The Mini Marcos, like a lot of those British 'kit' cars which you assembled yourself were quite popular as they were exempt from sales tax. When VAT was introduced in 1973, it put an instant end to them as you had to pay the value as you went. The Mini Marcos needed a donor car, which was usually a clapped out rusty Mini, and rather like the Ikea idea, you assembled it yourself. Lotus used to promote the Elan as something you could assemble yourself over a weekend, but the number that appeared at the dealer on a flat top on a Monday said it all.