1985 Zimmer Golden Spirit Coupé

• Rare neo-classic American
• 5.0-litre V8 engine and automatic transmission
• First UK registered in 2020
• Only one owner in the UK

"Company president Paul Zimmer liked flamboyant cars and the Zimmer Golden Spirit fitted the bill. It was a neo-classic design with long flowing mudguards and side-mounted spare tyres." - The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile, Volume 3.

Before turning its attention to motor manufacturing in 1980, Paul Zimmer's company sold motorhomes, van conversions and yachts, and also manufactured housing. Based in Ohio, Zimmer Motor Cars Corporation's first product was the Golden Spirit, a two-door hardtop coupé or similar convertible based on the contemporary Ford Mustang, although of the original bodywork only the donor car's doors and roof were retained. The chassis was then lengthened by 38" and clothed in retro-styled glassfibre body panels, while the luxurious interior featured leather trim, Recaro seats and a Nardi steering wheel. A modern design, the Quicksilver, based on the mid-engined Pontiac Fiero, was added to the range in 1986. Despite the car division's heathy order book, Zimmer Corporation filed for bankruptcy in May 1988 and its motor manufacturing business was wound up. In 1997, Art Zimmer (no relation to the founding family) acquired the rights to the car business and set up the Art Zimmer Neo-Classic Motor Car Company, which continued Golden Spirit production on a small scale for a few more years. No factory records exist but it is estimated that some 1,500 Golden Spirits and 170 Quicksilvers were produced.

This rare neo-classic American was registered/used overseas and first registered in the UK on 6th July 2020 to its sole owner in this country. The Golden Spirit is powered by a 302ci (5.0-litre) V8 engine driving via a three-speed automatic transmission. As one would expect of a premium luxury product, the car is supremely well equipped, boasting air conditioning, cruise control, AM/FM stereo cassette, German leather upholstery, fully adjustable Recaro seats, and complete tinted glass. Exterior features include remote control chrome mirrors, classic wire wheels, polished stainless steel bumpers, teak running board treads, chromium-plated air horns, and a padded opera roof. Accompanying paperwork includes copies of the factory specification sheets, a current UK V5C Registration Certificate, and a valid MoT until April 2026.