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Bowler will field road-going version next year, with Russian backing
publication date: Mar 15, 2011
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author/source: Robin Roberts
A Russian-backed company has bought the makers of the iconic Bowler
Offroader and they want to create an on-road version next year.
CPP Global Holdings Ltd, the specialist coachbuilder based in Coventry, UK,
has acquired Bowler Off Road Limited, the Derbyshire-based manufacturer of the
Nemesis high-performance cross country racer, for an undisclosed price. The acquisition was completed following several months of positive dialogue
between CPP and Bowler and the completion of a due diligence process. |  | Brendan O'Toole, managing director of CPP, said, "This acquisition is
extremely positive news for fans and customers of Bowler vehicles. I have
followed the brand closely for several years and am delighted to have the
opportunity to take the Bowler brand to new heights on the basis of very
exciting plans.
"I'm looking forward to working with Drew Bowler and the exceptionally
talented team at Bowler to bring these plans to fruition. This
development is another step in CPP's strategy to grow as a collection of complementary
specialist automotive businesses."
Drew Bowler, managing director of Bowler, said, "I'm very excited that we
are joining the CPP group of companies. Bowler will expand and reach its
full potential thanks to the access we now have to greater resources in a
number of respects: finances, the highly skilled workforce, its technical
capabilities and advanced facilities.
"We will continue to do what we do best, which is developing, engineering
and racing our cars. CPP will bring first-rate commercial and
manufacturing expertise to our business, ensuring it meets the quality and
integrity that our customers will expect. And there are dramatic plans
for the business over the longer term."
Bowler was founded by Drew Bowler in 1999 and produces its Nemesis high
performance off-road racer, based on current Land Rover technology, to meet the
FIA T1 specification for the World Cup Cross Country Championship.
Several Bowlers run by private customer race teams have completed the gruelling
annual Paris-Dakar Rally over the last decade.
Development and engineering will remain at Bowler's current facilities in
Belper, Derbyshire. Production, including of the Nemesis EXR road-going
variant from early 2012, will be transferred to CPP in Coventry.
Further plans will be announced in due course.
CPP's acquisition of Bowler follows an announcement of 24 February 2011 that
it signed a Memorandum of Understanding to acquire the assets of the Spyker
sports car business from its publicly-listed holding company, Spyker Cars NV.
CPP is a world-class British coachbuilding company with a workforce of 250
highly skilled automotive specialist designers, technicians and
craftsmen. It has vast experience working with global luxury car brands,
by adapting standard vehicles, or undertaking full production of ultra-low
volume standalone models.
Over the last 16 years, CPP founder and managing director, Brendan O'Toole,
has grown the Coventry-based business continuously, and the partnership and
support of Vladimir Antonov, a passionate car enthusiast and chairman of
Convers Group, a Russian investment business, has seen this growth accelerate
during the last two years. The Bowler acquisition is yet another milestone in
the expansion of CPP, which is creating more jobs at the automotive specialist
group, and indirectly at a wide range of automotive specialist suppliers based
in the West Midlands. | | | |
 
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