Anson Cars

Anson Cars was a British racing-car constructor associated primarily with Formula 3 and Formula Super Vee competition. Its roots lay in the engineering work of Gary Anderson and Bob Simpson, mechanics who had worked in Formula One for Brabham and Tyrrell respectively. In 1975, the pair built the Anson SA1, a Formula 3-derived car based on the Brabham BT38. Anderson drove the car in Formula Libre, using the project as both a racing exercise and a foundation for further design work. After leaving Brabham at the end of 1976, Anderson concentrated on developing the Anson SA2 for the 1977 Formula 3 season. The program was undermined by the late withdrawal of sponsorship, and the car was withdrawn partway through the season. The formal company was established in 1980, when Anderson and Simpson joined with Jeff Hills, a former Rolls-Royce employee. Anson Cars then produced racing cars for the Formula 3 and Formula Super Vee categories over approximately six years. These classes were important customer-racing markets: constructors supplied chassis to independent drivers and teams, while success depended on a combination of engineering quality, customer support, engine installation, and the competitiveness of the relevant series. Anson therefore operated as a specialist motorsport constructor rather than as a mass-market automobile manufacturer. The company achieved its strongest documented competition results in European junior formulae. Franz Konrad won the 1983 German Formula 3 Championship in an Anson, while Tommy Byrne placed sixth in the 1984 European Formula 3 Championship. These results established Anson as a credible small constructor in the highly competitive international feeder categories of the period, even though the company did not develop into a major rival to larger specialist manufacturers such as Lola, Reynard, or Van Diemen. Anderson later returned to senior motorsport engineering. After the early Anson projects, he worked again in Formula One, including as chief mechanic at McLaren, and subsequently joined the Ensign team. In 1985, he moved to the United States to become chief engineer of the Galles Indycar team. His departure reduced the direct continuity between Anson Cars and its original technical founder. In 1988, Mike McHugh purchased Anson Cars with the intention of producing Super Vee cars in California. The proposed American expansion encountered an immediate commercial setback. Two senior Volkswagen America executives who had been instrumental in supporting the Volkswagen-backed Super Vee series were killed in the Lockerbie air disaster, after which the market for the planned cars disappeared. The available historical account does not document a later revival, current ownership structure, active production, or a continuing commercial operation. Anson Cars is therefore best understood as a historically significant but presently unconfirmed specialist racing-car constructor.

Anson Cars developed from a pre-company racing project undertaken by Gary Anderson and Bob Simpson in 1975. Anderson had worked for Brabham and Simpson for Tyrrell, giving the project a Formula One engineering background. Their first known car, the Anson SA1, was based on the Brabham BT38 and was raced by Anderson in Formula Libre. Anderson subsequently left Brabham at the end of 1976 to focus on the Anson SA2, intended for Formula 3 competition in 1977. A late sponsorship withdrawal made the program difficult to sustain, and the car was withdrawn during the season. In 1980, Anderson and Simpson formally joined with Jeff Hills, a former Rolls-Royce employee, to create Anson Cars. The company built customer racing cars for Formula 3 and Formula Super Vee for about six years. Its most notable competition achievement came in 1983, when Franz Konrad won the German Formula 3 Championship with an Anson. The following year, Tommy Byrne finished sixth in the European Formula 3 Championship, providing further evidence that the constructor could compete successfully in established European junior categories. Anderson later resumed a career in higher-level motorsport. He worked as chief mechanic at McLaren and then joined the Ensign Formula One team. In 1985, he moved to the United States to serve as chief engineer of the Galles Indycar team. His move marked a separation between the company's original technical leadership and its later development. In 1988, Mike McHugh acquired Anson Cars and planned to build Super Vee cars in California. The plan depended on a market supported by Volkswagen America. Two Volkswagen America executives associated with support for the Super Vee series were killed in the Lockerbie air disaster, and the market for the proposed cars subsequently disappeared. The available account does not establish whether Anson continued operating after this setback, and no current production, ownership, or corporate activity is documented in the cited material.

• 1988

  Acquisition and California expansion plan

  [1]Anson Carsen.wikipedia.org

  Mike McHugh acquired Anson Cars and intended to manufacture Super Vee cars in California, but the target market subsequently disappeared.

