s, which is wonderful. We\u2019ve got all the original drawings, the moulds, the jigs, the tooling.<\/p>\n<p>The paperwork, however, proved to be a nightmare. \u2018Marcos went in and out of ownership many times over the years and bits of the company had been broken off and sold here, there and everywhere. So as soon as we formed Marcos Motor Company, I went through the legal process of getting it all back. It was a minefield. But now we\u2019ve got the original logo and the rights across all categories \u2013 the rights to build new cars, an engineering company, a restoration business, and Marcos Heritage, the old parts side of the business.\u2019<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/480x0\/marcos_return-4.jpg?scale=down\" alt=\"Glassfibre body\u2019s shape has echoes of the past\" class=\"wp-image-257538\" data-interchange=\"[https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/480x0\/marcos_return-4.jpg?scale=down, (default)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/720x0\/marcos_return-4.jpg?scale=down, (medium)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/1040x0\/marcos_return-4.jpg?scale=down, (large)]\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"mpu-inject hide-for-medium-up\">\n<div class=\"mpu-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p>So Marcos can still sell you an interior door handle or restore your classic \u2013 but the exciting bit is what comes next. Now based in Stockbridge, near Winchester, the group employs around 46 people, and Nash quickly realised the team needed a fresh project to get stuck into in order to fully manifest this new era. \u2018The Mini Marcos was the most popular car the brand ever built, using classic A-series Mini running gear,\u2019 Nash explains. \u2018So we thought, \u201cOkay, if we built the same car using modern BMW Mini suspension, engine and gearbox, what would it look like?\u201d\u2019<\/p>\n<div class=\"mpu-inject show-for-medium-up hide-for-xlarge-up\">\n<div class=\"mpu-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The answer is the Mosquito, a glassfibre prototype looking a bit like the original but stretched around a much bigger chassis. \u2018We took it to an airfield last week, and gave it its first real thrashing,\u2019 Nash tells me. \u2018It handles beautifully. It\u2019s extremely light \u2013 lightness is absolutely part of the Marcos DNA \u2013 so it\u2019s just under 700 kilos and running at around 300bhp.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The 21st century Mosquito was conceived as a test bed but Nash says it may now go into limited production as a track car: \u2018There was never any intention of that, but the feedback has been extraordinary.\u2019<\/p>\n<div class=\"mpu-inject hide-for-medium-up\">\n<div class=\"mpu-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Track cars are where Nash sees the company going, in the short term. \u2018Marcos started out racing and we need to do the same. You can get something out there a lot more quickly than producing a road car, to build awareness and understand the levels of interest.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Which brings us to Nash\u2019s next, more ambitious project: a completely new car.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018We have a rolling chassis,\u2019 he assures me with a glint in his eye. \u2018It\u2019s a mid-engined sports car, and I\u2019ve driven it, without a body. It\u2019s a lot of fun.\u2019<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/480x0\/marcos_return-3.jpg?scale=down\" alt=\"A long heritage, and it\u2019s not over yet\" class=\"wp-image-257537\" data-interchange=\"[https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/480x0\/marcos_return-3.jpg?scale=down, (default)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/720x0\/marcos_return-3.jpg?scale=down, (medium)], [https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/1040x0\/marcos_return-3.jpg?scale=down, (large)]\"><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<p>Nash won\u2019t tell me what engine they\u2019re using but he says it\u2019s around 650kg and puts out 250bhp. \u2018So it\u2019s extremely lightweight,\u2019 he says. \u2018And this will definitely be a road car, though it\u2019ll start on track \u2013 hopefully by the end of 2026. We\u2019re looking at opportunities for a onemake series, though we\u2019re in a planning phase.\u2019<\/p>\n<div class=\"mpu-inject hide-for-medium-up\">\n<div class=\"mpu-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mpu-inject show-for-medium-up hide-for-xlarge-up\">\n<div class=\"mpu-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>And after the mid-engined sports car, there are further plans to revive the gorgeous GT of the golden era.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018In terms of the original GT shape, we have all the moulds, but you wouldn\u2019t dream of doing it in plywood today. There were 380 pieces of plywood in the original chassis, and we do still make a lot of wooden parts to keep them on the road \u2013 they\u2019re still very popular. But the idea of trying to get a plywood car through modern homologation\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n<p>So the plans are in place \u2013 but the big, blunt question is, how will Marcos avoid bankruptcy this time?<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Some of that is down to our broad business sense,\u2019 Nash says. \u2018We\u2019re not coming with a passion to produce a car at any cost \u2013 we\u2019re coming with a set of business rules. Marcos cars have to be affordable \u2013 there\u2019s no point pretending it\u2019s something it isn\u2019t. That\u2019s different to saying, \u201cOkay, we\u2019ve got a badge, we\u2019re going to stick it on something and try to charge \u00a3500k for it.\u201d\u2019<\/p>\n<p>And despite the long history of wobbly British sports car companies, there are success stories out there: \u2018You\u2019ve only got to look somewhere between Ginetta and Ariel, in terms of product type if not price range. Ginetta was a lesser-known version of Marcos in its day [it dates back to 1958]. They\u2019ve shown you can build a company around racing.