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Mosler Automotive is an American supercar manufacturer based in Florida and St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England, founded by Warren Mosler in 1985. It currently produces the MT900Rracer and the street-legal MT900S, as well as several unique project vehicles.
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[edit]History
In 1985, Warren Mosler, a bond trader who manages a hedge fund with $5 billion under management, started a company called Consulier Industries and introduced the Consulier GTP, a 2200 lb. mid-engined car powered by a mid-mounted turbocharged Chrysler 2.2 L engine producing 190 hp. The chassis was a fiberglass-and-foam monocoque. Mosler was so confident in the performance of his creation that he first offered a $25,000 bounty to anyone who could pilot a street-legal production car around any US racetrack faster than a Consulier GTP. Car and Driver took up the challenge, racing a pre-production prototype "stock" Chevrolet Corvette (not even a ZR-1) around the Chrysler Proving Grounds racetrack in Chelsea, Michigan. Antoine and Csaba Csere took three laps each in the Corvette and a 1988 Consulier GTP Series I Sport. Both had similar lap times in each car, with the Corvette's best lap at 1:21.01 and the Consulier's best at 1:22.56. They felt that the Consulier was "difficult to handle," with "anemic" brakes. Confronted with this test, Warren Mosler claimed that the test car was older and worn out. In fact, the Consulier they got was from a Track Time Driver's School with very worn tires and worn brake pads, no interior trim, and three cigarette lighters which were specially installed so Track Time could plug in their equipment. Mosler offered to send his driver with new brake pads and agreed to pay the $25,000 if the Consulier didn't lap faster that the Corvette. Car and Driver refused, saying it might be faster because of the driver. Mosler told them they could use any driver they wanted for their car, but to have them drive the Consulier and get paid if they lost was a conflict of interest. Car and Driver refused and took it as an insult and subsequently published a negative article where they ridiculed the interior, the three lighter plugs, and compared the overall fit and finish negatively with a new Datsun ZX. They also claimed that Mosler defaulted on his promise.To back up his claims, Mosler raised the challenge to $100,000 which was won by Chet Filip in the Consulier as Mosler predicted at the Sebring road course. The Consulier GTP competed successfully in many races for the next six years, before being banned by the IMSA in 1991. Overall, 100 Consulier GTPs were produced.
In the early 1990s, Consulier also developed environmentally friendly vehicles, including electric cars, composite-bodied cargo vans, and small city-car commuter vehicles.
In 1993, Consulier Industries sold its automotive division to Mosler Automotive and changed its name to Consulier Engineering. Consulier Engineering (NASDAQ:CSLR) through its subsidiary Patient Care Technology Systems markets the Amelior TM patient care systems which are data based integrated emergency room information systems and passive tracking systems. Additionally, through its subsidiary Consulier International, it markets Captain Cra-z Hand and ALL Purpose Cleaner and through its affiliate, Biosafe, develops and markets environmentally safe products as alternatives to traditionally toxic pesticides.
The newly named Mosler Automotive introduced the Intruder, a rebodied Consulier with a new 300 hp GM LT1 engine. This car raced at the 24 hours of Nelson Ledges for two consecutive years, winning both years - unfortunately, the Intruder was also banned after its dominating 1993-4 performances. In 1996, an Intruder modified by John Lingenfelter Performance to yield 450 hp won Car and Driver's One Lap of America. It too was banned after three victories.
In 1997 the Intruder was given a v-shaped windshield that reduced drag, and renamed the Raptor, once again winning the 1997 One Lap of America. It also went on to win the 1999 One Lap. The Raptor entered in the 1997 One Lap weighed 2773 lb (1,258 kg) and had 443 hp (330 kW) from a Lingenfelter modified 6.3 L V8 engine.
In 2001, an all-new Mosler debuted - the Mosler MT900. This carbon-fiber chassis, rear wheel drive supercar was designed by using Siemens advanced design software, and used a 350 hp (261 kW), mid-mounted GM LS1 engine. An early prototype MT900S, despite being 390 pounds (177 kg) heavier and having 65 hp (49 kW) less power than the producion version could achieve a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, and a quarter-mile time of 12 seconds flat. Since then, the MT900 has undergone several revisions to become the 2005 MT900S, which has 435 hp (324 kW) from its Corvette Z06-derived LS-6 V8, powering a 2,500 lb (1136 kg) car (without fuel). A Photon variant is available which adds a Hewland transmission, thinwall subframes, BBS magnesium wheels, titanium springs, and carbon fiber seats and bodywork, reducing the car's mass to 1,980 lb (900 kg). MotorTrend with its guest hot shoe, Le Mans winner Justin Bell, behind the wheel reported a 0-60 time of 3.1 seconds, a standing quarter-mile time of 11.72 seconds and a standing mile time of 30.4 seconds. In addition to breaking acceleration records, Motor Trend also reported 60-0 braking in 100 feet, braking from 100-0 in 275 feet and the ultimate test, 0-100-0 in 10.98 seconds, breaking the 11.15 second record previously held by the McLaren F1 LM. It was discovered after the Motor Trend test that the Mosler MT900 test car had a faulty O2 sensor and was way down on power.
Introduced concurrently was the MT900R, a race prepared version of the MT900. In 2003, the MT900R won the GTS Division of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. In Europe, the MT900R has successfully raced and won in the British GT Championship, FIA GT Tourist Trophy races, International Open GT Championship, Britcar Championship, Spanish GT Championship as well as selected races in other series. In 2008, The Mosler Dutch Supercar Chanllenge, an MT900R only race series ran its inaugural event at the famed Nürburgring F1 track.
Mosler has also produced several one-off project vehicles, including a six wheel custom Jeep that uses many GM components (dubbed the J-10 Sport) and the TwinStar, a Cadillac Eldorado boasting twin Northstar V-8s.
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