HS vehicles

HS vehicles is the brand name used by the Swiss automobile manufacturer originally known as HS Replica Cars AG, based in Gerlafingen, Switzerland. The company began operations in 1988, importing and assembling automobiles, and it produced vehicles under the HS brand until 2006. In 2010 the company was renamed Hicotec AG, which continues to operate in the automotive sector and maintains the cobra-cars.ch website as the home of its Swiss Cobra activities. The firm's early business was built on assembling kit cars from other manufacturers. Its first project in 1988 was a Super Seven assembled from parts supplied by the French company Martin. From 1989 the company built Westfield models — the SEI, SE, WSE and Cosworth — for the Swiss market, having them type-approved locally. Several Westfield prototypes and production units were subsequently used for Westfield's European approval and sold worldwide by Westfield. The cooperation with Westfield ended in 1994 after a restructuring at Westfield, which from then on wanted to supply only finished vehicles — a model that did not suit the small Swiss market, where many Westfield customers preferred to build their Seven themselves. Alongside the Westfield products, HS imported kits from Tomaszo, Saier, Dax, RAM and Pilgrim until 1993, as well as Porsche replicas from Apal and various British manufacturers of hillclimb spyders, Spyder 550 and Speedster models. The company invested in its own paint shop with a spray booth and its own plastics and bodywork production, including its own negative Cobra mould. It exhibited at the Geneva Motor Show in the special-bodywork category in 1991, 1992 and 1993, and at shows such as the Munich Auto Show and the Essen Motor Show. In 1994 it was entered in Eurotax as a manufacturer. The best-known HS product is the HS Cobra, which appeared around 1991. It was a replica of the AC Cobra built on a self-developed tubular frame, offered with a choice of six-cylinder and eight-cylinder engines. In 1998 the company obtained Euro 2 type approval — reportedly as the only Cobra manufacturer worldwide to do so. The Euro 3 and Euro 4 rules that took effect from 2001 did not allow an optically correct Cobra replica in terms of shape and equipment, so HS used up its remaining chassis until 2006 and then ended its own production. The company was renamed Hicotec AG in 2010. Today the cobra-cars.ch site presents itself as the home of Swiss Cobras, run by Rolf Hilpert, and notes that its online shops have been discontinued while remaining parts are still available from stock or can be sourced on request.

The company that became HS vehicles was founded in Gerlafingen, Switzerland, and began operations in 1988 with the import and production of automobiles. Its first vehicle was a Super Seven assembled from parts supplied by the French firm Martin. This initial project quickly grew into a small production operation. From 1989 the company built Westfield models — the SEI, SE, WSE and Cosworth — for the Swiss market, obtaining Swiss type approval for them. Several of its Westfield prototypes and production vehicles were later used for Westfield's European approval and were sold worldwide by Westfield. The cooperation with Westfield ended in 1994 following a restructuring at Westfield, which from that point wanted to supply only finished vehicles; this did not fit the small Swiss market, where many Westfield customers wanted to build their Seven themselves. In 1990 the company built a new 1,200 m² production hall in Gerlafingen. Alongside the Westfield products, until 1993 it imported kits from Tomaszo, Saier, Dax, RAM and Pilgrim, as well as Porsche replicas from Apal and various British manufacturers of hillclimb spyders, Spyder 550 and Speedster models. It established its own automotive paint shop with a spray booth and its own plastics and bodywork production, including its own negative Cobra mould. The company exhibited at the Geneva Motor Show in the special-bodywork category in 1991, 1992 and 1993, and at shows including the Munich Auto Show and the Essen Motor Show. In 1994 it was entered in Eurotax as a manufacturer. The HS Cobra appeared around 1991. It was a replica of the AC Cobra built on a self-developed tubular frame and offered with a choice of six-cylinder and eight-cylinder engines. In 1998 the company obtained Euro 2 type approval, reportedly as the only Cobra manufacturer in the world to do so. The Euro 3 and Euro 4 rules that took effect from 2001 did not permit an optically correct Cobra replica in terms of shape and equipment, so the company used up its remaining chassis until 2006 and then ended its own production. The brand name used for the vehicles was HS. In 2010 the company was renamed Hicotec AG, which continues to operate in the automotive sector. The cobra-cars.ch website presents the business as the home of Swiss Cobras, run by Rolf Hilpert, and notes that its online shops have been discontinued while remaining parts are still available from stock or can be sourced on request.

• 2010

  Company renamed Hicotec AG.

• 2006

  Ends its own automobile production after using up remaining chassis.

• 1998

  Obtains Euro 2 type approval, reportedly as the only Cobra manufacturer worldwide to do so.

• 1994

  Cooperation with Westfield ends after Westfield's restructuring; company is entered in Eurotax as a manufacturer.

• 1993

  Exhibits at the Geneva Motor Show; ends imports of kits from Tomaszo, Saier, Dax, RAM and Pilgrim.

• 1992

  Exhibits at the Geneva Motor Show in the special-bodywork category.

• 1991

  The HS Cobra model appears; company exhibits at the Geneva Motor Show in the special-bodywork category.

• 1990

  Builds a new 1,200 m² production hall in Gerlafingen.

• 1989

  Begins building Westfield models (SEI, SE, WSE, Cosworth) for the Swiss market with Swiss type approval.

• 1988

  Company begins operations in Gerlafingen, Switzerland, importing and producing automobiles; builds its first Super Seven from Martin parts.

Swiss specialist manufacturer of replica and kit cars, historically focused on AC Cobra replicas and Seven-type kit cars for the Swiss market, with some vehicles delivered to the EU and the USA.

• HS Cobra

  Replica of the AC Cobra built on a self-developed tubular frame, offered with six-cylinder or eight-cylinder engines; appeared around 1991.

• Super Seven (Martin)

  First vehicle assembled in 1988 from parts supplied by the French company Martin.

• Westfield SEI / SE / WSE / Cosworth

  Westfield models built for the Swiss market from 1989 and type-approved locally.

• Imported kits and replicas

  Kits from Tomaszo, Saier, Dax, RAM and Pilgrim, plus Porsche replicas from Apal and British hillclimb spyders, Spyder 550 and Speedster models, imported until 1993.

1. 1Home - cobra-cars.chcobra-cars.ch
2. 2History - cobra-cars.chcobra-cars.ch
3. 3HS vehicles - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Hicotec - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org