Mk20

The Mallock Mk20 stands as an icon among club-level race cars, embodying decades of British motorsport ingenuity and a relentless chase for pure, unfiltered driving thrill. Designed and hand-built by Arthur Mallock and his family’s workshop in the early 1970s, the Mk20 is a direct descendant of the Mallock U2 series that first appeared in the late 1950s. These cars were always about lightweight construction, clever engineering, and maximizing the potential of modest powerplants. The Mk20 represents a culmination of these values, refined through years of grassroots racing experience and iterative development on the UK’s most demanding circuits.

At its heart, the Mallock Mk20 is powered by a 1.6-liter inline-four engine, typically sourced from Ford’s Kent or crossflow family. In race trim, the engine churns out a respectable 130 horsepower and 111 lb-ft of torque. While those numbers may seem modest by modern standards, the Mk20’s featherweight construction—tipping the scales at just 992 lbs—means every one of those horses is put to eager use. The result is a car capable of sprinting from 0 to 60 mph in a brisk 4.8 seconds and pressing on to a top speed of 120 mph, figures that speak volumes about its power-to-weight advantage.

The chassis is a true masterpiece of minimalist engineering. A tubular spaceframe provides exceptional rigidity and crash protection without unnecessary mass. Independent suspension at all four corners—double wishbones up front and a carefully tuned live axle at the rear—ensures precise handling and predictable balance. The Mk20’s rear-wheel-drive layout, coupled with a close-ratio 5-speed manual gearbox, makes for a visceral, analog driving experience that rewards skill and commitment. The car’s low center of gravity and narrow, lightweight bodywork allow it to carve corners with astonishing agility, making it a favorite in the hands of seasoned club racers and hillclimb competitors alike.

On the track, the Mallock Mk20 established a formidable reputation throughout the 1970s and 1980s in British Clubmans racing—a category famed for its fiercely competitive grids and emphasis on driver ability over outright power. The Mk20’s robust yet simple mechanicals, combined with its razor-sharp dynamics, meant it was a frequent podium finisher and a mainstay in the hands of privateers. Its motorsport heritage is defined not just by silverware, but by the sheer number of drivers who honed their skills behind its wheel.

What truly sets the Mallock Mk20 apart in its class is its purity of purpose. It is a car built for those who value feedback, balance, and the joy of mastering a machine at its limits. The Mk20 distills race car design to its essentials—light weight, responsive handling, and mechanical simplicity—offering a driving experience that’s as rewarding today as it was when it first rolled onto the grid. For enthusiasts and collectors, the Mk20 remains a beacon of grassroots motorsport spirit, a living testament to the idea that less can indeed be more on track.