The Melling Wildcat is a
V8 powered
sports car produced by
Al Melling Sports Cars in
Rochdale,
Greater Manchester.
History
The Wildcat was conceived to fill the gap left by defunct British marques such as
TVR,
Marcos and others. Designed to strike a balance between high performance, low cost, and adaptability for possible future legislative changes, the first running prototype car was made in only nine months and appeared in
Autocar in August 2008. Initially a proposed 150 units was supposed to be completed per year, with production starting in 2009; this did not happen.
The Wildcat has been noted as sharing a resemblance to the
TVR Griffith.
[{{cite web, url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/melling-wildcat-revealed, title= Melling wild at, a car the Griffith should've been, author= Steve Cropley, date= 7 August 2008, publisher=Auto Car, accessdate= 5 February 2018]
Construction
The Wildcat has a variety of engine choices, but the standard fit is a 4.5 litre
Melling V8; a modern, redeveloped version of the
AJP8
The TVR Speed Eight is a naturally-aspirated V8 car engine designed by TVR and manufactured from 1996 to 2003. The engine was intended to power the TVR Griffith and the TVR Chimaera, but delays in its production meant that it powered only the T ...
used in the
TVR Cerbera
The TVR Cerbera is a grand touring hardtop sports car manufactured by British automobile manufacturer TVR between 1996 and 2006. The name is derived from Cerberus, the three-headed beast of Greek legend that guarded the entrance of Hades.
I ...
. Other engines can be specified including the
GM LS-series,
BMW V8s and the
Dodge Viper V10.
The Wildcat is available with a five or six speed
Tremec manual gearbox mated to a live rear axle with a rear limited slip differential; independent rear suspension may be specified when ordering. A 2.8:1 axle ratio is fitted as standard, but other ratios are possible. The driveline claimed to accept up to 1000 bhp. The chassis is a box section steel structure with built-in roll and side impact protection. The fully adjustable suspension includes front double unequal length wishbones, and a rear live axle with four locating links. Brakes are front and rear ventilated discs with four pot calipers. It has rack and pinion steering with 2.9 turns from lock to lock, and may be powered or unpowered.
Technical specifications
Top speed: 180 mph (2.65:1 final drive ratio) or 150 mph (3:1 final drive ratio)
0-62 mph: 3.2 seconds (3:1 final drive ratio), or 3.5 (2.65:1 final drive ratio)
Kerb weight: 998 kg
Engine: 4500cc V8
Installation: Front, longitudinally mounted, rear wheel drive
Power: 448 bhp at 7200 rpm
Torque: 407 lb ft at 5200 rpm
Gearbox: 6 speed manual
Wheels: 17in/18in alloy (front/rear)
Tyres: 245/25x17 (front), 255x490x18 (rear)
Price: £50,000 (base)
References
Cars of England