Reva

Reva was a small Swedish sports-car project associated with Dan Werbin and Holger Brånby and based at Reva gård. It emerged in the mid-1960s as an effort to create lightweight, distinctive two-seat coupés using a mixture of fiberglass bodywork, Volkswagen mechanical components, and, in the later prototype, purpose-built chassis engineering. The project belonged to the period's broader European enthusiast-car culture, in which small workshops and independent constructors could develop low-volume sports cars outside the established automobile manufacturers. The first Reva was the Reva GT, completed in 1964. It used a fiberglass body mounted on a Volkswagen Beetle chassis. The following Reva GT Mk1 retained the Volkswagen-based layout, used a Volkswagen 1200 engine, and added Porsche brakes. Three Mk1 examples were made. The subsequent Mk II adopted more rounded styling while continuing to rely on the Beetle chassis. Reva reportedly produced and sold approximately 20 bodies during this phase, but did not complete an equivalent number of fully assembled cars. This distinction is important: Reva was primarily a low-volume body and sports-car construction project rather than a conventional mass-production automobile company. For the 1968 Mk III, Werbin and Brånby attempted to move toward a more finished and technically independent car. The Mk III body was lower and wider than the earlier designs, and the Beetle chassis was abandoned in favor of a custom steel-tube frame. The prototypes also experimented with substantially larger American V8 engines. The first prototype used a 3.5-litre Buick V8, the second a 5.4-litre Chevrolet Corvette engine, and the third a 5.41-litre Oldsmobile V8. These specifications marked a significant shift from the relatively accessible Volkswagen-based cars toward a more powerful and individually engineered sports-car concept. The project ended after Swedish rules governing amateur-built vehicles changed. The regulatory change made continuation of Reva's production plans impractical, and the marque did not develop into a sustained commercial automobile manufacturer. Reva therefore occupies a niche place in Swedish automotive history: it represents an independent, enthusiast-led attempt to create a low-volume sports car, with a progression from Volkswagen-based fiberglass construction to custom chassis and American V8 propulsion. After the Reva project, Dan Werbin continued his automotive career at Volvo. He joined the company in 1970 and later became head of product planning at Volvo of America in 1973. He also worked on Volvo trucks and on concept-car projects, including the Volvo VESC. These later activities provide context for Werbin's engineering and product-development background, but they were separate from the Reva marque.

Reva was created at Reva gård in Sweden by Dan Werbin and Holger Brånby during the 1960s. The first car, the Reva GT, appeared in 1964 with a fiberglass body fitted to a Volkswagen Beetle chassis. The GT was followed by the GT Mk1, which used a Volkswagen 1200 engine and Porsche brakes; three Mk1 cars were built. The Mk II introduced more rounded bodywork but continued to use the Beetle chassis. Across the early versions, the project produced and sold about 20 bodies, although it did not complete an equivalent number of entire vehicles. Reva's later development aimed at a more finished and more independent sports car. The 1968 Mk III had a lower, wider body and a custom steel-tube chassis rather than a Volkswagen platform. Its prototypes were powered by large American V8 engines: a 3.5-litre Buick unit, a 5.4-litre Chevrolet Corvette engine, and a 5.41-litre Oldsmobile V8 in the third example. Changes to Swedish regulations for amateur-built vehicles brought the project to an end before Reva could establish regular production. Dan Werbin subsequently joined Volvo in 1970 and became head of product planning at Volvo of America in 1973. His later work included Volvo trucks and concept cars such as the Volvo VESC.

• 1973

  Werbin became head of product planning at Volvo of America

  [1]Reva (Swedish car)en.wikipedia.org

  Dan Werbin later assumed a product-planning leadership role at Volvo of America.

• 1970

  Dan Werbin joined Volvo

  [1]Reva (Swedish car)en.wikipedia.org

  Following the Reva project, Dan Werbin was hired by Volvo.

• 1968

  Mk III prototype developed

  [1]Reva (Swedish car)en.wikipedia.org

  The Mk III adopted a lower and wider body, a custom steel-tube chassis, and experimental American V8 power.

• 1964

  First Reva GT completed

  [1]Reva (Swedish car)en.wikipedia.org

  The first Reva GT was built with a fiberglass body mounted on a Volkswagen Beetle chassis.

• 1960

  GT Mk1 development

  [1]Reva (Swedish car)en.wikipedia.org

  The GT Mk1 used a Volkswagen 1200 engine and Porsche brakes; three examples were produced.

• 1960

  Mk II introduced

  [1]Reva (Swedish car)en.wikipedia.org

  The Mk II received more rounded styling while retaining the Volkswagen Beetle chassis.

An independent Swedish enthusiast-car marque focused on lightweight, two-seat sports coupés and low-volume construction rather than mass-market automobile production.

• Two-seat sports coupé · 1964

  Reva GT

  The original Reva sports car, completed in 1964. It combined a lightweight fiberglass coupé body with the chassis of a Volkswagen Beetle, reflecting the practical component-sharing approach used by many independent sports-car constructors of the period.

• Two-seat sports coupé

  Reva GT Mk1

  An evolution of the original GT using a Volkswagen 1200 engine and Porsche brakes. Three Mk1 cars were made, making it one of the most clearly defined production variants in the Reva project.

• Two-seat sports coupé body

  Reva Mk II

  The Mk II introduced more rounded exterior forms while continuing to use the Volkswagen Beetle chassis. Reva sold bodies during this stage, but the project did not produce a comparable number of complete cars.

• Prototype sports coupé · 1968

  Reva Mk III

  The 1968 Mk III was intended as a more complete and technically independent Reva. It used a lower and wider body, a custom steel-tube chassis, and prototype powertrains drawn from Buick, Chevrolet Corvette, and Oldsmobile V8 engines.

• 1968

  Move from Volkswagen-based construction to a custom chassisGeneration change

  Background

  The earlier Reva models relied on the Volkswagen Beetle chassis, while the developers wanted the Mk III to be a more finished and independent sports car.

  Action taken

  Reva developed a lower, wider Mk III body and replaced the Beetle platform with a custom steel-tube chassis.

  Aftermath

  The Mk III remained a prototype-stage project, and production ended after Swedish amateur-built-vehicle regulations changed.

  Source

• Experimentation with large American V8 enginesStrategy

  Background

  The Mk III program represented an effort to increase performance and distinguish the car from the earlier Volkswagen-based versions.

  Action taken

  The prototypes were fitted with Buick, Chevrolet Corvette, and Oldsmobile V8 engines of approximately 3.5 to 5.41 litres.

  Aftermath

  The experiments did not lead to sustained production because the project was halted by changes to Swedish amateur-built-vehicle rules.

  Source

1. 1Reva (Swedish car)en.wikipedia.org