Niche supercar company Mosler Automotive will cease to exist after a merger with Rossion Automotive. Both companies – whose assets now belong to privately owned RP High Performance – will trade under the Rossion name. Mosler’s resources and expertise will now contribute to expanding the company’s model line-up.
Florida-based Rossion has said that it intends to introduce new models with four, six, and eight-cylinder engines, using Mosler’s racing experience in carbonfibre and other composites to reduce weight.
Rossion’s current stable consists solely of the Q1, a mid-engined two-seater based on the Noble M400. Formerly 1G Racing, the company secured exclusive distribution rights for Noble cars in North America in 2003, rebranding as Rossion in 2007.
Weighing 1,122kg, the Q1 dispatches 60mph from rest in 3.1sec and has a top speed of 189mph. A 3.0-litre Ford Duratec V6 generates 450bhp.
Mosler developed something of a cult following in its 28-year history, and many will be sad to see the company’s barely road-legal race cars disappear.
After founding Consulier Industries in 1985, hedge-fund manager Warren Mosler’s first attempt at a performance car was the Consulier GTP. While the mid-engined sports car’s aesthetic left much to be desired, 190bhp and a kerb weight of 998kg outlined Mosler’s preference for lightweight design over outright power. It was the first production car to use no structural metal.
Mosler Automotive emerged in the early 1990s as a subsidiary of Consulier Industries; but it was nearly a decade later that Mosler released its most successful car, the MT900.
The race-prepared MT900R has had victories in the British GT and Britcar championships as well as taking a class win at the 24 Hours of Daytona. Despite its extreme pace and authentic supercar design, a price hovering around six figures in the UK meant sales of the road-going MT900S were weak and the car has remained a curiosity.
Richard Lane
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