• 1985

  Anderson moved to the United States

  [1]Anson Carsen.wikipedia.org

  Gary Anderson became chief engineer of the Galles Indycar team.

• 1984

  European Formula 3 result

  [1]Anson Carsen.wikipedia.org

  Tommy Byrne finished sixth in the European Formula 3 Championship with an Anson.

• 1983

  German Formula 3 championship

  [1]Anson Carsen.wikipedia.org

  Franz Konrad won the German Formula 3 Championship in an Anson.

• 1980

  Anson Cars established

  [1]Anson Carsen.wikipedia.org

  Anderson, Simpson, and Jeff Hills formed Anson Cars as a constructor of Formula 3 and Formula Super Vee cars.

• 1977

  SA2 Formula 3 program curtailed

  [1]Anson Carsen.wikipedia.org

  The Anson SA2 project suffered after sponsorship was withdrawn at short notice and the car was removed from competition partway through the season.

• 1976

  Anderson left Brabham

  [1]Anson Carsen.wikipedia.org

  Gary Anderson departed Brabham at the end of the year to concentrate on Anson's next Formula 3 design.

• 1975

  Anson SA1 built

  [1]Anson Carsen.wikipedia.org

  Gary Anderson and Bob Simpson built the Anson SA1, based on the Brabham BT38, and Anderson raced it in Formula Libre.

A small specialist constructor supplying competition cars for junior single-seater racing, with emphasis on Formula 3 and Formula Super Vee applications.

• Formula 3 racing car · 1975

  Anson SA1

  The SA1 was the first identified Anson racing car. Built in 1975 by Gary Anderson and Bob Simpson, it was based on the Brabham BT38 and was driven by Anderson in Formula Libre. It represented the initial step from the founders' Formula One mechanical experience toward independent racing-car construction.

• Formula 3 racing car · 1977

  Anson SA2

  The SA2 was developed by Gary Anderson for the 1977 Formula 3 season after he left Brabham. The program was affected by the withdrawal of sponsorship at the last moment, creating major difficulties and leading to the car's withdrawal partway through the season.

• Formula 3 racing cars · 1980

  Anson Formula 3 cars

  Following the company's formation in 1980, Anson produced Formula 3 cars for customer and championship competition. The marque's documented results include Franz Konrad's 1983 German Formula 3 title and Tommy Byrne's sixth place in the 1984 European Formula 3 Championship.

• Formula Super Vee racing cars · 1980

  Anson Formula Super Vee cars

  Formula Super Vee was one of Anson's principal construction categories during the 1980s. After the 1988 acquisition, Mike McHugh planned to continue this direction by building Super Vee cars in California, but the relevant market disappeared before the plan could develop.

• 1988

  Acquisition by Mike McHughM&A

  Background

  Mike McHugh bought Anson Cars with the objective of building Super Vee cars in California.

  Action taken

  Ownership changed and the company pursued an American production strategy.

  Aftermath

  The market for the proposed cars disappeared after the deaths of two Volkswagen America executives who had supported the Super Vee series, and the later fate of the company is not documented in the cited material.

  Source

• 1977

  Withdrawal of the SA2 from Formula 3Strategy

  Background

  The SA2 Formula 3 project was placed under severe financial and organizational pressure after its sponsorship was withdrawn shortly before or during the 1977 program.

  Action taken

  Anson withdrew the car from competition partway through the season.

  Aftermath

  The setback preceded the later formal establishment of Anson Cars in 1980 with a broader construction program.

  Source

• 1988

  Mike McHugh acquired Anson Cars for a proposed California Super Vee program[1]Anson Carsen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  The company was purchased with the stated aim of producing Super Vee cars in California, but the intended market disappeared after the deaths of two Volkswagen America executives connected with the series.

• 1980

  Anson Cars formed as a specialist racing constructor[1]Anson Carsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Gary Anderson, Bob Simpson, and Jeff Hills established Anson Cars to build Formula 3 and Formula Super Vee cars.

1. 1Anson Carsen.wikipedia.org