\u2019<\/p>\n<div class=\"mpu-inject hide-for-medium-up\">\n<div class=\"mpu-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Nash reminds us what it\u2019s all for: \u2018We\u2019re trying to produce cars that put a smile on your face \u2013 a lightweight chassis, a powerful engine and a manual gearbox. There\u2019s a simplicity to that.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Fingers crossed it works.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<aside class=\"about-author\">\n<h2 class=\"about-author-heading\">About the author<\/h2>\n<div class=\"about-author-inner\">\n<div class=\"main-author-summary-container\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"main-author-image\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carmagazine.co.uk\/author\/mark-walton\/\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/14276\/120x120\/markwalton.jpeg?quality=90)\"><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"main-author-name-container\">\n<div class=\"main-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carmagazine.co.uk\/author\/mark-walton\/\">Mark Walton<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"main-author-job-title\">Contributing editor<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"main-author-byline\">One of CAR magazine&#8217;s key tale tellers, explorers and leftfield thinkers. As happy bossing a Giant Test of the latest supercars as penning a column on the merits of old Subarus. Always entertaining, rarely follows convention, usually right.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/aside><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"column show-for-xlarge-up xlarge-2 xlarge-pull-10\">\n<figure class=\"author-info clearfix\">\n<p>\t\t\t<a class=\"author-image\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carmagazine.co.uk\/author\/mark-walton\/\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/14276\/85x85\/markwalton.jpeg?quality=90)\"><\/a><figcaption>\n<p class=\"author-name\">\n\t\t\tBy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carmagazine.co.uk\/author\/mark-walton\/\">Mark Walton<\/a>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"author-quote\">Contributing editor, humorist, incurable enthusiast<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"column xlarge-10 xlarge-push-2 disqus\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a id=\"commentsExpander\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carmagazine.co.uk\/car-news\/industry-news\/marcos-return\/\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"icon fi-comments\"><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"link-text disqus-comment-count\" data-disqus-identifier=\"article-wp-257504\">Comments<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"commentsSection\">\n<div id=\"disqus_thread\"><\/div>\n<p>var disqus_shortname = &#8216;carmagazine&#8217;;<br \/>\nvar disqus_developer = 0;<br \/>\nvar disqus_identifier = &#8216;article-wp-257504&#8217;;<br \/>\n\t(function () {<br \/>\n\t\tvar dsq = document.createElement(&#8216;script&#8217;);<br \/>\n\t\tdsq.type = &#8216;text\/javascript&#8217;;<br \/>\n\t\tdsq.async = true;<br \/>\n\t\tdsq.src = &#8216;http:\/\/&#8217; + disqus_shortname + &#8216;.disqus.com\/embed.js&#8217;;<br \/>\n\t\t(document.getElementsByTagName(&#8216;head&#8217;)[0] || document.getElementsByTagName(&#8216;body&#8217;)[0]).appendChild(dsq);<\/p>\n<p>\t\tvar s = document.createElement(&#8216;script&#8217;);<br \/>\n\t\ts.type = &#8216;text\/javascript&#8217;;<br \/>\n\t\ts.async = true;<br \/>\n\t\ts.src = &#8216;http:\/\/&#8217; + disqus_shortname + &#8216;.disqus.com\/count.js&#8217;;<br \/>\n\t\t(document.getElementsByTagName(&#8216;head&#8217;)[0] || document.getElementsByTagName(&#8216;body&#8217;)[0]).appendChild(s);<br \/>\n\t})();Please enable JavaScript to view the <a href=\"http:\/\/disqus.com\/?ref_noscript\">comments powered by Disqus.<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"column\">\n<div id=\"taboola-below-article-thumbnails-v3\"><\/div>\n<p>  console.debug(&#8216;taboola container loaded..&#8217;)<br \/>\n  window._taboola = window._taboola || [];<br \/>\n  _taboola.push({<br \/>\n    mode: &#8216;thumbs-feed-1&#215;1&#8217;,<br \/>\n    container: &#8216;taboola-below-article-thumbnails-v3&#8217;,<br \/>\n    placement: &#8216;Below Article Thumbnails V3&#8217;,<br \/>\n    target_type: &#8216;mix&#8217;<br \/>\n  });<\/p>\n<div data-id=\"content-rec-01\" class=\"content-rec-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<div data-id=\"content-rec-02\" class=\"content-rec-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<div data-id=\"content-rec-03\" class=\"content-rec-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"largeGallery\">\n<div class=\"slide-gallery__container\">\n<div class=\"slide-gallery\">\n<div class=\"slide-gallery__leaderboard-gallery-container\">\n<div class=\"slide-gallery__leaderboard-gallery-container__inner\">\n<div id=\"leaderboard-gallery\" class=\"leaderboard-gallery advert\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-gallery__adverts show-for-large-up\">\n<div class=\"slide-gallery__adverts__inner\" data-right-ad-frequency=\"3\" data-slide-ad-frequency=\"4\" data-slide-ad-duration=\"2\">\n<div class=\"slide-gallery__adverts__inner__mpu\">\n<div class=\"mpu-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"hide-for-large-up\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"mpu-gallery\" class=\"mpu-ad advert\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ads-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-gallery__caption__container\">\n<div class=\"slide-gallery__caption\">\n<div class=\"slide-gallery__caption__text\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-gallery__slider__container\">\n<div class=\"slide-gallery__slider royalSlider rsDefault\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<!