Skip to main content

Magazine

Dealer Profile: Specialist Cars of Malton

Set among the stunning driving roads of North Yorkshire, Specialist Cars of Malton is one of Europe’s leading independent Porsche specialists. Voted ‘Independent Porsche Sales Garage of the Year’ by members of the 911UK forum, the company now employs more than 20 staff and can offer expert advice in every type of Porsche – from the newest 997s, Caymans and Boxsters, to classic RSs, 356s and historic racers.

Specialist Cars Managing Director John Hawkins has seen the company (established over 20 years ago) grow to become one of the biggest of its type in the UK, with a stock of between 40 and 50 Porsches at any one time. You might find a 944 for £8000, a Carrera GT for £250,000, or a historic racing car for a great deal more than that…

“We are not the cheapest but, with Porsches, you get what you pay for,” explains Hawkins. Backing up this philosophy is the preparation package that comes with every car passing through the doors at Malton, including a 74-point check, major service, 12 months’ road tax and MoT, a full cosmetic detail using Zymol products – and a year’s warranty. This is no bought-in warranty, as Specialist Cars prefers to back the cars itself: “We cover the entire car from bumper to bumper, top to bottom, front to back. If if anything goes wrong, we fix it,” says Hawkins, in the no-nonsense manner that Specialist Cars has become known for.

So, what appetising examples are currently in stock? Well, there’s one of the 15 1973 International Race of Champions cars, a Porsche 911 3-litre RSR. Fully restored in the 1980s, the car has matching numbers and a huge history. It was raced by, among others, Mark Donohue, Hurley Haywood, Bill Webbe and George Follmer.

Next to the RSR in the showroom is a Carrera GT. One of just a handful in the UK and boasting a mere 8300 miles from new, its cutting-edge design is in stark contrast to the curves of the RSR. Remarkably, Specialist Cars has sold a hefty eight Carrera GTs in the last 12 months.

In addition to the UK, Specialist Cars does business right across the world, with cars bought and sold so far this year in Australia, Hong Kong, South Africa, Japan, Monaco, Switzerland, Lichtenstein and Germany… which has meant a new set of challenges, such as working in different time zones and ensuring a stronger online presence. Says Specialist Cars Sales Manager, Mark Mullen, “Advertising cars through Classic Driver, as well as our own, recently revamped website www.specialistcarsltd.co.uk, has opened up these new markets. I’m often replying to emails on my BlackBerry in the middle of the night. Luckily, my girlfriend is very understanding!”

All the car preparation and warranty work, plus repairs and upgrades, are carried out at Specialist Cars’ workshops in Malton. Here, mechanics with over 75 years of Porsche experience do everything from simple services to full engine rebuilds. Recent years have also seen a range of special-edition upgraded models coming out of Malton, most famously the 600bhp-plus 996 GT2s and Viper Green 996 GT3 and Turbo.

Recent innovations include a new brokerage service, to source and offer some of the world’s most exclusive cars through a network of specialists and collectors. Currently on offer are, among others, a McLaren F1 and Ferrari California. “Collectors don’t want the hassle and security risks of marketing their cars themselves, which is where we come in,” says Hawkins. “We offer worldwide collection and delivery and can source pretty much any car, whether it be modern or classic, road or race.”

Specialist Cars of Malton is located in the market town of Malton, between York and Scarborough. The A1/M1/M62 are only an hour away and just two and a half hours by train, which run every half hour from London Kings Cross and Edinburgh via York. And helicopters, we’re told, can be accommodated by arrangement…

Please click HERE to see all Specialist Cars of Malton's cars for sale in the Classic Driver car database.

For further information on Specialist Cars of Malton, visit www.specialistcarsltd.co.uk.

Specialist Cars of Malton
York Road Business Park
Malton,
North Yorkshire
UK

Tel: +44 (0)844 7000 997
Email: [email protected]


Text - Classic Driver
Photos - Specialist Cars of Malton


ClassicInside - The Classic Driver Newsletter
Free Subscription!