DRB

DRB was an Australian low-volume sports-car manufacturer based on the Gold Coast in Queensland, later operating from Stapylton. The business began in 1973 as DRB Enterprises and initially produced fibreglass-bodied kit cars such as the Sabre, Magnum, and Sabre 2, using Volkswagen Beetle-based mechanical layouts. In 1981 it expanded into more advanced specialist cars, and by the 1980s and 1990s it had become known for replicas of the AC Cobra 427 and Ford GT40. The company also built the Taipan, a mid-engined coupe, and later offered the DRB 540, a modern Cobra-style model inspired by Ford’s Shelby Cobra concept.

Under the GT40 Australia and DRB Sportscars names, the marque developed a strong reputation in Australia’s replica-car industry for supplying chassis-and-body packages as well as complete turn-key cars. Its GT40s and Cobras were exported and widely regarded as some of the best-known Australian-built replicas of their type. In its later years the company was closely associated with Peter Ransom, and its range also included Jaguar D-Type recreations. DRB remained a specialist manufacturer serving a small enthusiast market and formed part of the broader Australian kit-car and component-car tradition.