WESTFIELD SPОRTS CARS 

This company was founded in the early 80s. dealer of cars, Chris Smith (Chris Smith) of the West Midlands. Smith later stated that while he had no desire to create cars. But it so happened that one of the American customers have found in his back yard the remains of a sports car Lotus 11 ("Lotus"), the 50-ies. He persuaded Smith to build his own version of the database.

The frame of the car was so rusty that could not be reconstructed. Smith, not being an engineer, built like a Lotus car with a tubular frame, engine and gearbox from the MG Midget («Em-Gee Midzhet") and the fiberglass body.

Produced by Chris Smith in the West Midlands in the style of Lotus cars enjoyed good demand in the UK and Japan

The American customer refused the deal, but one of Lotus dealers this car so much, that he persuaded Smith to establish a small company to produce this model, called Westfield. The first car was sold in 1982, Positive feedback from testers of the Road and Track («End Road Track") and Autoweek («Otouik") provided a flow of 20 orders from the U.S..

Then came the second model, designed on the basis of Seven («Ceven"), which the company produced in 1957-73 Lotus's. Smith sold to buyers in the form of a car with a body frame, and provided them with a special instruction which is offered by him to determine the engine and other units chassis.

Designed along the lines of Lotus Seven, but changed due to copyright, Westfield SEi complete four-cylinder Ford

Westfield Seven with aluminum body was an instant success, but unfortunately, it was so similar to the model of the Lotus Seven, the company Caterham («Katerhem"), which owned the rights to its design and manufacturing, has filed a lawsuit against Smith. As a result he had to completely rework your Seven, complete his two-seat fiberglass body of a design. Although the latter option has kept a lot in common with the Lotus Seven.

So there Westfield SE and «SEi» with independent rear suspension, which became so popular that in 1988 they sold more than a thousand pieces. In the early 90s. production fell to 600 cars a year, some of them were delivered in the form of assembly kits, and many came for export.

Westfield SE («Westfield SE») 1988-1993

As a result of costly disputes with the company Caterham on the rights of the design, Westfield was forced to revise his car so that it is less like a Lotus / Caterham Seven. In 1988 appeared an open two-seater car with minimal decoration, equipment, and protection from the weather, but the remarkable character.

In particular, Westfield SE has received an independent rear suspension on double triangular wishbone. Wide a choice of engines. To reduce the base price of the company has always tried to offer the car with the cheapest and most reliable four-cylinder Ford. In 1990 a set of frame and body are not worth more than GBP 1250, but finished the car costing 10 times more expensive.

The basis of the design was a tubular space frame, allowing to do without doors. GRP bodywork complemented by a motorcycle-type wings, which turned with the front wheels. The machine is staffed soft top, side shields, but true fans will never Westfield did not use them.

In 1991 the company introduced a version of the «SEi» with a set of engines include a new Ford Zeta («Ford Zeta") with two camshafts and naturally aspirated version of the engine for the Ford Sierra / Escort RS Cosworth («Ford Sierra / Escort RS Kosuort"). The most outstanding was «SEi GHT» with upgraded V8 engine production Rover («Rover") capacity of 273 liters For him, it took a very wide wheels and tires and a reinforced rear axle. Curb weight of the two-seater car was only 690 kg, and it can accelerate from standstill to 161 km / h in 10.5 sec. These figures are consistent with the Porsche 911 Turbo («Porsche 911 Turbo"), but to pay for Westfield had far less.

Prepared for the race car with 273-horsepower engine cost about GBP 21 thousand, 17.6 thousand GBP with a conventional 3.5-liter Rover. This car is not meant for the faint of heart. He had a stiff suspension, precise steering and chilling sound of the engine, but it always seemed perfectly safe and encouraged to go faster and faster ... And although the company Westerfield produced two cars in a week, she was proud of its reputation models.

Model «SEi GHT» engine had 273 hp and a mass of 690 kg. She could beat a supercar, like Ferrari Testarossa («Ferrari Testarossa")

Characteristics (SEi GHT, 1991)

Engine: V8, the overhead

Bore and Stroke: 94x71 mm

Displacement: 3946 cm3

Maximum Power: 273 hp

Transmission: 5-speed manual

Chassis: the spatial frame

Suspension: independent on the helical springs

Brakes: disc

Body: 2-seater open

Maximum speed: 225 km / h