Monday 15th September 2014

Development grant for Zenos

£150K cash boost for Zenos to fund composite work

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Sports car start up Zenos doesn't really need to increase anticipation levels further. The big question everyone wants answered is how the company's forthcoming track-focused E10 lightweight will drive.

Doesn't look much, actually quite significant

Sadly, we can't tell you that yet. But we can pass on - drum roll, please - the company's announcement that it's been given a £150,000 development grant to help it continue develop its innovative lightweight composite structure, which is based around recycled carbonfibre, and specifically to find out how safe and recyclable it will be.

We'll understand if your pulse hasn't risen much above resting, but it does show that things are still moving in the right direction in Wymondham, where Zenos is based in an industrial unit a well-hurled stone's throw from Lotus. The company's first car, the E10, made its static debut at this year's Autosport show and the company says it's already taken 70 deposits for the mid-engined lightweight, which will be powered by transverse Ford four-cylinder motors producing either 200hp in naturally aspirated form, or 250hp when turbocharged.

The Niche Vehicle Network that awarded the grant is a collaboration between different low-volume manufacturers and suppliers that works on developing new technologies. Zenos has previously won a grant for the development of the aluminium and composite platform that will underpin its range. Given the collaborative nature of the NVN, we can anticipate the research will ultimately come to help other small sports car makers, too.

[M@1975]

Awesome, maybe they can put a roof on it now and actually sell some to UK customers...

[soad]

Roof? Only adds weight. What it needs is a bigger aero screen.

[anonymous-user]

PH said:

innovative lightweight composite structure, which is based around recycled carbonfibre, and specifically to find out how safe and recyclable it will be.

Wouldn't it have been better to do ^^^this BEFORE starting to make a car out of it???

[Sid123]

I have had the good fortune to drive the E10 and be driven in the E10S at Millbrook. The car is fantastic and particularly the S will have performance you can't get in any other new car for £30k.
It also has a full screen and wiper as an option and in fact the car looks much better proportioned with it fitted .......http://www.zenoscars.com/gallery/......the picture is on this link

[AER]

Sid123 said:

I have had the good fortune to drive the E10 and be driven in the E10S at Millbrook. The car is fantastic and particularly the S will have performance you can't get in any other new car for £30k.

I expect in the end you won't be able to get it even in a Zenos for that money...

[iloveboost]

Max_Torque said:

Wouldn't it have been better to do ^^^this BEFORE starting to make a car out of it???

They probably already know how recyclable it is but took the grant anyway to help them find out.
I'm guessing it will be recyclable as it's the equivalent of carbon chipboard.
No idea for sure though.

[Hoonfest]

It's a bit like the Caterham Aeroseven concept just much better looking

[soad]

Hoonfest said:

It's a bit like the Caterham Aeroseven concept just much better looking

That is very true.

[anonymous-user]

AER said:

Sid123 said:

I have had the good fortune to drive the E10 and be driven in the E10S at Millbrook. The car is fantastic and particularly the S will have performance you can't get in any other new car for £30k.

I expect in the end you won't be able to get it even in a Zenos for that money...

It's going to be interesting to see what the final scores are indeed! I suggest they may manage to keep the "base" car down in price, but not actually sell any, and rely on more expensive "upspec-ing" from the options list to keep the company profitable, otherwise known as the "BMW" sales model.......



(BMW model = "Why YES sir, this 118d comes with the steering wheel, and we'll throw in for FREE all the air in the car" ;-)

[Jellinek]

I think the healthy skepticism around most low volume sports car companies is generally well founded, but in the case of Zenos, I think they have started out on exactly the right footing for a road based company.

Comparing the E10 to the Ginetta G40R for example, they both sell for around 30k, but the E10 is so much simpler. That is not to say the E10 is less value for money (I'd wager it is significantly lighter and much quicker that the G40 on road or track, so this is what you pay for), only that they have identified a really good niche to get things started (financially speaking). Once they have ironed out all the bugs with the basic chassis/engine, they can develop the car to include more features (like doors and windscreen which introduce a huge amount of complexity and potential for quality problems. (BTW, I'd like to stress I'm not criticising the G40. Its roots lie in the one make series for the masses, so outright speed was not an top priority for the car in the design process I'm sure).

I think Zenos have the best chance of being around for a long time to come, which is a unusual and a very good thing. Its just a shame they are based 200 miles away, otherwise my CV would have been in there!