Australia came
to learn of car manufacturer Purvis Cars following
the
1974 Melbourne Car Show, when the sensational
"Eureka" was displayed for the very
first time. Motor Magazine (then named "Modern
Motor") featured
the Eureka on its June 1974 edition cover, and
not to be outdone Sports Car World then headlined
with "We Drove it First" for their
July 1974 edition. The Eureka actually started
life in the UK in
1971, there called the Nova.
The concept then went to the US as the Sterling
and South Africa as the Eagle. But it was Aussie
Alan Purvis that came across the Nova while
on holiday in the UK in late 1971, he quickly
setting about creating distribution agreements
for Australia and New Zealand. Alan renamed
the Nova as "Eureka" in recognition
of the fighting spirit demonstrated by the miners
at the Eureka Stockade, and even went as far
as adoption the Eureka flag as the companies
symbol.
