RML Group

RML Group, originally Ray Mallock Ltd., is a British engineering and motorsport business headquartered in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. Ray Mallock established the company in 1984 after earlier work in family-run racing and his own Ray Mallock Atlantic Racing operation. RML initially concentrated on designing, building and operating competition cars, but over four decades it developed into a broader technical partner for vehicle manufacturers, race teams and other industrial customers. The company’s motorsport record spans sports-car endurance racing, touring cars, rallying, stock cars and technical support for specialist racing programs. Its early sports-car work included the construction of Ecurie Ecosse Group C2 prototypes and development of the Aston Martin AMR-1. RML later became closely associated with Nissan, Chevrolet, Opel and MG programs. In the British Touring Car Championship it built and operated successful Vauxhall, Nissan, SEAT and Chevrolet programs, while its Chevrolet works operation became one of the leading teams in the World Touring Car Championship. RML’s endurance activities included the MG-Lola EX264, which won the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2005 and 2006, and technical involvement with Nissan’s DeltaWing and ZEOD RC projects. Beyond racing, RML provides engineering services covering vehicle dynamics, chassis systems, aerodynamics, powertrain integration, cockpit systems, advanced manufacturing and testing. Its work has involved road and competition vehicles associated with Aston Martin, McLaren Automotive, Bentley, NIO, Lotus Cars, Nissan and MG Motor, among others. The business also works beyond conventional automotive markets, with capabilities applicable to aerospace, defence and marine projects. RML is organized around four principal areas: Power, Engineering, Motorsport and Bespoke. Power develops and manufactures engines, hybrid systems and high-performance battery technology, including the VarEVolt scalable battery platform for electrified vehicles. Engineering delivers integrated vehicle and systems development. Motorsport supports manufacturer-backed racing programs, race teams and series-level supply contracts, including its role as Official Parts Supplier to the British Touring Car Championship for specified next-generation touring-car components. Bespoke develops limited-production and customer-focused vehicles that combine modern engineering with handcrafted construction. The Bespoke division has produced the RML Short Wheelbase, a limited-run grand tourer inspired by 1960s Italian sports cars, and the P39-codenamed GT Hypercar, a Le Mans-inspired road-focused performance project. Earlier road-car and concept work included the Saleen S7, Nissan Micra R, Nissan Juke-R, Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge concept and a road-legal conversion of the Aston Martin Vulcan. These projects illustrate RML’s positioning between engineering consultancy, motorsport constructor and specialist vehicle manufacturer. RML remained an independent engineering-led business while receiving significant investment and undergoing senior-management changes reported in 2025. Paul Dickinson joined the board as chief executive during that period. The company’s present identity therefore combines a historic racing constructor with a multidisciplinary technology and manufacturing partner for high-performance mobility.

RML’s roots lie in the Mallock family’s involvement in British club racing. Ray Mallock worked with his brother Richard and their father, Major Arthur Mallock, whose Mallock U2 chassis became associated with Clubmans competition. After competing in Formula 3, Formula Atlantic and sports cars, Ray Mallock formed Ray Mallock Atlantic Racing in 1979. The operation was renamed RML in 1984, establishing the corporate identity that later expanded beyond a racing team. The company’s first major international engineering assignments came in sports-car racing. Mallock helped develop the Aston Martin-powered Nimrod Group C2 program, and in 1984 RML was contracted to construct Ecurie Ecosse prototypes. The team won the Group C2 class title in 1986. RML subsequently developed the Aston Martin AMR-1 for the World Sports-Prototype Championship. When that project ended, the company transferred its expertise to Nissan’s factory and privateer endurance activities, including preparation of the Nissan R90CK program for Le Mans. RML entered touring cars in the early 1990s, initially operating Vauxhall Cavaliers for Ecurie Ecosse in the BTCC. It designed its own Vauxhall Cavalier and won the 1995 drivers’ and teams’ championships. The relationship with Nissan then developed into a major works partnership. RML designed, built and operated Nissan touring cars for British, German and Japanese competition, winning the BTCC manufacturers’ and teams’ titles in 1998 and 1999 and the drivers’ title in 1999 with Laurent Aïello. The company broadened its racing portfolio in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Its Opel Astra kit car won national rally titles, and its Opel Corsa Super 1600 became a prominent customer and works rally product. RML also won the British ASCAR championships in 2002 and 2003. In sports cars, the company developed the Saleen S7 and S7-R, with the latter winning the 2001 European Le Mans Series GT1 class and the 2002 Spanish GT Championship overall. Its MG-Lola endurance program produced the EX264, which won the LMP2 class at Le Mans in 2005 and 2006. RML returned to top-level touring cars through Chevrolet. It operated Chevrolet’s WTCC program with the Lacetti and later the Cruze, winning manufacturers’ championships and drivers’ titles with Yvan Muller and Rob Huff. After Chevrolet ended its factory program, RML entered the 2013 WTCC season independently with Chevrolet Cruzes, winning the drivers’ championship with Muller. It subsequently continued developing cars for the revised TC1 regulations without fielding a full works team. The company also undertook unusual technology programs. RML developed an engine for Nissan’s DeltaWing and designed and built the Nissan ZEOD RC for the 2014 Le Mans Garage 56 entry. The ZEOD RC combined electric and petrol propulsion and achieved an all-electric lap during practice, although a gearbox failure ended its race early. In road cars, RML contributed to the Nissan Micra R, Nissan Juke-R, Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge concept and the road-legal Aston Martin Vulcan conversion. In the 2020s RML increasingly presented itself as a multidisciplinary engineering group rather than only a race team. Its four divisions—Power, Engineering, Motorsport and Bespoke—cover electrification, advanced vehicle development, race-car support and low-volume customer vehicles. The Short Wheelbase and GT Hypercar demonstrate the Bespoke division’s strategy of combining classic design references with contemporary performance engineering. Investment and management changes reported in 2025 supported the company’s continued expansion across automotive and adjacent technology markets.

