Ex-GM exec John DeLorean's stainless steel supercar featured the requisite gull-wing doors and mid-engine layout, probably only still memorable due to its appearance as Marty McFly's (Michael J. Fox) otherworldly ride in the 1985 hit movie "Back to the Future."
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| Despite Briggs Cunningham's C7's beautiful styling, like so many boutique cars before, it failed. (Photo: Cunningham) |
Briggs Cunningham's recent attempt to bring his once competitive sports car company back from the dead, with backing from the likes of ex-Chrysler design boss Tom Gale, looked to be a shoe-in, but despite the C7's beautiful styling, like so many before, it failed.
Malcolm Bricklin, the entrepreneur who brought a fledgling Subaru to North America in the 1960s, followed by a less successful attempt at building his own gull-wing sports car, went on undaunted to introduce the Yugoslavian-built Yugo-brand and more recently, made an announcement to sell China's Chery brand of automobiles in the U.S. He's a survivor.
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| Boutique carmakers such as TVR and Spyker are proof that there is a market for exclusive high-end low-production sports cars. (Photo: Spyker) |
Of course, there have been others who have succeeded brilliantly, even in the sports car segment, making boutique carmakers such as TVR and Spyker well known among the enthusiasts they court.
Fisker and Koehler aren't expecting to take on the big automakers in the industry, but rather plan to design and produce exclusive high-end sports cars, limited to 150 units per design.
The upstart company is targeting worldwide distribution, necessary to find the ultra-wealthy individualists who can afford such hand-built quality and exclusivity.