Now there’s a new contender to bear the name Sebring – and it’s electric.
It brings together several histories attached to the fabled race, the track, and the community.
Those who know the history of Sebring’s 12 Hours, know it came together with a man, a dream and a location that was perfect to spawn and develop such an epic event.
The new Sebring Works company is located in the Draycott Business Village at Morton-on-Marsh, in Gloucestershire, England. Their owners are looking for that same kind of magic.
Sebring Works actually started as a company known as “Vital Spark.” But changed their name in June of last year after acquiring the US-based Sebring International. When they began, they were known for the manufacturing of the Austin-Healy 3000s.
Vital Spark began life as a company that converted sports cars to EVs – by removing the internal combustion engine and replacing it with an electric motor.
That practice continues to be considered heresy by some purists, and may have been declared a hangin’ offense more locally.
However, Sebring Works has shifted gears and now manufactures its own cars based on its own platform. Known as “The Skateboard,” the chassis provides a complete undercarriage for the car. It allows for the installation of the motor, drive train, wheels, steering, seats and interior.
“We learned from converting classic cars that rather than fitting batteries into challenging spaces, our new cars needed to work in the same way as contemporary electric drive trains,” said spokesperson Rebecca Denyer. “They would benefit form being built from the ground up – with the battery packs on the floor.”
The design has a lot of benefits. There’s a better use of the spaces, it’s more stable, safe and has improved handling.
“Also, the car doesn’t have the rattles and such that a converted classic might have,” she said.
Probably the best part is that the skateboard platform can accommodate any of the models that are offered by Sebring International. That’s right, they offer several different body styles.
In fact, there are four different configurations based on well-known sports cars of the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s eras. First off, there’s the Sebring Speedster – an open-top model. Then there’s the Sebring Coupe. This is described as “an iconic 50’s-style sports car, with a handcrafted interior.
The Sebring Roadster is listed as “the marriage of traditional styling and modern driving.” It’s sister, the Sebring Roadster S is a modern interpretation of the classic style. The car is wide-bodied with flared wheel arches and a low stance.
And the thing is, sports car enthusiasts will look at the designs, and see things they’ve seen before.
The cars are constructed using readily available parts. They are powered by Tesla motors that are toned down by about 70-percent. The energy is supplied by a 57KWh battery that gives the cars a roughly 250 mile range.
The skateboard chassis gives the cars stability, which further is enhanced by the use of a BMW suspension.
Currently, three vehicles are being built for shipment to the United States. Sebring Works owners hope to see more of the cars here – and are quite keen to see one run on its namesake track.
The vehicles had a soft launch this past September at the prestigious Goodwood Revival with rave reviews by those in attendance.
In addition to their presence on social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Linkedin, those interested in a car can find additional information on their web page at sebring-works.com. Orders placed now are set for delivery sometime in spring of next year.
