Mallock produces replica classic Ferrari to exceptionally high standards
Successful timelines are vital components in the automotive industry and none more so than in the motorsport scene, which is where Iain Robertson gained his first experience of Ray Mallock, in the early-1990s, and a remarkable family dynasty.
It was 1936, when Major Arthur Mallock first raced his Austin 7-based, home-built ‘special’. He campaigned it, in various forms, with a modicum of success up to 1958, when he launched the U2 series of club racing cars that launched the careers of innumerable luminary racers and engineers thereafter. In the 1970s, Arthur’s sons, Richard and Ray joined the family firm. While both enjoyed positive racing careers, it was Ray, who became a professional driver, leading the Aston Martin Group C Sportscar programme and later the Ecurie Ecosse team’s assault on the championship.
Alongside, the family business evolved into RML, becoming a renowned development base for championship winning racing cars. Reporting on the British Touring Car Championship, I first became acquainted with Ray through the Nissan Primera team, one of the front running cars being driven by good friend, David Leslie, sadly no longer with us.
Today, the company is a world-leading, high performance, automotive engineering company working for several global brands that seek first-class product and services solutions, normally allied to exceptionally short deadlines. It operates in four main sectors: Automotive, Motorsport, Defence and New Energy and is run by Michael Mallock, Ray’s son, who took over as CEO in 2016, after joining the firm as an apprentice and working in all of its areas. Following a break as a successful full-time racing driver, he returned as business development manager in 2010 and became CEO, when Ray retired.
Its present clients and long list of both race and road achievements is the stuff of legends, so it is somehow appropriate that RML should enter the realms of producing its own sportscar, at a time when such independent developments, while not prolific, are certainly greater in number than they have been for many years. As its muse, RML has chosen the remarkable 1959 Ferrari 250GT Short Wheelbase; a high pedigree machine driven in period to both road and circuit victories by several of the world’s finest gentleman racers.
As one of the most beautiful, yet surprisingly compact of the early supercar breed, its form remains its most memorable attribute, while the spirit of its original V12 engine may still be heard in the Sicilian hills, on the Targa Florio road course that provided many of its wins. RML’s contribution is by way of a loving recreation that embodies much of the original character, within a modern construction, retaining a V12 engine but moving forwards the engineering quality to today’s fewer forgiving standards. It is an all-new car capable of living and surviving in today’s automotive scene.
Known as the RML Short Wheelbase, it has reached the end of an intensive, three years’ development programme. Its front-mounted Ferrari V12 engine and instantly familiar lines are now formed over carbon fibre bodywork, working to a ‘clean sheet’ brief. The result is a car that integrates a raft of discreet modern features, which transform it into a fast and usable GT, capable of swallowing large distances with a degree of comfort and convenience that would not have been feasible 60 years ago. It is powered by a 5474cc Ferrari V12 engine that produces 478bhp allied to 419lb ft of torque. It drives the rear wheels through a Ferrari six-speed, open-gated manual gearbox, the performance of which is stated as ‘ample’, with 0-60mph in 4.1s and a top speed in excess of 185mph.
The company’s central focus has always been on capturing an organic driving experience, with less intervention and more useable performance, while still making it comfortable and convenient enough for people to enjoy regularly on modern roads. As such, its cabin can accommodate occupants up to six foot, six inches (two metres) in height, on exquisitely trimmed and electrically adjustable seats. While the Short Wheelbase’s interior design captures a classic style, modern technology, such as satnav, air conditioning, cupholders and smartphone connectivity, has been artfully and discreetly integrated throughout.
Maintaining the familiar classic proportions was a priority from the start. While the car is larger dimensionally, the famed lines have been retained, and features like the stacked rear lights, exposed fuel filler, chip-cutter front grille and vents located behind each wheel and on the bonnet have all been carefully reimagined. It is intended that the RML Short Wheelbase will go on sale in the last quarter of this year, with a limited production of around 30 examples, which assures decent value retention. Unsurprisingly, the price tag is being kept under close wraps at this stage but you can reckon on each of them producing very little change from £250,000 and it is certain that speculators will be hovering around each and every one of the final production models.
Personally, I find it intriguing that engineering specialists both small and large are being drawn into the production of so many recreation models of the past few years. To avoid copyright infringements, many of them are forced to stray from original drawings but the resultant modernisation exercises have the impact of making them more suitable for modern users and less fragile for modern roads. The investment potential is huge and many of them will escalate in value, although a lot is dependent on the standing of their makers. The more prestigious, the better are the odds. The most positive aspect arising from ‘recreations’ of classic cars is that the originals lose none of their character and damage risks are reduced significantly. While desirability is linked directly to wealth levels, the dream value is seldom diminished.
