Rising of the Clan

About 18 months ago, Clan Cars Ltd, of Newtonards, Co. Down, revived the very pretty Clan Crusader which, produced by a different company, disappeared from the market ten years ago. The name “Crusader” has been dropped, the 875cc Imp engine has been replaced by a 998 cc unit supplied by Talbot Competitions, and there have been numerous changes both to the interior and the exterior, the most obvious of which are “pop up” headlights.
Built at a rate of one a week to the specification of individual customers, the car is unusual in that most are delivered fully assembled, while a kit of parts remains an option.

The company has now announced a Clubman rally version, with special suspension, disc brakes all round, and 105 bhp on tap. Since the 78 bhp version accelerates from 0-60 mph in 7.7 seconds, with a top speed of 112 mph and an average fuel consumption of 43 mpg (manufacturer’s claimed figures), the Clubman Rally car could make an exciting road vehicle. The price is £8,439 + VAT.