Possible resurrection of the Austin Healey brand from autoblog
http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/01/tempest_healey.jpg

This actually looks fairly serious, folks. The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday that HFI, the British-American consortium that purchased the rights to the Healey name, may launch a new "Healey 3000" at this year's London Motor Show. Is that the new Healey above? Read on to find out why we think it might be...Meanwhile, icWales (via the Western Mail) revealed that HFI is considering a site near Cardiff "for production of an updated Austin Healey 3000." Warwick, England, is also being considered for the facility, which will employ up to 400. According to icWales, HFI paid in the neighborhood of $1.8 million to the Healey family for the rights to use the Healey name for the new car.

So, what will it look like? HFI managing director Paul Fenna is reported to have said that the new design would be instantly recognizable as a Healey, in the same way that BMW's MINI recalls the original.

We're wondering if HFI's Healey 3000 is based on the "Project Tempest" concept (pictured) of Prof. Krish Bhaskar, who led a failed bid for MG Rover, before the company was ultimately acquired by Nanjing Automobile. Professor Bashkar is the founder of the Motor Industry Research Unit, an automotive industry forecasting firm.

When information on Project Tempest was released in September 2005, Bashkar indicated that design of the car was "in an advanced stage" and that he was "currently in discussions with a number of potential partners, to re-establish a well-known brand from the heydey of the British motor industry."

Sounds to us like Project Tempest has found a home.


A picture of an original AH 3000, production stopped in 1967. The cars had a 3.0L I6.
http://images.forbes.com/images/2002/05/27/feat_1966austin_360x200.jpg

Looks kinda like a Solstice :lol:

Looks kinda like a Solstice :lol:

The picture is obviously a chop of the Saturn Sky press release, but hopefully the news is still correct.

Update - via leftlanenews
Interesting that it will be a Healey and not an Austin-Healey.
HFI Automotive — which recently acquired the Healey car brand — said this week that it now has the "sole legal right to produce and sell Healey cars in all major markets." The company said plans are well advanced for a high performance sportscar with the DNA of a Healey 3000 - in convertible and coupe derivatives, as well as a modern affordable replacement for the much-loved Healey Sprite. Further down the line, the range will include several other niche-market performance vehicles. The company has begun taking £1,000 deposits for the first cars. The company also released two teaser images of the first model it plans to build. The first is a sketch of a Healey coupe. The second is an intriguing part-image of one of the running prototypes.
http://www.leftlanenews.com/wp-images/media/mar3hfi_2.jpg
http://www.leftlanenews.com/wp-images/media/mar3hfi_1.jpg

So is there any indication who the american counterpart of this venture is? GM? Ford? Just wondering if it will infact be a facelifted Solstice or StreetKa or something...

always loved these lil brti sports cars

-M

Another update
same source
HFI Automotive will use the advanced spaceframe chassis that a group of Volvo technicians started developing back in the 1990s for the new Healey 3000, according to AutoExpress. The chassis was used for the Indigo, a retro two-seater by Josse Car. The car generated a great deal of interest, but was unable to meet sales targets. HFI officials say they’re certain that the architecture will be more successful when used for the Healey 3000. HFI recently released teasers of the new 3000, and began taking deposits.

Picture of the Josse Car Indigo - which is just the spaceframe of the Healey
http://www.fantasycars.com/derek/cars/images/jossecar/indigo3000_1.jpg

Looks kinda like a Solstice :lol:
i was thinking more like a Z4