• 2025

  Investment and management expansion

  [1]RML Groupen.wikipedia.org

  RML reports significant investment and a refreshed senior-management structure, including Paul Dickinson joining the board as CEO.

• 2021

  Short Wheelbase unveiled

  [1]RML Groupen.wikipedia.org

  RML launches its limited-production, 1960s-inspired grand tourer.

• 2013

  Independent WTCC drivers’ championship

  [1]RML Groupen.wikipedia.org

  RML’s independent Chevrolet entry wins the WTCC drivers’ championship with Yvan Muller.

• 2010

  Chevrolet wins WTCC manufacturers’ title

  [1]RML Groupen.wikipedia.org

  RML’s Chevrolet works team wins the World Touring Car Championship manufacturers’ championship, with Yvan Muller taking the drivers’ title.

• 2006

  Second consecutive LMP2 victory

  [1]RML Groupen.wikipedia.org

  RML repeats its Le Mans LMP2 success with the MG-Lola EX264.

• 2005

  First Le Mans LMP2 victory

  [1]RML Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The MG-Lola EX264 wins the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

• 2001

  Saleen S7-R wins ELMS GT1

  [1]RML Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The RML-supported Saleen S7-R wins the European Le Mans Series GT1 class.

• 1999

  Nissan BTCC drivers’ title

  [1]RML Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Laurent Aïello wins the BTCC drivers’ championship in an RML-developed Nissan.

• 1995

  First BTCC championship double

  [1]RML Groupen.wikipedia.org

  RML’s Vauxhall Cavalier program wins the British Touring Car Championship drivers’ and teams’ titles.

• 1986

  Ecurie Ecosse wins Group C2 title

  [1]RML Groupen.wikipedia.org

  RML-built Ecurie Ecosse prototypes secure the Group C2 class championship.

• 1984

  RML is established

  [1]RML Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Ray Mallock renames his racing operation Ray Mallock Ltd., creating the RML identity.

An engineering-led specialist that connects motorsport expertise with OEM development, electrification, advanced manufacturing and low-volume bespoke vehicle production.

• Bespoke road car · 2021

  RML Short Wheelbase

  A limited-production grand tourer inspired by the Ferrari 250 GT Short Wheelbase and other 1960s sports cars. RML combines a classic exterior theme with contemporary chassis engineering, modern drivability and handcrafted construction. The announced production plan was limited to 30 examples, positioning the car as a collector-oriented bespoke vehicle rather than a mass-market model.

• Bespoke performance car

  RML GT Hypercar

  A Le Mans-inspired high-performance road-car project developed under the P39 codename. The GT Hypercar is intended to apply RML’s endurance-racing knowledge to a road-usable, low-volume vehicle with advanced aerodynamics, high performance and extensive specialist engineering.

• Electric vehicle battery platform

  VarEVolt

  RML’s scalable battery technology platform is designed for bespoke hybrid and electric-vehicle applications. It reflects the Power division’s focus on high-performance battery packaging, power delivery, manufacturing and testing for motorsport and original-equipment customers.

• LMP2 race car · 2005

  MG-Lola EX264

  An RML-developed evolution of the Lola B05/40 incorporating components from the earlier MG-Lola EX257. The car used MG power and RML engineering to win the LMP2 class at Le Mans in 2005 and 2006.

• Endurance racing prototype · 2014

  Nissan ZEOD RC

  A Garage 56 Le Mans prototype designed and built by RML for Nissan. It combined electric propulsion with a compact RML-designed three-cylinder petrol engine and was developed to demonstrate unusual high-performance powertrain technology.

• 2013

  Independent WTCC entryStrategy

  Background

  Following Chevrolet’s decision to end its factory WTCC operation after 2012, RML retained the Chevrolet Cruze platform and its technical capability.

  Action taken

  RML entered two Chevrolet Cruzes independently for Yvan Muller and Tom Chilton.

  Aftermath

  Muller won the 2013 WTCC drivers’ championship, while Chilton finished fifth overall.

  Source

• 2012

  Chevrolet works BTCC withdrawal acceptedStrategy

  Background

  Chevrolet announced that it would leave the BTCC after the 2011 season to concentrate on the WTCC, removing RML’s factory-backed BTCC program.

  Action taken

  RML did not participate in the 2012 BTCC season with the Chevrolet works team.

  Aftermath

  RML continued its Chevrolet relationship in the WTCC and later entered the 2013 championship as an independent two-car operation.

  Source

• 2025

  RML Group undergoes investment and senior-management changes[1]RML Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change · Other

  RML Group reported significant investment and the appointment of a new senior-management team, including Paul Dickinson joining the board as chief executive.

• 2021

  RML Short Wheelbase enters limited production[1]RML Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  RML presented its Short Wheelbase, a modern interpretation of a 1960s-style grand tourer, with production planned at 30 cars.

• 2012

  Chevrolet ends works WTCC program[1]RML Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Chevrolet announced that the 2012 season would be its final works World Touring Car Championship campaign, ending RML’s factory Chevrolet operation.

1. 1RML Groupen.wikipedia.org
2. 2RML Group official websitermlgroup.com