Author Topic: What #252 - Spiron Motor Holdings' "Phoenix" / Ben de Klerk & Julio Alcorto (Read 1340 times)

Allemano · « **Reply #25 on:** July 19, 2012, 12:41:39 PM »

6 cyl.?

Otto Puzzell · « **Reply #26 on:** July 19, 2012, 12:47:08 PM »

The scant information available doesn't give a cylinder count, but that's quite possbile

Allemano · « **Reply #27 on:** July 19, 2012, 12:48:37 PM »

any relation to Lotus?

Otto Puzzell · « **Reply #28 on:** July 19, 2012, 12:50:46 PM »

I sure looks like it was inspired by Lotus, but no other direct connection of which I'm aware.

Allemano · « **Reply #29 on:** July 19, 2012, 12:53:03 PM »

European engine maker?

Otto Puzzell · « **Reply #30 on:** July 19, 2012, 02:38:29 PM »

Quote from: Allemano on July 19, 2012, 12:53:03 PM

European engine maker?

Yes!

Arunas · « **Reply #31 on:** July 19, 2012, 02:49:43 PM »

Is the car made in Europe?

Otto Puzzell · « **Reply #32 on:** July 19, 2012, 02:50:10 PM »

Arunas · « **Reply #33 on:** July 19, 2012, 02:50:50 PM »

American?

Otto Puzzell · « **Reply #34 on:** July 19, 2012, 02:56:21 PM »

Allemano · « **Reply #35 on:** July 19, 2012, 03:16:37 PM »

Otto Puzzell · « **Reply #36 on:** July 19, 2012, 03:24:08 PM »

jotage21 · « **Reply #37 on:** July 19, 2012, 03:51:36 PM »

African?

Otto Puzzell · « **Reply #38 on:** July 19, 2012, 04:39:26 PM »

Wendax · « **Reply #39 on:** July 19, 2012, 04:45:25 PM »

Alfa Romeo based?

Otto Puzzell · « **Reply #40 on:** July 19, 2012, 05:22:49 PM »

Alfa bits were originally part of the plan, but that changed later.

Allemano · « **Reply #41 on:** July 19, 2012, 05:39:55 PM »

South Africa?

Otto Puzzell · « **Reply #42 on:** July 19, 2012, 06:53:28 PM »

Allemano · « **Reply #43 on:** July 19, 2012, 07:19:13 PM »

The Phoenix sports car.

Quote

The Phoenix was supposed to be South Africa’s answer to sportscars like Ferrari and Porsche during 1987. The project came to a screeching halt when the owners, Spiron Motor Holdings and their mother company Turf Holdings were involved with many Risk Capital Projects that embezzled millions out of investors which meant the end of the South-African dream

Quote

The Phoenix was the brainchild of Pretoria businessman, Ben de Klerk who already started with the project in 1982. The Fibreglass clad body was to be made at the Koedoespoort plant and assembled by hand by the 70 string workforce. Originally it was decided to incorporate a twin-turbo Alfa Romeo engine, but due to Alfa Romeo’s demise from the South Africa, due to the political situation, it was decided to use german mechanicals. They promises performance of up to 360kw that would have pushed the Phoenix to 300km/h.

Quote

Designed by Argentinean born mechanical engineer Julio Alcorto the Phoenix would have had a chassis similar to Formula-1 cars at the time and would have utilized locally sourced parts in it’s construction. Alcorto would later also be involved with the design of Mazda’s answer to the Nissan Sani, the Mazda Kalahari 4x4 vehicle.
The Managing director of Spiron, Nic Deetlefs and his son in law Zirk Engelbrecht were notorious for fly by night investment companies and Engelbrecht in to this day operating similar schemes in the US.

Except of the Audi rear lights not such a bad looking car:

grobmotorix · « **Reply #44 on:** July 20, 2012, 12:50:10 AM »

Otto Puzzell · « **Reply #45 on:** July 20, 2012, 02:52:23 AM »

That was some mighty fine sleuthing. That's all the info I had, plus more pics than I had previously seen.

Carnut · « **Reply #46 on:** September 09, 2014, 05:27:13 AM »

The finished article:

News:

Author Topic: What #252 - Spiron Motor Holdings' "Phoenix" / Ben de Klerk & Julio Alcorto (Read 1340 times)