KATANA Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a great deal of general confusion and incorrect information on the internet about the Schuppan street cars, especially regarding numbers built of the two very different variants-the 962CR and 962LM road / street cars. I aim to clear the confusion and correct the information with this page, and provide the definitive source that clarifies the situation.

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My credentials for providing the definitive source. I started working for Vern Schuppan Ltd (VSL) in January 1991 on the development team for both of the two planned variants from the start of the very first prototype LM. On the imminent demise of VSL I joined ADA Engineering Ltd and subsequently Group C Ltd, and finally starting my own company Katana Ltd. My involvement with VSL cars is long and continuous. The following is based on my recollection of events, VSL records that I still retain, very many conversations with VSL colleagues and associates with whom I have been in touch over the intervening years, information provided by an owner and detailed information given to him by Vern Schuppan himself. If further credible information becomes available this page will be updated accordingly.

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IN SUMMARY

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Vern Schuppan Ltd built:

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1 x 962LM prototype                           Build #1   Build designation LM01          Chassis #  VS 962LM P1

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2 x 962LM production cars                 Build #3   Build designation LM02          Chassis #  VS 962LM 01                  (extant)

                                                              Build #4   Build designation LM04          Chassis #  VS 962LM 02 (3)             (extant) 

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2 x 962CR prototypes                          Build #2   Build designation CR01          Chassis # AS 962CR P1                   (extant)

                                                              Build #5   Build designation CR02          Chassis # AS 962CR P2                    (extant)

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2 x 962CR production cars                  Build #6   Build designation CR03          Chassis # AS 962CR 04/50              (extant)

                                                              Build #7   Build designation CR04          Chassis # AS 962CR 05/50               (extant)

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ADA Engineering Ltd built by ADA after VSL could no longer facilitate production:

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1 x 962LM                                             Build #8   Build designation LM03          Chassis # AS 962CR 06/50              (extant)

                                                              *Standard LM with partial CR rear bodywork.

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Note: There was 1 x further VSL CR carbon fibre chassis which was never used by VSL and passed into the hands of a CR owner who subsequently sold it to Jochen Dauer to re-create the 1991 Havoline Andretti 962-172 as the original factory chassis was used to build one of the Dauer LM street cars that now resides in Brunei.

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WHO-WHAT-IS VERN SCHUPPAN?

 

Vern Schuppan is a now retired 1970/80s Australian racing driver who had a very successful racing career in many race categories (including F1) across the UK, Europe, the US and Japan. He considers his greatest success to have been his 1983 Le Mans win in a works Porsche 956. His racing career is well documented, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vern_Schuppan but his post driving career is much less well known. In 1987, after retiring as a driver-Vern established Team Schuppan based in High Wycombe, England and during the period through to 1992 competed in the FIA WSPC (World Sports Prototype), AJSC (All Japan Sports) and IMSA (IMSA Camel GTP) championships. Alongside the race operation, he also formed VSL (Vern Schuppan Ltd) which provided specialist motor industry services to both race teams and major car manufacturers. With this corporate record and Vern’s personal success in Japan (where he had become something of a celebrity), VSL entered a joint venture with a Japanese conglomerate through their motor industry arm, Art Sports Corporation (AS).  In 1992, with AS’s financial backing, VSL began to develop and get the approvals for a road going supercar that was as close as possible to the much-revered Porsche 962 race car, yet still user friendly for street use. To achieve this, VSL acquired new 60,000 sqft premises, hired an industry leading design and management team, more than 20 race engineers, and with substantially more than £2m (in 2019 terms) on R&D developments, designed and evolved the 962CR.  The timing was catastrophic.  No sooner than it was launched there was a severe World economic slump, and the market for cars such as the 962CR nose-dived.  AS who had acquired the exclusive World distribution rights, had already contracted to buy 50 cars, but suddenly found themselves in the wrong place.  After delivery of the first production car (AS 962CR 04/50) they negotiated their commitment down to 20 cars on the basis of a “20-or-nothing” offer.  VSL wobbled but survived, and a few months later AS sought to re-negotiate again, then down to a 10-car commitment.  VSL was not viable at that level and tried to enforce the 20-car contract through the English courts.  Under that cloud AS dealt their ‘coup de grace’ and refused to take delivery of and pay for the next 2 cars (AS 962CR 05/50 and AS 962CR 06/50).  VSL went into administration, and VS could not afford to continue the litigation and counter-litigation.  AS were ‘off the hook’, and what were always intended to be exclusive and rare cars, became much more rare still.

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