Deon

Deon was a British manufacturer of kit-form sports cars based in Ilminster, Somerset, with earlier roots in Clacton, Essex, and Sutton Veny, Warminster, Dorset, operating under the name J.H. Classics. The marque traded as Deon Ltd from 1991 to 1993 and later as Deon Cars from 1995 to 1998.

The company's range was inspired by the Ferrari Dino and was initially marketed under the name D.G.T., a project that emerged from the earlier Daytona Classics operation. The cars used a multi-tube chassis with a central backbone, topped by a fibreglass body reinforced with steel and wood. Front suspension came from the Fiat 124, while the rear suspension was sourced from the Lancia Beta, which also supplied the standard engine. A Ford Cologne 2.9-litre V6, paired with an Escort RS Turbo gearbox, was offered as an alternative powertrain.

The lineup included a coupé, a GTS-style targa coupé known as the Scoperto, and a roofless speedster variant called the Le Mans, distinguished by its cut-down wind deflector. In 1992 the company took on the Noble P4 project and was preparing to launch a more ambitious model called the Mirabeau. Although closely related to the Dino-inspired coupé, the Mirabeau featured substantial revisions, including a smoothed front end, a lip spoiler, wider wheel arches, and a redesigned rear with a distinctive kick in the tail.

Deon went out of business in early 1993 after heavy expenditure, shortly before the Mirabeau's planned launch. The marque was revived in 1995, continuing production of both the Mirabeau and the original Dino-style models until 1998.