The Zenos E10 Has Just Been Revived After A Decade In The Grave

The U.K. has established itself as a master of lightweight, track-focused sports cars, thanks to brands like Radical, Caterham, Ariel, and the F1-inspired BAC Mono. Now, a once-forgotten British sports car maker has been revived and has unveiled a new model. That brand is Zenos, but given how expensive the new E10 is, it may struggle to win customers. The automaker started selling the E10 in early 2014, but by 2016, production suddenly ended, and Zenos slipped into bankruptcy administration. 

AC Cars, another small British sports car manufacturer, acquired Zenos' assets the following year to revive the company. It has just unveiled two versions of the E10, dubbed the rZ and r2, and while the original E10 from 2016 started at £26,995, the entry-level E10 r2 now starts at £115,900. We understand there's been a lot of inflation over the past 10 years, but that's an excessive price hike. It's also worth noting the new E10 looks pretty much identical to the original. That said, some significant upgrades have been made.

The new E10 r2 has a turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-4 with 300 horsepower and 313 pound-feet of torque, significantly more than the old model's 200 hp and 155 lb-ft from its naturally aspirated Ford-sourced four-cylinder. Thanks to this powerful engine and the fact that the car weighs just 1,742 pounds, due to the carbon fiber and aluminum construction, it reaches 62 mph in just 3.8 seconds and will keep on accelerating until 150 mph. Sitting above the E10 r2 in the range is the E10 rZ. It has a slightly smaller turbo 2.0-liter inline-4, but delivers 380 hp and 376 lb-ft. 

The 150-mph top speed is the same, but the 0-62 mph time drops to 3.2 seconds. To enjoy the extra power, shoppers will need to cough up at least £129,900. Like the original, the new Zenos E10 remains a no-frills, stripped-back sports car designed for maximum driver enjoyment. Both versions feature 6-speed manual transmissions, fully independent suspension, coilovers, and a limited-slip differential. The dashboard has also been updated to look more modern and includes a digital driver display and carbon fiber seats. A windshield and a small wind deflector are optional.