-- can this be ul \/ li'd --><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"rsImg\" href=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/1752x1168\/marcos_return.jpg?mode=max&amp;quality=90&amp;scale=down\"><span class=\"inner\">Prototype Mosquito uses modern Mini parts<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"rsTmb\" src=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/79x79\/marcos_return.jpg?quality=50\" alt style=\"border-width:0px\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"rsImg\" href=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/1752x1168\/marcos_return-1.jpg?mode=max&amp;quality=90&amp;scale=down\"><span class=\"inner\">Prototype Mosquito<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"rsTmb\" src=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/79x79\/marcos_return-1.jpg?quality=50\" alt style=\"border-width:0px\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"rsImg\" href=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/1752x1168\/marcos_return-2.jpg?mode=max&amp;quality=90&amp;scale=down\"><span class=\"inner\">Marcos boss Howard Nash: likes a challenge<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"rsTmb\" src=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/79x79\/marcos_return-2.jpg?quality=50\" alt style=\"border-width:0px\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"rsImg\" href=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/1752x1168\/marcos_return-3.jpg?mode=max&amp;quality=90&amp;scale=down\"><span class=\"inner\">A long heritage, and it\u2019s not over yet<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"rsTmb\" src=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/79x79\/marcos_return-3.jpg?quality=50\" alt style=\"border-width:0px\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"rsImg\" href=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/1752x1168\/marcos_return-4.jpg?mode=max&amp;quality=90&amp;scale=down\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"rsTmb\" src=\"https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/79x79\/marcos_return-4.jpg?quality=50\" alt style=\"border-width:0px\"><\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-gallery__controls\">\n\t\t\t\t<span title=\"Toggle thumbnails\" class=\"slide-gallery__controls__icon fi-list-thumbnails show-for-large-up\" data-elem=\"thumbsToggle\"><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span title=\"Previous photo\" class=\"slide-gallery__controls__icon fi-arrow-left\" data-elem=\"prev\"><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span title=\"Next photo\" class=\"slide-gallery__controls__icon fi-arrow-right\" data-elem=\"next\"><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span title=\"Toggle caption\" class=\"slide-gallery__controls__icon fi-info\" data-elem=\"captionToggle\"><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span title=\"Zoom in\" class=\"slide-gallery__controls__icon fi-zoom-in\" data-elem=\"zoomIn\"><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span title=\"Zoom out\" class=\"slide-gallery__controls__icon fi-zoom-out\" data-elem=\"zoomOut\"><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span title=\"Close gallery\" class=\"slide-gallery__controls__icon fi-x hide-for-large-up\" data-elem=\"close\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<a title=\"Close gallery\" class=\"slide-gallery__controls__icon slide-gallery__controls__icon--top-close fi-x show-for-large-up\" data-elem=\"close\"><\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>{&#8220;@context&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/schema.org&#8221;,&#8221;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Article&#8221;,&#8221;image&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/car-images.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/257504\/marcos_return.jpg&#8221;,&#8221;mainEntityOfPage&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;WebPage&#8221;,&#8221;@id&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.carmagazine.co.uk\/car-news\/industry-news\/marcos-return\/&#8221;},&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.carmagazine.co.uk\/car-news\/industry-news\/marcos-return\/&#8221;,&#8221;author&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Person&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;Mark Walton&#8221;,&#8221;description&#8221;:&#8221;Mark has been involved with CAR magazine since the 1990s. One of our longest-serving writers, Mark continues to write a column to this day u2013 and is happiest when driving a new car on an adventure story for CAR, or fettling his beloved Series Land Rover on his days off.&#8221;,&#8221;image&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;ImageObject&#8221;,&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/car-assets.bauersecure.com\/wp-images\/14276\/markwalton.jpeg&#8221;,&#8221;caption&#8221;:&#8221;Mark Walton&#8221;},&#8221;sameAs&#8221;:[&#8220;https:\/\/x.com\/markwalton_&#8221;,&#8221;https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/markwalton_\/&#8221;],&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.carmagazine.co.uk\/author\/mark-walton\/&#8221;,&#8221;jobTitle&#8221;:&#8221;Contributing editor&#8221;,&#8221;knowsAbout&#8221;:&#8221;Cars&#8221;,&#8221;worksFor&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Organization&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;CAR magazine&#8221;}},&#8221;dateModified&#8221;:&#8221;2026-04-02T11:06:20+01:00&#8243;,&#8221;datePublished&#8221;:&#8221;2026-04-02T11:06:20+01:00&#8243;,&#8221;headline&#8221;:&#8221;Marcos is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[239,226],"class_list":["post-1861301","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-carmagazine-co-uk","tag-crawlmanager"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1861301","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1861301"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1861301\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1861301"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1861301"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1861301"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}