It would be reasonable for us here at PistonHeads to feel a close emotional attachment to Zenos Cars, given we've
followed the project
from Powerpoint presentation to very impressive and enjoyable three-tier product range built in a busy industrial unit in Wymondham. Formed by a core of ex-Caterham (and ex-Lotus) staff including Ansar Ali, Mark Edwards and Chris Weston, Zenos stood out for having a very thoroughly costed and well thought out business plan before designs for a car were even started. Making a serious go of it was always going to be a challenge though and, sadly, it appears the firm is in trouble and has called the administrators in.
This is especially frustrating given the major hurdles of establishing a brand, an ethos and a customer base had been overcome and the flow of orders seemed steady enough to support the original business model set out by Ali and Edwards. The former left the company a little while ago to join McLaren, Edwards overseeing the expansion from the original unit we visited back in the start and into a more serious production facility from where E10s are built and sent out into the world. From steady beginnings with the naturally aspirated E10 through to the seriously rapid turbocharged E10 S and properly bonkers E10 R we've enjoyed the cars every time we've driven them too.
Since we posted this story an official statement has been put out by Zenos explaining the situation in more detail. "Zenos Cars Limited has appointed Irvin Cohen and Gary Shankland of Begbies Traynor (London) LLP as Joint Administrators of the Company, following a recent downturn in trade. The appointment was made by the Board of Directors of the Company on 16 January 2017 after cancelled export orders in late 2016 resulted in a shortfall in funding, forcing the business to cease trading," it says.
"It is with great disappointment that the Board has had to take this step," says Mark Edwards in the release. "We still believe that our products offer unrivalled affordable fun and we have already made very good progress in developing the next product in our strategy." Speaking for the administrators Irvin Cohen indicates a glimmer of hope a buyer may be found. "We are currently open to speaking with parties interested in securing a future for the business and would request that any enquiries are made directly with our London office," he says.
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Zenos E10 R at Blyton Park