Visioneering has been chosen to provide engineering services to Project Kimber for the development of its AC sports cars.

The engineering consultancy will provide a ‘fast track team’ at Kimber’s production site in South Wales. It will be led by John Piper, director of special projects for the Visioneering.

Gordon Murray, formerly of McLaren Cars and best known for his numerous Formula 1 successes and the McLaren F1 ‘super-car’, will head Project Kimber’s engineering activities, work closely with the project’s product planners, and oversee Visioneering’s programme.

Brian Horner, chief executive, Visioneering, said: “It is a very exciting project, which has received the support of many other prominent automotive industry specialists.

We look forward to working with them to achieve success in the marketplace for this new range of sports cars.”

Led by the turn-around specialist, Lord James of Blackheath, Project Kimber is a team of Midlands-based automotive industry specialists that has secured the rights to re-brand, re-engineer, assemble and sell the Smart roadster range of sports cars.

The rights to use the AC brand have been secured for the cars, which are planned to be launched into the European market next year.