AC Cars, producer of some of the world's most charismatic sports cars, which last month announced a new export drive to the United States from its facility in Frimley, UK, will be opening a research and development facility in Malta next month.
The facility, to be known as AC Advanced Vehicle Technology, will be based at the Kordin Business Incubation Centre in Kordin.
The facility will play an important role in the development of future products for AC Cars and will also be sharing in the development of a new chassis for AC of which more details will be provided early next year.
AC Cars announced in mid-November that it will also be opening an assembly plant in Hal Far, next month. The Hal Far plant will initially assemble the AC Ace and, later, other composite bodied models.
AC Motor Holdings Ltd chairman Alan Lubinsky, himself now based in Malta, said: "We are delighted to be opening this important division of AC Cars in Malta. It will supplement the new production facility we are currently commissioning.
"One of the main reasons that we settled on Malta is the tremendous skills and enthusiasm of the workforce here. These attributes, together with their ingenuity, are ideal strengths for this operation."
AC Advanced Vehicle Technology in Malta is seeking to employ a small, dedicated team of individuals for this venture.
AC Advanced Vehicle Technology has also confirmed that it will be bringing various professionals in the fields of automotive design, engineering and related subjects to Malta to help train local employees in their particular area of expertise, thus allowing a transfer of technological know-how to the Maltese workforce.
Ing. Ray Muscat, chief operating officer for the Enterprise Support & Innovation Division of Malta Enterprise, of which the KBIC, forms part, commented about AC's choice of the Kordin Incubator: "We are very proud that AC Cars have decided to open their Research & Development facility here at the Incubator. We look forward to a close working relationship with AC Cars."