Solved: 426. by Allemano - Scorpion Sovereign 616M Saloon

[Allemano]

Please respond below if you know the make and model designation of this car.
One point for the right and complete answer!

If you haven't registered yet, you'll need to do so in order to reply and to post your own puzzles

[yves]

I think It's the first prototype of the Bond Equipe 2-Litre.

Obviously, it's based on Triumph Herald or Vitesse...

[Allemano]

Wecome to Autopuzzles yves!

unfortunately I have a different name for it, but you're on to something...

[Allemano]

next level =>

[Carnut]

Anything to do with Ogle?

[Allemano]

Not that I'm aware of..

[barrett]

Hey! I'm glad this didn't get solved yet! This is the one and only Scorpion Sovereign, designed by Chris Humberstone. IIRC he showed it to Bond as a possible successor to the Equipe GT4S, they turned him down, and he was furious when the similar-looking Equipe 2-litre was launched!

[Allemano]

Yes, nicely done!

[barrett]

eugh, my points have been reset to zero 

[Allemano]

I already was wondering about that. And you made more than two posts, haven't you?

[Allemano]

A (cross eyed) back view:

[Otto Puzzell]

eugh, my points have been reset to zero 

I see 34 points, and 130 posts

[barrett]

Allemano - Thanks, that picture is great, i've only ever seen the front veiw before!

Otto - My points situation was fixed a while ago!

[Otto Puzzell]

D'oh! 

[DeAutogids]

Do I understand that add correctly and did he "sell" more then 1 model? Did he actually commerialize it?

[Allemano]

I haven't got any infos if there was another model than this equipped with a 1,6l engine (considering the 620M should have been a 2 litre). I don't even know if they ever built more than one prototype..

[Allemano]

According to Wikipedia.de Scorpion was a British car make , introduced in 1965 by Chris Humberstone.
The Scorpion Sovereign based mechanically on the Triumph Vitesse. There were three different models:  616M and 616MS were equipped with a OHC six cyl. engine with a capacity of 1600cc  with two, resp. three carburettors. The 620M had a 2,0-l-engine.
They all had a wheelbase of  2324 mm and a track width of 1245 mm. Bodies were ordered by Williams & Prichard.

Scorpion was never successful, so, the follwing year they disappeared again.

The source doesn't mention how many of these cars were sold/built.

[Carnut]

The British specialist car industry was more often than not based on wishful thinking...
Bet Quiller could fill us in on the details of whether production ever actually got under way or not?

[barrett]

I did some research on this one last year for someone who had been looking for information on it for a while, and as far as I can rememer this was the only one ever built. Humberstone did an interview with C&SC mag several years ago where he touched on the subject, but alas I can't find the website where I read the quote and it's not one of the issues I have.
The fairly comprehensive online W&P register doesn't mention making any bodies for Scorpion either, I wonder if this prototype was built by someone else or it's just an omission??

[barrett]

I've been readin Chris Humberstone's 1986 interview and he clearly says there was only one car built. As you can see from the photos it went through a series of minor changes throughout it's life.
Some more views of this interesting car:

[Allemano]

Like it very much.
Would have been something like a British AR Giulia.

[Carnut]

Like it very much.
Would have been something like a British AR Giulia.

Wouldn't rust as much though (glass fibre bodywork!)

[DeAutogids]

Yeah, but the panels would not fit, the steering wheel would get square... just joking