The specialists : Rapport Forté

You’d be hard-pressed to tell that the stunning Rapport Forté was based on the Jaguar XJ…

Designed as a folding-hardtop cabriolet, years before they were fashionable, the project failed before it got off the ground – but not before it sired a rather appealing shooting-brake version.


Rapport Forté: the original folding Jaguar

In a world that had moved on from the original folding hardtop cars of the 1930s-1950s and before they made a brief comeback in the 1990s and 2000s, Chris Humberstone developed this, the Rapport Forté. It came with a fully-retractable hard top and looked as striking as a coupe or in al fresco cabriolet mode. Humberstone stated that, ‘once it was refined it worked very well and gave a real feeling of saloon car integrity.’

A sophisticated electro-hydraulic system was employed to stow the aluminium and steel roof within the boot space and, as if that wasn’t enough, the roof panel also featured its own electrically-operated ‘moonroof’.

The car also featured a sumptuous interior, upholstered in Connolly hide complemented by lambswool rugs. The standard specification included air conditioning, electric windows, central locking, automatic transmission, cruise control and a stereo hi-fi system. The electrically-operated aerofoil mounted over the headlamps – a typical Rapport touch – was designed to provide the benefit of a sleek bonnet line without incurring the airflow problems associated with traditional retractable headlamps when raised.

Response to a Californian idea

The story of the Forté began with the Californian dealer who wanted to sell an upmarket British convertible at a time when there were no alternatives to choose from: Aston Martin were in financial difficulties, the Jaguar XJ-S was only available as a tin-top and the Rolls-Royce Corniche was not sporting enough.

Chris Humberstone recalled that, ‘…the Jaguar was regarded as the most attractive basis for such a car, particularly when the fuel-injected 4.2-litre engine arrived. That generated new interest in the marque.

‘We wanted a full four-seater, so we selected the regular XJ12 saloon as the standard base (rather than the XJ-S), with 3.4-litre and 4.2-litre engines optional. We offered turbocharging and, of course, with either of the ‘sixes’ the regular five-speed manual could be specified.’

What about that folding hardtop?

Greg Ferguson worked on the project with Chris Humberstone. He recalled how the idea was Chris’s, but tried to persuade him to adopt a technically-simpler solution: ‘One of the things that induced Chris to employ me was my final year car design project at the then-Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry University).

‘I designed a quite modern-looking two-seat sports car based on the Panther Lima chassis. It had a folding hard top, but instead of the top folding backwards into the boot, with all the complications that involved, I designed it with a pop-out roof panel, and the two C-posts would fold inwards on hinges that were offset so the posts wouldn’t interfere with each other.

‘Once folded flat, the roof panel would sit tidily on top. A bit clunky, but fewer moving parts and the benefit of simplicity. I argued with Chris to use this design on the Forté, but he went ahead with the design we know and love, and I have to say he was right.’

What happened to the Rapport Forté?

Originally, the plan had been to take brand new cars from Jaguar in New Jersey and convert them into Forté specification, using Rapport parts shipped over from the UK.  However, all this became academic when Rapport went to the wall in the early 1980s.

The stunning Forté may have been launched with masses of optimism, and appeared to have all the ingredients for success, but did not come anywhere near to achieving it.

Back in July 1980, it was first shown at the British Grand Prix for a demonstration run with Mark Thatcher at the wheel (top of the page). Fourteen pre-paid orders followed in the following fortnight and Rapport seemed set fair to make a real go of the venture.

Chris Humberstone recalled that, ‘management problems within Rapport’ destroyed the project – and, despite everything, within weeks, the company had fallen into receivership. Only a handful of Fortés were ever built, but the car never died: it simply went into abeyance.

Ultimate shooting brake? PMG Rapport Forté estate

The cars that had been completed, along with three partially-completed prototypes, were purchased by the Patrick Motors Group of Birmingham. PMG’s owner, Alexander Patrick, was a dyed-in-the-wool enthusiast – and, as grandson of the company’s founder, continued PMG’s association with the more exotic end of the car market.

Patrick Motors Group steps in

PMG started life in the 1930s as coachbuilders but, within a few years, was selling other people’s products. By the 1970s, these included the products of Lynx and Panther Westwinds. The group had also sold several Rapport Range Rovers after Rapport International went bust – and, realising that they would never receive these cars, they moved in…

Initially, what PMG purchased looked little more than a complex heap of bits but, ever positive, Alexander Patrick sought to make something out of what he had amassed.

At that time Patrick was having an Avon-Stevens XJ estate car specially built by Ladbroke Avon and casually remarked to Graham Hudson that he had acquired the remains of the Forté project, but no facilities to complete it. Soon, an agreement was reached between Hudson and Patrick that Ladbroke Avon’s Special Projects Department would build up one vehicle… as an estate car. By the spring of 1983, the car was complete.

