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2003 Marcos TS500 Has a Javelin-Developed Rover V8 for Proper British Heritage

Marcos has been sharing the British sports car stage with other manufacturers since way back in 1959 when original founders Jem Marsh and Frank Costin decided to create a company that would bear part of their surnames. Over the years, it created a host of interesting automobiles, including this low-mileage TS500 – even though its name did come outside of the traditional range of “M-” inspired cars (Mantis, Mantaray, Mantara, Marcasite, and others).
2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market 34 photos
Photo: The Market
2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market2003 Marcos TS500 for sale on The Market
During the early 2000s, Marcos Engineering was emerging as a new company out of bankruptcy and was kicking off production of the Marcasite-related TS250 with help from Canadian investors. The model was allegedly well received by the British audience and critics alike, with the only regret being that its Ford-sourced V6 was at times a little underwhelming.

Marcos was apparently quick to fulfill customer desires for a bit more performance and asked engineering specialist Javelin to redevelop and deeply customize the well-known 5.0-liter Rover V8 engine. It was 2003 when Marcos introduced the TS500, but the joy was apparently short-lived – the description for this example mentions just a couple of examples were ever built.

This means the TS500 models, which shared many elements with the upcoming Marcos TSO, are an extremely rare find, especially since the unit seen here up for grabs on The Market has just 16,000 miles (around 25,750 km) on the odometer.

The venerable Rover engine was good for no less than 320 horsepower and 350 lb-ft (475 Nm) of twist under Marcos guidance. The sports car setup was completed with a five-speed manual box as well as a limited-slip differential.

Even better, the Marcos TS500 is said to weigh just 1,025 kg (2,260 lbs), so even by today’s standards, the performance shouldn’t disappoint with an official sprint to 60 mph (96 kph) in just four seconds and a maximum speed of 160 mph (257 kph).

Believe it or not, the TS500 also sports a few creature comforts you wouldn't expect from a car that was manufactured almost two decades ago. Those include LED rear lights, a heated windscreen, or an electrically adjustable pedal setup.

Dressed up in the car’s original Sparkling Silver Metallic, the unit seen here is said to have been the factory development test bed for the series, as well as the car that Marcos used for the launch events that took place at Canary Warf in London and the 2004 Goodwood Festival of Speed. If you're interested, it is available for two more days at the online auction.


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About the author: Aurel Niculescu
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Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution.
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