Wednesday 30th April 2014

Trident Iceni returns (again)

The diesel sports car is back once more, now with new models added

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We've all heard of the Trident Iceni, right? The diesel sports car that was on, off, then on and sort of disappeared again. Well Trident has now confirmed 'global availability' of the Iceni coupe, as well as a Magna roadster and Venturer shooting brake. For £96,000. We'll come back to that.

Roadster one of three models offered...

A quick recap of the Iceni fundamentals though. The engine is a GM Duramax 6.6-litre V8 diesel, usually found up front in a Silverado or some such US truck. It's a brute of an engine, perhaps not one typically suited to a lithe sports car. As standard it makes 400hp and 700lb ft in the Iceni (no rpm figures come with those, they will presumably be fairly low) with a range of option packs that can take power up to 660hp if necessary. Does this sound a little like the MG SV?

With a six-speed automatic, Trident claims a 0-62mph time of 3.7 seconds and a top speed of over 190mph. Alcon discs provide the stopping power, with 400mm discs at the front, 380mm at the rear and six-piston calipers all round. Suspension features Pro Flex dampers and Eibach springs.

... as well as Magna coupe...

You'll recall Trident claimed a 2,000-mile range for the Iceni, augmented by gearing that enabled a 980rpm 70mph cruise. Which is all very worthy, but is it actually what buyers spending £100K on a sports car want? Is economy a primary concern?

Moreover, for eco-conscious buyers the BMW i8 will surely be hard to ignore. The Iceni's styling isn't bad, in fact it looks far more resolved as a coupe than roadster, but it wants for showroom appeal against the BMW. That off-the-shelf diesel is hardly the last word in glamour either, and we'd hazard a guess that the engine is an important deciding factor for many buyers. See the response to the F-Type's sonic theatre, for example. The economy does give the Iceni a USP, and the engine is massively tuneable (a £31K track pack reputedly ups power to 660hp and 1,050lb ft among other benefits) but it still seems a gamble on an expensive sports car.

... and Venturer shooting brake. All £96K

Of course the proof will be in the driving. Will that heavy engine dominate for all the wrong reasons? Trident claims a waiting list for the production models which hopefully means a press drive can't be far off either. With prototypes having been tested for eight years now, it will surely be a relief to finally put the car on sale. The question remains though, is the Iceni the sports car of the future or something that perhaps looks old tech already?

 

 

 

 

[Fetchez la vache]

The roadster looks to have odd (I'm being nice) proportions in Tridents own youtube video ...

[simonrockman]

What a deeply disappointing video. I would at least have expected shots of something driving down a road.

Simon

[kiethton]

Said it on the DM site but looks like the hideous lovechild of a Ferrari 612 and jaguar F-type

[Burnham]

I see a complete mishmash of all sorts of cars in there, from SLR to god-knows-what....but oddly it seems to work as a coupe, and has a very nice profile.

At least it corners the bonkers torque, limited production number, diesel coupe market. Two fingers up to Merc and BMW with their 'a model for everyone' ethos.

[Frimley111R]

kiethton said:

looks hideous

EFA

[Bill]

Burnham said:

It least it corners the bonkers torque, limited production number, diesel coupe market. Two fingers up to Merc and BMW with their 'a model for everyone' ethos.

USPs are good, but surely this'd be far more popular with an LS engine?

[NXXN]

Dealer fit accessories.

[matthias73]

This needs to completely embrace the engine to be decent. I'm talking big clouds of black smoke, massively overdone turbo whooshes and whistles, and various other industrial noises. Then it would be hilarious good fun.

[coogy]

Utterly tragic.

[Macboy]

I'll just leave this racing Cummins 6.6 diesel here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59bnhGEJp6U

12.7 1/4 mile and your own Bond-style smokescreen

[V41LEY]

What happened to that pretty roadster they previewed over 10 years ago. These are horrible ! Interesting insight into what a new TVR might cost.

[M888SXY]

I remember being in a pub somewhere north of Norwich one Sunday afternoon about 11 years ago and one of them rolled up with the company owner (I seem to remember). Had a very interesting chat.

V41LEY said:

What happened to that pretty roadster they previewed over 10 years ago. These are horrible ! Interesting insight into what a new TVR might cost.

[dino ferrana]

matthias73 said:

This needs to completely embrace the engine to be decent. I'm talking big clouds of black smoke, massively overdone turbo whooshes and whistles, and various other industrial noises. Then it would be hilarious good fun.

I know few people on here care about the environment, but big clouds of black smoke is just not something we want to encourage. It pains me to see some Americans celebrating their "rolling coal" idiocy. Sure you might not believe in climate change, but that black smoke and particulates DOES kill people. That isn't a theory it is a fact. Too many people seem to lump all emissions into "all that tree hugging nonsense", but black smoke from diesels needs to be eliminated!

Back to the car, I think this thing used to try to compete in British GT, but by try I mean turn up, break down and go home?

[F1GTRUeno]

Why even bother?

[Negative Creep]

dino ferrana said:

matthias73 said:

This needs to completely embrace the engine to be decent. I'm talking big clouds of black smoke, massively overdone turbo whooshes and whistles, and various other industrial noises. Then it would be hilarious good fun.

I know few people on here care about the environment, but big clouds of black smoke is just not something we want to encourage. It pains me to see some Americans celebrating their "rolling coal" idiocy. Sure you might not believe in climate change, but that black smoke and particulates DOES kill people. That isn't a theory it is a fact. Too many people seem to lump all emissions into "all that tree hugging nonsense", but black smoke from diesels needs to be eliminated!

Back to the car, I think this thing used to try to compete in British GT, but by try I mean turn up, break down and go home?

But the government says they emit less CO2 and don't tax them as much to save the environment! They would never mislead us!

[RossP]

Diesel sports car? Just plain wrong.

[campaj1]

Hmm... it looks peculiar to say the least, and the claimed economy/acceleration figures simply don't add up. F-Type or 991 C2s for me please. That's not to say that the diesel sports/super car is a bad idea though, it could work a treat for GT cars in particular. Would have to sound truly menacing. How about an R8 V10 TDI? A 911 F6 Diesel? We already have the impressive 640d, but there is room for others I'm sure.

[mikEsprit]

The rear view of the coupe is superb; the other views are decent.

Not bad.

[ATG]

RossP said:

Diesel sports car? Just plain wrong.

But for a GT, or if you like muscle cars, not a bad shout.

[GTRene]

I don't think its that bad, I kinda like it in some ways, dare to be different.



also like the big side pipes, maybe no flame throwers,
but laying a smoke screen for the police, could work me thinks