Buy your own sports car company!

Why spend thousands on a sports car when you could potentially squander millions on a sports car company? Thanks to British manufacturer MMI, that’s a choice currently on offer.

Meet the Avocet. And if you don’t like the name, well, you can change that once you own all the rights to it. Having apparently done all the hard work to develop a rival to the Elise, Zenos and Atom, MMI is now looking to sell its business, and the rights to a “a highly competitive car” with “exceptional chassis dynamics”.
 
Now, we’re no business experts, but we’d assume the time to move your enterprise along is when a) everything has gone knackers-up or b) you’ve taken something from the cusp of success to its height of achievement, making your profit while public affection is high.
 
MMI boss Martin Miles, however, seems to have other ideas. “Now is the right time for the project to move on," he explains, "so that a new owner or leadership, with or without our help, can fast-track its own potential plans for early entry into a recovered market, because we have done all the background work and development already.”
 
On paper, the Avocet itself sounds fun, if lacking any kind of revolution: it’s a roofless, mid-engine rear-drive sports car using Ford power. Its 2.0-litre engine comes in 150 and 225bhp forms, while it weighs 700kg, does a sub-five-second 0-60mph sprint and should cost around £30,000. Though as the boss, you can decide how much you want to charge, obviously.
 
The Avocet's design is described as modular, with left- and right-hand drive and central driving positions apparently all possible. A removable roof, speedster aero screen and bespoke luggage options have been developed too.
 
Design and engineering complete, tooling ready: all that's left is putting the thing into production. And then into the bear pit inhabited by Lotus, Caterham and Ariel.  
 
No price has been put on the company, but Miles is open to offers from the UK or abroad, with upwards of £1.5million likely to bag you your own sports car maker. How brave are you feeling?