Rapport Forté found in 2019!

The original Rapport Forté was unearthed in 2019 by Stuart Brown, owner of vehicle scanning company, 3D Engineers. He bought the car from its previous owner who had owned the car for 38 of the 39 years it has existed. He said, ‘I’m very excited, as I’ve been fascinated by the car since seeing a grainy black and white picture on the school bus in Motor magazine back in 1980, but thought it had been destroyed or in a collection. Restoration to start later this year.’

He ended up selling the car to the same Swiss collector who owns the PMG Rapport Forté estate featured above – expect Stuart’s restoration to be completed, and the car reappear on the show circuit soon…

Keith Adams

37 Comments

  1. “Long before the likes of the Mercedes-Benz SLK and Peugeot 206CC had even been imagined, Chris Humberstone had developed this, the first sports car with a fully retractable hard top.”

    Didn’t the american’s have retractable hard tops in the 50’s?

    • Yes, they did – and it’s the American folding hard tops that were Chris’s inspiration for the Rapport Forte; the American examples were typical, soft, lazy sedans and cruisers – the Forte really was the first sports car with such a roof. I was working for him at the time and wasn’t at all convinced his folding hardtop would work. I was wrong. I did the initial calculations for the hydraulic power required and we settled on a pretty powerful motor and set of rams to make the whole thing work. I also developed the original Forte logo, which I was rather proud of. Not sure if it survived the subsequent developments with Rapport…

      • @Greg Ferguson. Could you please get in contact? My details are stuart@3dengineers.co.uk or 07932 997996. Your knowledge would really help. Also researching the back story of Rapport International. Very lively! Many thanks. Stuart

  2. i was also thinking that stepped roof line only adds to the impression it’s two cars welded together.
    I suppose it’s a bit like that Yacht in one of the bond films where the first half can go off on it’s own, except i doubt this car has that excuse.

    • One of the challenges for bespoke car makers is achieving both strength and style when using off the shelf items – particularly things like windscreen and side-screen glass. That’s why the Range Rover was such a pleasure to work on because the side screens were flat so you could cut glass to fit a re-sized door frame and then get it hardened. For specialists designs with curved sides you might need to use side screens from, say, a Ford Cortina Mk4 which had both curved side. windows and a steeply raked windscreen. The Cortina’s retractable side screens looked quite good and you could also use the window-winding mechanism – trouble is, windscreens needed to conform to the government’s safety standards which meant essentially using an existing hardened and laminated windscreen and trying to match this with the rake of the side screens – if your car was wider than a Cortina you needed a different screen designed for a different rake and curvature (the Rover 3500 for example) so if you weren’t careful you could end up with a slightly uncomfortable blend of shapes and lines.
      The same applies at the rear – custom glass (especially for a one-off) needs to be flat, which constrains your design; and you can’t afford to compromise the crash resistance and torsional stiffness of a chassis that’s been modified, so you can get a mix of stylish and inelegant outcomes and you can’t always control the final look of the car.

      • Ford used a Sierra windscreen in the RS200, the GRP bodywork was subcontracted to Reliant, who were no strangers to using off the shelf parts.

  3. Ford had the first retractable hardtop in the 1950s. It was the full-size 1957 Ford Skyliner land yacht. My dad worked on the project, which was originally planned for a convertible version for the Lincoln Mark II before that car was cancelled. The big difference between the Skyliner and other retractable hardtops is that the Ford’s top did not fold, except for the front 1/8 near the header. The trunk (boot) lid opened at its forward edge, and swallowed the top whole. As this was in the day before electronic controls, the process was handled by hydraulics and limiter switches. It wasn’t easy to get these things to work perfectly, making it a bit of a quality headache for Ford. A rectangular tub sat on the floor of the trunk (boot). This was the available luggage space when the top was stowed.

    • One of the things that induced Chris to employ me was my final year car design project at the then-Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry University). I designed a quite modern-looking two-seat sports car based on the Panther Lima chassis. It had a folding hard top, but instead of the top folding backwards into the boot, with all the complications that involved, I designed it with a pop-out roof panel, and the two C-posts would fold inwards on hinges that were offset so the posts wouldn’t interfere with each other. Once folded flat, the roof panel would sit tidily on top. A bit clunky, but fewer moving parts and the benefit of simplicity. I argued with Chris to use this design on the Forte, but he went ahead with the design we know and love, and I have to say he was right.

  4. I think Peugeot beat Ford with retractable hardtops – I’m fairly sure they had one in the 1930s, and a vague memory prompts a quick Google…

    Peugeot 401 Eclipse – 1934-35.

  5. The notes about Peugeot are quite correct, and this car was utterly hideous. Stunning ? Yes, but not, I think, in the way Keith means !

