I spoke to Trident's Phil Bevan after the launch of the Iceni Magna and Iceni Venturer, two of three potentially ground-breaking cars that can reach 190mph and eke 2000 miles out of one tank
The diesel engine. Once rarely found far
from the accelerator pedal of an angry white-van-man, it’s now responsible for
the last eight victories in the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours. Surprisingly
though, before the giants of Audi and Peugeot clinched those wins, a small
Norfolk based car firm had already long been pushing to maximise diesel’s
performance potential.
“We actually started the diesel program way
before other manufacturers went to Le Mans with a diesel LMP1 car,’” Phil
Bevan, Managing Director of Trident Sports Cars tells me. “We attended the Le
Mans organisers before they did as well.”
Bold claims from a company that has just unveiled two new cars, but not claims that lack any substance. Named the Trident Iceni Magna and Venturer, these new tourer and estate versions of the existing sports car can reach 60mph in just 3.7 seconds and blast their way beyond 190mph. This makes the Iceni faster than Jaguar’s V8 S F-Type roadster.
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| The Iceni Magna displays a split rear-screen |
Such performance is available thanks to a monstrous
6.6-litre GM-sourced V8, a diesel unit that in Trident’s hands can produce an
impressive 424bhp but most importantly, 950lb-ft of torque. But get this, for
extra cash and presumably those with King Kong-levels of chest-hair, you can
even upgrade Iceni’s V8 to produce 651bhp and a terrifying 1057lb-ft of torque.
That’s a truly earth-moving amount of grunt.
“If you look at our torque figures they are generally double that of our competitors.” Phil’s right, even Jag’s mighty V8 S can only stir up a measly 460lb-ft. But why so much?
“Torque is the accelerating force that horsepower takes over from once the accelerating has finished. The question is, when does a car stop accelerating if you keep changing gear?”
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| A long bonnet houses the 6.6-litre diesel V8 |
Well it won’t, not in the Trident
apparently because pushing all that torque through the rear-wheels will be a rear-mounted eight-speed
automatic gearbox. And with so many cogs to play with, the Iceni will be able
to maximise its acceleration at all times, making for effortless speed gain and
the most precarious license losing levels yet seen in this segment.
Using their own electronic engine control unit, the small car firm hasn’t just achieved impressive straight-line performance, but also enabled truly astronomical levels of economy.
“68.9mpg is at just 980 revs which means you will be travelling at 70mph,” explains Phil, “and the car can even run on 100% bio-diesel, things like cooking oil and rapeseed.”
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| The Iceni sports car was unveiled ahead of the Magna and Venturer |
This enables the Iceni to cover an astonishing
2000 miles to one tank. That’s three times the length of the UK before your
first fuel stop. All this in a car that can outdrag established rivals to 60, offers
a luxurious leather and alcantara interior and is available in three body
types. Impressive.
Perhaps the most striking of those body shapes is the originally unveiled sports car. Supporting a roll bar that runs from the middle of the windscreen into the smooth plain of the almost Jaguar-like rear, it serves both aesthetically and functionally to give the car a much more purposeful appearance.
“The longitudinal roll-over bar offers super-safe occupancy for passengers even in the event of a roll.” Phil goes on to explain that the bar also helps to enhance handling; “it makes the triangulated structure more akin to the structural rigidity of a saloon car.” And in the world of open top sports cars, more rigidity equals better handling.
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| Leather and alcantara is used in abundance |
That’s not to say the Iceni is an out and out racer however. Phil explains that whilst the car possesses some truly blistering pace, it’s closer to that of Grand Tourer, “providing a very compliant ride along with its excellent handling.”
“We will never produce a car with
Nurburgring tuned suspension because the roads in this country are full of
ridges, cambers and pot holes; nothing like the Nurburgring or any race
circuit. We believe that over firm suspended cars are an excuse for a properly
set up car.” No doubt great news for the bottoms of prospective Iceni drivers.
Such early days for small British supercar
firms can be nervous times, but there are undoubtedly signs that the Trident
story could be one destined for long-term success. A racing program looks possible
for the future, giving the brand a chance to demonstrate its new car against
far more established marques’ machinery. Whilst a waiting list of prospective
buyers from across the globe should ensure the Norfolk production plant will
see the Iceni, available from £96,000 in its entry level, one day burble its
way onto the roads.
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| Defining longitudinal beam adds structural rigidity |
All sounds great, but there is one overriding
concern for sports car lovers of the world; how will it sound? Diesels aren’t particularly aurally pleasing and let’s face it, they can sometimes ruin a car’s sporting
credentials. But thankfully, Phil is confident in saying that the case is very
different in his Iceni.
“As our engine runs on Piezo fuel injectors
it sounds like a petrol engine. Under hard acceleration it even sounds more
like a Euro Fighter taking off. It really makes the hairs on the back of your
neck stand on end.”
Euro Fighter? That’ll go nicely with that ridiculous
torque figure then.
