Red marquis at 04:33, 15 January 2007

2007-01-15T04:33:35Z

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'''Project Kimber''' is the industry group which has bought the rights to manufacture the recently discontinued [[Smart Roadster]] in South Wales under the famous [[AC|AC]] name.

==History==

In 2006, it was reported that David James had entered talks with [[MG Rover]]'s new owners the [[Nanjing Automobile Group]] to buy the [[MG|MG]] brand in order to produce a number of sports cars based on the out of production [[Smart Roadster]] design.

On Friday February 17, 2006, The Times newspaper reported that Mr James was in discussions with [[Daimler Chrysler]] to buy the Roadster's design, technology and equipment for approximately £13 million. The equipment would then be transferred from the [[Smart]] factory to a former Dunlop tyre factory in Coventry where the Roadster would be built under the MG brand. It is understood that Project Kimber is being funded by Grant Gazdig's Access Capital firm, as well as a private equity firm called European American Securities.

==Current Plans==

On the 20th July 2006 motoring website 4car reported rumours that David James was in talks with Alan Lubitsky the owner of [[AC Cars]], to use the famous British name on his sports cars. In a press release dated 31st August 2006 it was stated that agreement had been reached with Acedes Holdings, the current owners of the AC brand, to use the AC name on the new car.

The revised car is to use the latest 1.0-litre, three-cylinder [[Mitsubishi]] engine from the [[Toyota Aygo]], in both normally-aspirated and turbocharged forms. Also the original Smart clutchless transmission will be axed, being replaced by a [[Getrag]]-supplied manual gearbox.

Though it will remain similar to the Smart original, the Roadster will undergo a minor makeover. Former [[Jaguar|Jaguar]] designer Keith Helfet has been signed up to restyle its front and tail ends to freshen it up, and to distinguish it from the Smart-built Mk 1.

On the 4th September 2006, [[Autowired]] reported that engineering legend [[Gordon Murray]] who created the [[McLaren F1]] and is also working with [[Caparo]] is to lead the Project Kimber engineering team. Also joining is [[John Piper|John Piper]], formerly of the [[Williams Formula One]] team who recently worked on the [[JCB]] [[Dieselmax]] car which in August 2006 set a new diesel land speed record.

The tooling brought from the Smart factory at Hambach will be installed at Project Kimber's factory in South Wales and production is expected to start in the summer of 2007. Prices for the new AC will start at £13,000 with 7000 Roadsters are planned to be built in the first year of production, going up to 11,000 a year once properly up and running.

==External Links==

[http://www.projectkimber.com/ Project Kimber Offical site]

[[Category:Automotive industry]]
[[Category:Motor vehicle manufacturers of the United Kingdom]]

Project Kimber - Revision history

Red marquis at 04:33, 15 January 2007