Westfield

Westfield Sportscars was established in 1982 by Chris Smith, an engineer and historic racer who built a replica of the 1956 Lotus XI sports car at his home, Westfield House in Armitage. Strong interest led to commercial production, after which the company broadened its focus toward Lotus Seven-style roadsters with models like the 7SE. In the late 1980s, Caterham Cars took legal action over styling and copyright infringement, leading to an out-of-court settlement that prompted Westfield to innovate with widened chassis lines and distinctive glass-reinforced plastic body designs. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Westfield built a reputation for high-power lightweight engineering, introducing innovations like independent rear suspension (SEi), the Rover V8-powered SEiGHT, and high-revving motorcycle-engine variants including the Megabusa. In 2006, the business was acquired by Potenza Sports Cars, led by Julian Turner, and later achieved European Small Series Production Status in 2009 with the Sport Turbo. The group also expanded into experimental mobility, prototyping the electric iRacer and developing the Westfield POD autonomous transit systems used at London Heathrow. In 2019, Westfield expanded its retro automotive portfolio by acquiring the Chesil Motor Company, known for its Speedster replicas. However, compounding financial headwinds led Westfield Sportscars into administration in June 2022. The brand assets and intellectual property were subsequently rescued in September 2022 under Westfield Chesil Ltd., which relocated manufacturing operations from Kingswinford to Bicester, continuing niche vehicle builds and parts support.