When you think of what defines a British car, it’ll either be a billionaire’s luxury cruiser or, when it comes to the cars that truly define British ingenuity in our eyes, a lightweight track-munching sports car built in someone’s shed.
If you’re track day or backroad enthusiast, this one’s for you, as the British-built Zenos E10 is now poised to make a return after a decade-long hiatus for the Norfolk-based company.
Founded by Ansar Ali and Mark Edwards, who had experience working together for both Lotus and Caterham, the E10 “road-legal track day car” was Zenos’ sole offering.
Available in standard, S, and R guises, only 100 or so were built in 2015-16 before the company was placed into administration following a string of cancelled orders, before a consortium led by AC Cars bailed the brand out.
Now, the E10 is finally poised to make a return, with production of the new 283kW (380hp) ‘RZ’ variant slated to commence in early 2026 while the 242kW (325hp) ‘R2’ variant will follow around three months later.
Shown here in engineering prototype form, the E10 has been reengineered for today’s age, although Zenos is still focusing on innovation and ingenuity, seeking to do more with less in the tradition of the Great British sports cars manufacturers that inspired the company’s founding.
The E10 RZ now boasts the latest powertrain technology, with a completely revised engine configuration seeing its fresh 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine now paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. Serving up 283kW at 6000rpm and 510Nm from 3000-4500rpm, it’s enough to help the 790kg E10 deliver a whopping 373kW (500bhp) per tonne.
Meanwhile, the E10 R2 features a 2.3-litre turbocharged engine, also now backed by a six-speed manual, which delivers 298kW (400bhp) per tonne.
Built around a large, single extruded aluminium spine, the E10’s chassis provides excellent torsional rigidity thanks to the addition of a full carbon fibre tub.
The front and rear track width of the updated model has been increased to provide better stability and handling, along with a slightly lowered centre of gravity. All significant weight is inboard of both front and rear axles, including the new engine and gearbox installation.
The E10’s fully independent front suspension utilises pushrod and inboard-mounted dampers to reduce drag, lower unsprung mass, and improve ride and steering response.
At the rear, conventional coil-over dampers mount directly to the tubular steel subframe which holds the engine and gearbox. Production cars will feature a limited slip differential to extract the best traction when cornering at higher speeds.
Further sharpening the car’s innate ability, a full carbon fibre body cuts kerb weight and provides elements of visual drama. Produced in the UK, the hand-laid carbon components will be available painted, with visible weave or given a bespoke finish as per a client’s desire.
Updated front and rear light clusters incorporating the latest lighting technology will also add to its revised visual appeal, while the doorless cabin includes a number of carbon fibre components, including bespoke bucket seats with a unique finish. New instrumentation and controls will complete the revised package.
Pricing starts at roughly £120,000 (including on-road costs) for the the E10 R2, rising to £140,000 for the E10 RZ, translating to A$244,840 and A$285,645 respectively in today’s Aussie dollar. First deliveries are expected shortly after production commences in early 2026, with under 50 examples planned for production next year. The original E10 was never offered in Australia, and it’s unclear whether this revised version will be either, although export markets counted for around 50 percent of the original car’s sales.
