Marcos Mantula History
The 1980s Rover V8 evolution of the classic Adams coupe — the car that re-established Marcos after its revival.
Photo: “1988 Marcos Mantula 3.5.jpg” by Vauxford / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
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After Jem Marsh revived Marcos in 1981 selling the old GT in kit form, the Mantula updated the long-running Adams coupe shape for the 1980s. Its headline change was the engine: the lightweight 3.5-litre Rover V8, giving the classic body genuine performance.
Offered as a coupe from 1983 and, from 1985, as an open Spyder, the Mantula ran until 1992 — around 170 coupes and 119 Spyders were built. It was the model that re-established Marcos as a going concern in the 1980s and seeded the Mantara and later V8 cars that followed.
Generations
Mantula (1983–1992) · Rover V8 Adams coupe
Photo: “1988 Marcos Mantula 3.5.jpg” by Vauxford / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
The Rover 3.5-litre V8 evolution of the Adams coupe shape — coupe from 1983, open Spyder from 1985.
1988 Photo: “1988 Marcos Mantula 3.5.jpg” by Vauxford / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Body styles
- Coupe
- Spyder
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