HMC Handmadecars, HMC Classic

As more cars become electric, there is still a need for something that conveys exactly the feelings you as a car geek get started on. HMC Classic is exactly such a creation that hits exactly where it should, right in the heart of a car geek.

Something has happened, Sweden has got a new car brand that will strengthen our place on the world map for unique car models that are built for people who love to drive and look at their cars. HMCHandMadeCars has done what Christian Von Koenigsegg once did with his brand, to make a dream come true! The road to the point we are today has been difficult but Thomas Kümmerling, who is behind HMCHandMadeCars, chose the hard way to go. Instead of getting a nationally approved car, he chose to go for the option of getting it EU-approved, which means that it will be able to be sold in most of the world. But the road there is much more difficult than just getting it nationally approved. But now they have succeeded and series production will soon start in small, idyllic Vadstena at the north-eastern part of Lake Vättern. 

The concept of the HMC Classic is admittedly simple, a musty and well-sounding V8 engine, short sound base, manual box, direct steering, and plenty of grip via the four fat tires that sit in each corner of the car. Originally, this model, as many of you may know, is descended from the famous model signed by Le Mans winner Carroll Shelby and his model Cobra. Carroll Shelby decided to build the Cobra when he had to end his racing career due to heart problems. The concept was simple, a big and strong V8 engine built in the USA with a lightweight chassis with a European signature. Many amateur-built Cobrors have been built, but the HMC Classic should not be confused with such. HMC Classic has its roots in South Africa and a company called Backdraft. Backdraft is run by a man called Tony Martin since 2001 when it was started it has built approximately 5,000 cars. 

As I said, the heart of the HMC Classic is a V8 engine. The engine is signed by Chevrolet and of the type LS LT1. The gearbox is from Tremeclådan and feels reliable even when driving hard. In the chassis, a large part of the parts are produced by BMW, which can be seen as a good sign as some of the parts are also originally built for the BMW M3 and M4. Cars that can really handle being driven hard but don't budge. To sit comfortably and properly, the styles are signed Recaro. Thanks to the parts I just mentioned and its reliability, you can do without electronic driver aids such as ABS brakes, anti-skid and autobrake. The only help available is power steering, which feels good as it would have become very difficult to steer with the wide tires that are on. 

When you step into the HMC Classic, you immediately feel that you are sitting in a different type of car. It is narrower and in the driver's seat the legs are slightly to the left due to the location of the engine and gearbox. The opposite on the passenger side. But you find your place quite immediately and the long slightly bent gear lever is at the perfect height and close to the steering wheel for full control. With a push of the start button, the engine starts. The classic rumble that can only come from a V8 engine is a delight for an engine heart. I roll away with the car and out onto the nice roads around the farm. And it really is the perfect environment for this car. Thanks to the height and size, you feel that you are in full control. And it's not like you just feel, you really have full control over what happens and what the car does. A feeling that very few new cars can convey. The sometimes crooked roads spread such joy in a driver who likes to be involved in the driving and with the HMC Classic you are rewarded one hundred percent. 

The entire Kümmerling family consisting of Thomas, his wife Åsa and children Jacob and Cora are all involved in HMCHandMadeCars in some way. Cora is training to be a mechanical engineer. Son Jacob is studying law in Stockholm and is responsible for the marketing part. Jacob is the company's strategist. He is a valuable asset in designing and implementing marketing strategy and ensuring that the brand reaches the right target audience. Åsa's position at HMCHandMadeCars Handmadecars covers a wide range of responsibilities. She is the company's administrator and is responsible for personnel and finances.

As I said, the future factory will be located just outside Vadstena and next to the family's farm. Here, it should be possible to produce between 10 and 12 cars per year, and the first car is planned to be ready at the beginning of 2024. When it comes to production plans, we are aware that the number of cars is an important issue. There, they aim to have a sustainable growth of 100 % per year, but they will make decisions about the exact number of cars to be built based on factors such as market trends, production capacity and customer requirements. The goal is to meet demand while delivering high-quality products.

The Swedish car press, including myself, got to visit and test drive the HMC Classic and everyone, including myself, was incredibly impressed and very amused to take the roofless roadster for a ride in the beautiful landscape around the Kümmerling family's farm. This is like rewinding the tape and going to the roots of how pure enjoyment behind the wheel of a sports car should be. But let me return to that a little further down in the text. 

Whether HMC Classic will be a success is not something I even have to think about. The question is rather how many cars can be produced in the small workshop and factory in Vadstena. My theory is that you will have a lot to do when the rumor spreads and the car becomes known outside Sweden's borders. Something you obviously want and work on, but a journey has to start somewhere and this one starts in Sweden and Vadstena.