What if?
Today, prototypes are wonderful but often elusive things. From Geneva to L.A., New York and Paris, manufacturers have scantily clad models pull silk scarves from the curves of their fantasies of the future, while camera shutter releases click and a chorus of applause and shouts of approval ring out. The designers and constructors can let off steam, their ideas don’t have to satisfy any safety regulations, under the bonnets there is often only warm air and beautiful theory.
In the 1960s and 1970s, however, it was still common for prototypes to be representative of the finished product, for there to be a drive to match the breathtaking shapes. This was also due to the fact that small manufacturers in particular had no resources at all for the production of beautiful appearances – the prototype was the blueprint of the future model. One such example is the grandiose prototype AC MA-200, which was developed in 1962.
We can’t explain the 200 either. But MA stands for the former MIG aircraft engineer Zdislaw Teofil MArzewski – and what the Russian constructed there from 1962 onwards was far ahead of the contemporary competition in terms of both design and technology. An aluminium body encased a space-frame chassis equipped with a Formula 1-style coil-sprung inner suspension and internal disc brakes at the rear. This was state-of-the-art technology for the time and demonstrated AC’s technical know-how at its best.
Malicious tongues see striking similarities in the Marzewski design with the Maserati Mistral with Frua bodywork, which was presented in the same year, i.e. 1963. AC did indeed later work with Pietro Frua, the AC 428 built from 1965 to 1973 was also known as the AC Frua, but there is nothing to suggest that Marzewski had any knowledge of the Mistral. Compared to the Maserati, the MA-200 offers a softer side profile and a more elegant rear end, more influence may have been exerted by Touring’s Aston Martin DB4. The AC prototype is simply good looking, featuring traditional roadster lines that still look elegant today.
In any case, the MA200 was in every respect a clear departure from the Ace, which had been in production since 1953, and of which it was intended to be the much-needed successor. While many reports indicate that the car was originally to be fitted with a traditional 165 hp flat-six engine, Marzewski received a revised order during the design phase and opted for a 289cc Ford V8 engine that produced a much happier 270 hp. But why, despite great reception for the prototype, was only one example of the MA-200 produced, which AC’s chairman, William “Derek” Hurlock, used as a private car for several years after its completion? One may (or must) assume that it was Shelby America’s overwhelming demand for the Ace that led to the MA-200 project being shelved. The small factory in Thames Ditton simply did not have the capacity for a new model – and that became its fate.
The MA-200 remained with Derek Hurlock until 1968, when he sold it to the first private owner, Dr Roger Field from Kent. Field kept the car until 1983, during which time he had the original engine replaced with a larger 302ci Ford V8. The car spent an extended period in storage before moving to its second private keeper, AC enthusiast Peter Hague of Chichester, in 1983. Under Hague, the car received a new engine as well as a fresh paint job in the original Princess Blue colour. The historical importance of the car had been underestimated for a number of years and although the MA-200 was quite presentable at the time of purchase by the present owner, it lacked attention.
The current owner acquired the car in 2006. An AC enthusiast, SAAC member and major US car collector, he was in the UK looking for a Cobra to add to his collection. When he came across a classified ad for a curious AC V8 prototype, he began researching the unknown vehicle. When he had shed light on its past, he bought the car and returned to Florida with it. A meticulous collector with a passion for originality, he decided to restore the car so that it looked like new. This meant removing the wrong engine and sourcing a replacement engine, which was made only 218 examples before the stamped original engine and most likely on the same day.
Further research was undertaken, including a trip back to the UK to meet the son of one of the engineers who had originally worked on the MA-200; a rewarding journey that provided a wealth of factory drawings and blueprints that accompany the car today. The award-winning Creative Workshop in Florida was commissioned to carry out the extensive restoration, which took three years and is documented in detail with photos and videos.
Upon completion, the car was invited to the prestigious Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in March 2010, where it won the prestigious Best in Class award. Further concours successes included the top award at the 36th Concours d’Elegance of America. Since then, the MA-200 has been used infrequently but remains in Concours condition, reflecting a fascinating moment in history.
We would like to thank DK Engineering for making this vehicle available to us. Contributing text: Zaid Hamid. We are also happy to make very direct contact if anyone is seriously interested in buying this prototype: office@pruductions.ch. More AC Cars and other fine cars: Archives.
In 1968 I was a medical student in London. I well remember Roger Field bringing this car to show us. He was an apparently successful dentist but had become a medical student to further his career. From memory he lived in Bickley, near Bromley in Kent.