The new docu‑series “Bricklin: The Gullwing Gamble” revisits the 1970s effort to launch a Canadian‑built sports car, the Bricklin SV‑1, and the political and financial fallout that followed.
How a daring vision became a costly controversy
Malcolm Bricklin, an entrepreneur who first found success importing Italian Lambretta scooters and the Japanese Subaru 360, set his sights on a more ambitious project in the early 1970s. He promised a gull‑winged, V8‑powered sports car with a composite body and cutting‑edge safety features. The design generated buzz at auto shows, and Canadian magazines ran full‑page spreads on the upcoming model.
The provincial government of New Brunswick, led by Premier Richard Hatfield, offered a sizable incentive to locate assembly in the province. The promise was that the car would be built locally, creating jobs and showcasing Canadian engineering. In reality, the incentive was controversial, and the project never delivered cars to Canadian consumers.
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Produced by Cazador Productions in collaboration with Postmedia Studios, the production combines archival footage with fresh interviews. Malcolm Bricklin himself appears on camera, offering his own recollection of the venture.
Viewers also hear from former New Brunswick officials who describe the political pressure to secure the deal. The documentary does not shy away from the criticism that safety advocates argued the car’s design was impractical for everyday roads.
“Bricklin: The Gullwing Gamble” premiered on August 6 on Fibe TV and the associated app. It aims to balance admiration for the engineering feat with a sober look at the missteps that led to its downfall.
Automotive journalists trace the SV‑1’s influence on later Canadian car projects. Although the vehicle never reached the market, its gull‑wing doors and safety innovations inspired design elements in later niche manufacturers.
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A collector who restored an original SV‑1 described the car as “a beautiful oddity that never got its chance.” The documentary includes footage of the restored vehicle, highlighting the craftsmanship that went into its limited production run.
Critics note that the series may lean toward nostalgia, but the inclusion of financial records and government correspondences provides a factual backbone. Filmmakers have been praised for letting the documents speak, rather than relying on dramatic narration.
Overall, the docu‑series offers a thorough look at a daring, but flawed, chapter in Canadian industrial history, shedding light on how a high‑profile car project became a cautionary tale for future public‑private partnerships.
