This British Sports Car Firm Has Returned From The Dead

Over a decade ago, Zenos Cars came onto the scene as another low-volume sports car manufacturer based in the deep ends of Norfolk. We know that leads to two things – some pretty special little sports cars, as the E10 proved to be, and financial instability, as Zenos turned out to have.

It entered administration in 2017 and, despite its assets being purchased by AC Cars the same year, has lain dormant ever since. Now, though, it’s back and with a reborn Zenos E10 to re-announce itself on the sports car stage.

So, what’s changed? The engine, mainly. While the original E10s used Ford Ecoboost power with figures ranging from 200-350bhp, the new E10 RZ uses Volvo power. Its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder is producing 380bhp and 376lb ft of torque and sends that to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox.

At this stage, the E10’s original carbon fibre tub remains, albeit now with extended front and rear tracks, said to improve stability and lower the centre of gravity. Pushrod suspension remains on the front axle, while coilover dampers feature at the rear. A limited-slip differential will be fitted as standard, too. All in, the E10 is said to weigh around 790kg.

That should all translate to a 0-62mph of around 3.2 seconds and a 150mph top speed when the car enters production. By that stage, it’ll look slightly different from the prototype you see here, with reworked front and rear lights. It’ll also be getting an updated interior with a new instrument cluster and controls.

It’s expected the Zenos E10 RZ will go into production early 2026, with the manufacturer planning to build fewer than 50 in its first full year. Prices are set to start around £140,000 for an RZ, although an R2 version running a 2.3-litre Ecoboost engine will follow later, starting from about £120,000.