  6. That headlight arrangement is certainly unique, I doubt it would pass modern pedestrian safety rules though 🙂

  7. I think the coupe looks really good with a pretty well integrated top (better than a 206CC or Lexus SC430). The estate just doesn’t work, and manages to look quite small, which is a strange achievement for something based on an XJ.

    The headlamps are nifty, much better than the quasi pop-ups on the Isuzu Piazza, although nowhere near as good as the rotating covers on the XJ220.

  8. I amazed I’ve never heard of this. When you see some of the munters that appeared around this time that coupe looks fantastic. I’m well impressed. The lights look interesting as well. If only they had chosen to finish the coupe rather than that weird looking estate I’m sure it would have a much better known story.

  9. Update on the Rapport Forte. Have bought the folding convertible. It had been kept by the same owner for 38 of the 39 years it has existed. Very excited as having been fascinated by the car since seeing a grainy black and white picture on the school bus in Motor magazine, but thought it had been destroyed or in a collection. Restoration to start later this year. Not sure how to post pictures, but would love to do so to update car history.

  10. Anyone know where those taillights come from. I swear I’ve seen them before on something but for the life of me I I can’t think where. I’m thinking a bus or a van, and something you didn’t see many of.
    The looks are a bit Baldricks poetry – crossed with a Talbot Rancho in the case of the estate. The front end looks quite good but it declines from then on.
    Good that they’ve been saved though

  11. Do these things have engines ? I cannot conceive how either a V12 or an XK engine would fit under that bonnet line ( particularly the XK which is taller because of its long stroke )

    • Here’s a horrible thought for you – A gearbox in sump v12 ADO17. 0-understeer in 0.2 seconds. Interestingly the 1.8 diesel B engine will straight swap with the 1.8 petrol B series in the ADO17.

      Theoretically the 4.2 V12 should fit if it’s the same length as the 2.2E. And the front end of the ADO61 would give more longitudinal space.

      Incidentally – did they ever do a diesel E engine?

  12. From the same stick that hit the Reliant SS1, though the coupe has some nice angles, overall, it lacks cohesion. The Germans always kept the DNA of their previously successful cars but for some reason in the UK we were intent on reinventing each time, especially in the ‘futuristic’ penned cars of the 70s. Perfectly good ranges like the TR’s were speared in favour of the plat du jour style giving us the TR7 after so many pretty and able predecessors instantly killing the range.. Still they somehow managed to put together the SD1, a fine looking car albeit one that discarded its more stately leather & wood heritage, a shame as the yanks would’ve loved it otherwise.

    • SD1 was marketed in the US…….they hated it. The product bombed completely there – very poor build quality and extremely poor reliability were the issue. The damage done was so bad that the brand was withdrawn from the US market permanently. When the 800 was launched in the US, the Stirling brand was created for it because Rover was viewed so poorly there.

    • Largely agree, the TR7’s styling was basically borrowed from MG via ADO21 and in better circumstances could have been the 1970s styling theme for MG’s sportscars.

      As to whether SD1 (or P10) would have been better off with different styling that is difficult to say based on the larger P8’s styling still needing more development at best to get the desired refined British Bruiser look.

  13. Antonyob, I agree. The original Triumph/Michelotti design for its sportscars of the 70s seems much better than generic origami styling that actually emerged. If Leyland and BMC had never merged, maybe that styling heritage for Triumph (and Rover – the look of the P8 seems to suit the marque better than SD1) would’ve been preserved. The ‘look’ of the SD1 might have been better employed in a surviving BMC – perhaps on futuristic Austins, especially as some features of SD1 seem to have been inspired by the Pininfarina concepts of the late 60s. I can imagine a large Austin (or some other BMC marque) looking like an SD1, perhaps eventually to be accompanied by a smaller car that would like the Aquila concept. Meanwhile, Rover would keep its British bruiser aesthetic while Triumph would hold onto its sharp Italian clothing.

  14. I seem to remember not long ago a report on a Rapport Forté coupe being discovered in Germany there was a grainy picture of it , it also looked like it needed a full restoration .

  15. First of all let’s be clear, the Powered Folding Hard Roof, was created by designer George Paulin.

    Working for the “Pourtout” Coachbuilders.

    It was commissioned by Darl’mat the large Peugeot dealer in Paris.

    It was first used on a Peugeot 402.

    It is more correctly known as an “Eclipse Decapotable”.

    He also designed the 1939 Bentley Corniche, and the Bentley Embiricos.

    During the Nazi occupation, as part of the French resistance he modified, cars to have hiding spaces between the back seats and the boot, for Guns, Transmitters and People.

    The Nazi’s shot him for it, when members of his resistance cell were caught.

    Posting his wiki links below

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Paulin

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrosserie_Pourtout

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darl%27mat

    and only Figoni & Falaschi, ever made a car better looking than Paulin & Poutout

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