SPECIALIST EASTERN Cape motor car manufacturer Hi-Tech Automotive has secured orders to build low-volume sports cars for a number of international brands in Europe and the USA. Hi-Tech Automotive, which is based outside Port Elizabeth, developed the expertise to make high-performance sports cars through the manufacture of replicas of the legendary AC Cobra to the United States, where it is marketed and distributed under the Superformance brand. While they are faithful replicas on the outside, the Superformance cars outperform the originals thanks to a modern fully independent suspension system designed by Hi-Tech Automotive, says managing director Jim Price. The company has also designed specifically for the US market a high specification version o the popular Lotus Seven style of vehicle. Most of the components for the vehicles, including the chassis, fibreglass body, seats, windscreen frames, fuel tanks, cooling system, wheels, steering, pedals, hubs and braking components are either manufactured or finished on site by over 400 craftsmen and women. “It is thanks to this expertise and our track record of manufacturing high-quality sports cars that we have made a breakthrough into the low-volume manufacturing market,” says Price. Hi-Tech’s designs are race proven, he adds. The company has developed the cars and engines for the South African Sascar motor racing series. “Sascar is meant to give drivers a low-cost entry into saloon car racing. Because all the vehicles are identical and have been made in our factory, the racing is very tight and exciting,” says Price. In order to help keep the costs of racing down, his company retains ownership of the Ford engines used by the Sascar teams. “In effect, the driver just rents the engine from us for the season. We make sure that it keeps running at peak efficiency,” he says. Hi-Tech will be producing around 200 of the highly acclaimed Noble M12 GTO sports cars a year for the British company, and 100 to 150 replicas of the Ford 32 street rod for the US market. The M12 contract is worth R60-million a year, and the Ford 32 R35-million a year. Price is confident more specialist manufacturers will start using the Eastern Cape as a manufacturing base. “We are highly competitive when it comes to labour and infrastructure. “Low-volume manufacturing is both space and labour-intensive. “When you look at the rand/dollar and rand/pound exchange rates, our labour costs are among the lowest in the world for this quality of work.” Hi-Tech Automotive, which is situated in a rural setting outside Port Elizabeth, also has the necessary space to build new production lines. The company has just completed the commissioning of a new press shop for the Ford 32, which has a metal body. Up to now, all the cars manufactured at Hi-Tech have had fibreglass and composite bodies. The company, which has been producing vehicles purely for the export market up to now, is looking at its home market as well.