The Marlin Sportster closed the Roadster line that had begun in 1979. It kept the open two-seat idea but was completely updated, with a BMW E36 six-cylinder engine as standard, and Marlin offered it either as a kit or fully built.
Marlin Sportster at a glance
| Maker | Marlin Sportscars, Crediton, Devon |
|---|---|
| Place in the range | the last of the Roadster line |
| Engine | BMW E36 six-cylinder, standard |
| Body | open two-seater |
| Form | kit or fully built |
| Company founded | 1979, Plymouth, as Marlin Engineering |
| Founder | Paul Moorhouse |
| Owners from the mid-1990s | Terry and Mark Matthews |
| 2016 | Marlin bought Avatar Sports Cars |
| 2019 | company ceased trading and was offered for sale |
| 2021 | bought by Kevin Richardson |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on Marlin Sportscars, which describes the Sportster in a single short section. There is no separate article on the model, so the page is shorter than usual.
History of the Marlin Sportster
The last of the Roadster line
The Sportster was the last in the Roadster line, the open two-seater that had carried Marlin since 1979. It was completely updated and came with a BMW E36 six-cylinder engine as standard, a much more modern unit than the Triumph, Morris Marina and Ford engines of the earlier cars. Like them, it was available as a kit or fully built, so a customer could order a box of parts or a finished car.
A company that kept changing hands
Marlin was founded in 1979 in Plymouth as Marlin Engineering by Paul Moorhouse, and by the time of the Sportster it was based in Crediton, Devon. In the mid-1990s the company was sold to Terry and Mark Matthews, who introduced the Hunter model, a complete factory-built car based on the Cabrio. In 2016 Marlin bought Avatar Sports Cars primarily to build roadsters.
The end of production
As of May 2019 Marlin Sports Cars had ceased trading and the company was for sale, with no further production planned. In April 2021 Kevin Richardson bought the company, so the Marlin name survived the end of the Sportster line.
Design and features
- BMW power: an E36 six-cylinder as standard, a step up from the four-cylinder donors of the earlier Roadsters.
- Kit or turnkey: the customer could assemble the car at home or buy it finished.
- Traditional layout: an open two-seater in the Roadster tradition, unlike the mid-engined 5EXi.
- Complete update: the last car in the line, with the Roadster idea brought up to date rather than replaced.
Marlin Sportster versions
- Kit: supplied as parts for home assembly.
- Factory-built: finished by Marlin for the customer.
- Standard specification: the BMW E36 six-cylinder, the only engine offered as standard.
The Sportster followed the Roadster and the Berlinetta, while the mid-engined 5EXi went its own way. More Marlin cars are in the Marlin collection.
Sources
- Marlin Sportscars, English Wikipedia: model, engine, company history
