Canada and UK-based Multimatic has announced that its motorsport and bespoke vehicle projects will now be looked after by a new group, called Multimatic Special Vehicles Operations (MSVO), a distinct entity from the main engineering group.
In recent years, Multimatic has been behind a number of high profile racing campaigns, notably the design, build and running of the Ford GT in the WEC (ALMS operations were conducted by Chip Ganassi Racing) and the Mazda IMSA DPi effort. The company was also heavily involved in the development of Aston Martin’s Valkyrie Le Mans Hypercar – currently ‘postponed’, likely indefinitely – and has expressed an interesting in developing a car to IMSA’s new LMDh rules.
MSVO will be responsible for all vehicle engineering developments, such as those undertaken for the Ford GT, motorsports engineering projects like the Mazda DPi, and all race team operations, continuing the use of the Multimatic Motorsports identity. Additionally, low-volume vehicle body/chassis manufacture, carbon-fiber part production and low-volume niche component supply will also be incorporated within the new MSVO.
Larry Holt, the driving force behind Multimatic’s motorsport operations, will assume the role of executive VP of MSVO, with company president Raj Nair noting this will allow Holt to fully focus on motorsport activities, where previously he had to split his time with the company’s other engineering operations.
“Multimatic’s model has always been to break the growing businesses down into smaller, more agile operations, and so it has become time for engineering,” explained Holt. “After 32 years of continued growth, the size and diversity was becoming limiting. High-volume component and systems engineering ultimately requires a different approach to the development of an entire low-volume vehicle and so the management of those types of projects has now been split.
“However, as in the past, engineering resource will be shared as it makes no sense to try and duplicate functions like the best predictive methods organisation in the industry; simulation will stay with the engineering group and continue to grow in size and capability.
“I will now focus on what has become a personal passion and so our motorsports and performance vehicle customers will continue to receive my full commitment.”
